Analysis with calculations
A six-month-old quotation: what is it still worth?
Higher costs can absorb much of a job's return. A simple calculation and questions to ask before confirming an old quotation.
A customer returns after several months wanting to proceed with previously quoted work. The scope looks unchanged, so the old price seems a natural reference. For the contractor, however, the key question is different: can that amount still cover materials, labour and the intended return?
Preliminary Statistics Poland data show construction and assembly output prices in September 2026 were 6.9% higher than a year earlier. Specialised construction activities rose by 7.7%. This is a reason to review quotations, not a percentage to add automatically to every offer. The output price index is not an index of materials alone. Statistics Poland
A small cost change, a large change in return
Consider a purely illustrative example excluding VAT. A job is priced at PLN 50,000. Direct costs, including materials, labour and transport, are estimated at PLN 40,000. That leaves PLN 10,000 for overheads and the business's return.
If those direct costs increase by an assumed 8%, they reach PLN 43,200. With the price unchanged, PLN 6,800 remains. An 8% cost increase has reduced that surplus by 32%. This is a model calculation, not a measurement of average industry margins or an application of the GUS index to a particular job.
| Item | Original calculation | After cost change |
|---|---|---|
| Net price | PLN 50,000 | PLN 50,000 |
| Direct costs | PLN 40,000 | PLN 43,200 |
| Surplus before overheads | PLN 10,000 | PLN 6,800 |
Four things to check
Before reconfirming an offer, update the prices of the largest purchases, team availability, delivery conditions and actual scope. Even without a change in unit prices, the area, substrate or room preparation may have changed.
Clearly stating the calculation date, validity period and material assumptions helps. List excluded work separately and explain how changes will be agreed. This does not create a right to increase an agreed price unilaterally. An existing contract needs separate assessment.
A properly calculated update also supports the customer conversation. Specific line items explain a price change better than saying everything has become expensive. They also let both sides find savings in scope or specification rather than conceal them in workmanship.
Sources and access dates
- Construction and assembly output price indices in September 2026GUS · Accessed: 30/10/2026