What to exclude in a plumbing bid proposal

Published 6 October 2026. Updated 6 October 2026.

Most disputes on a plumbing subcontract start with a sentence like "I thought that was included." Your estimate priced what you saw on the drawings. Your proposal has to say what that was, and just as important, what it was not. This guide gives a checklist you can adapt for commercial work, and a method for writing the entries so they can be enforced.

Why exclusions carry weight

A general contractor compares several bids for the same trade. If two bids differ by a large amount, the lower one is often missing something. When the missing item turns up later, the question is whether your proposal said it was left out. A clear exclusion turns an argument into a change order conversation. A silent proposal leaves you arguing from memory.

Exclusions are not a way to underbid and then bill extras. They are a way to make your price comparable and honest. Leave out only what you did not price, and say so.

How to write an exclusion that works

1. Name the item. "Trenching" is better than "sitework."
2. Say who does it, if you know. "By others" is fine, but "by excavation contractor" is clearer.
3. Tie it to the documents where possible. Refer to a drawing, a specification section or an addendum.
4. State the boundary. Where your work stops matters: "Water service from 5 feet outside the building" tells the reader exactly where you start.
5. Keep one idea per line. Long run-on exclusions get skipped.

Checklist: items to consider for a commercial plumbing bid

Treat this as a prompt, not a standard list. Delete what does not apply, and add what does.

Utilities and site

• Excavation, backfill, shoring, dewatering and disposal of spoil
• Utility connections and tap fees, meters and backflow testing fees if you are not paying them
• Work beyond the building boundary you stated

Other trades

• Cutting, patching, coring and fire-stopping of walls, floors and roofs, or the part you did not price
• Electrical power, disconnects and wiring for water heaters, pumps and controls
• Structural supports, curbs, housekeeping pads and framing
• Painting, insulation finishes and access panels, if not shown in your scope
• Fire protection piping, unless you priced it

Fixtures and equipment

• Fixtures and equipment furnished by owner, installed by you, and the reverse
• Fixture models you assumed, if the specification allows substitutions
• Specialty items such as grease interceptors, sump pumps or water treatment, if outside your scope
• Final connections to kitchen or process equipment supplied by others

Conditions and time

• Hidden or unforeseen conditions, such as concealed piping, contaminated soil or asbestos materials
• Overtime, night, weekend or phased work unless stated
• Temporary water, toilets or utilities for the site
• Delays, resequencing or out-of-order work caused by others

Commercial and administrative

• Permits and inspection fees, if you are not paying them
• Payment and performance bond costs, unless the bid documents require a bond or you priced one
• Testing and special inspections beyond those you listed
• Price escalation if the job does not start by the date you assumed

Assumptions and clarifications

An assumption states a condition you relied on. A clarification states how you read something unclear. Together they let a reader see your price in context.

• "Pricing based on drawings dated and addenda 1 through 3." Fill in the real dates and numbers.
• "Existing piping shown to remain is reused as is and is in serviceable condition."
• "Work is performed during normal business hours with unobstructed access."
• "Pipe material is as listed in the specification. Where options are allowed, the lowest cost option is priced."

If the drawings and specification disagree, say which one you followed, and ask the question before bid day if you can. Many contracts say the drawings and specification are complementary, so an item shown in one is required even if the other is silent. An exclusion for "items shown on drawings but not specified" may not hold up.

Common mistakes

• Copying an old exclusions list unchanged. It may mention another job's equipment or exclude something this job requires you to include.
• Excluding something the contract documents require. If the specification calls for it, the exclusion may not protect you. Raise it as a clarification or price it as an alternate.
• Listing exclusions the price does include. This confuses the reader and can undercut your own scope.
• No exclusion for the work next to yours. Electrical connections and cutting and patching sit at the edge of plumbing scope on most jobs, so check them first.
• Forgetting that exclusions go stale. If you revise the estimate, reread the exclusions.

Pair exclusions with alternates

When something is outside your base price but the owner might want it, you can offer it as an alternate with its own price rather than leaving it only as an exclusion. That gives the buyer a choice and a number. See alternates, allowances and unit prices for how that is written, and how to write a commercial HVAC bid proposal for the surrounding structure.

How ScopeClerk handles this step

ScopeClerk drafts the proposal from your estimate and the job facts you give it, and the draft includes assumptions, exclusions and alternates alongside scope and payment terms. Exclusions you list in your estimate go in the exclusions section of the draft and are not priced, and a check flags any exclusion the draft leaves out. In the sample on the site, an electrical panel upgrade marked as by others appears under exclusions with a flag asking you to make sure that is what you meant to leave out.

ScopeClerk works only from what you upload. It does not know the contract documents you did not send, and it does not decide what your price should exclude. A second, stronger AI model reviews every result, fixes what it can, and lists what is left for you to decide. Results are model output checked by code and by a second model; they are not verified by a person. A draft is 25 credits and a revision round is 25 more. Sign up to try it on your next bid.

Questions

Do exclusions hold up if the contract says something different?

Not always. Many subcontracts say the signed contract replaces earlier proposals, so your exclusions count only if they are written into or attached to the subcontract. Read the contract language and raise conflicts before you sign.

Is a long exclusions list a turn-off for general contractors?

A short, specific list reads as careful. A long, vague list reads as defensive. Group items by topic, keep each one specific, and drop anything that does not apply to this job.

What is the difference between an exclusion and a clarification?

An exclusion names work that is not in your price. A clarification explains how you read an unclear item, such as which fixture model you priced. Both go in the proposal, usually under separate headings.