Features & tools
Managing quotes for maintenance works
Every maintenance intervention, from replacing an elevator gasket to redoing a facade, goes through a delicate phase: collecting quotes. A property manager who simply asks three contractors for a number over the phone exposes the building to disputes, delays and poorly justified choices. Managing quotes well means drafting a clear specification first, gathering comparable offers, presenting them to the assembly with objective criteria, and finally tracking the entire process through to award and execution. This guide walks through the process step by step, referencing the Italian Civil Code rules on approving extraordinary works and the criteria that help owners decide without conflict. AmministraPro supports every stage with dedicated tools for collecting and comparing offers.
The specification: the basis of any serious comparison
Before contacting contractors, a specification document should describe the intervention precisely: required materials, timelines, warranties, execution methods and documentation to be delivered at completion. Without a shared specification, quotes arrive on different bases and become impossible to compare: one contractor includes material disposal, another does not; one offers two years of warranty, another six months.
The specification should also list minimum contractor requirements, such as business registration, tax compliance certification and relevant quality certifications, so that non-compliant offers are excluded from the outset.
Collecting offers in a traceable way
Good practice is to send the same specification to several contractors, with a submission deadline. Keeping records of every communication, whether email, certified mail or forms uploaded to a dedicated platform, is essential: if an owner raises an objection, the manager must be able to show that the comparison was conducted fairly and is fully documented.
On AmministraPro, quotes are uploaded to a dedicated section of the building profile, with attachments, amount, execution time and notes: every offer stays linked to the specific job and visible to whoever has permission to review it, instead of being scattered across personal email accounts.
Comparing: not just the lowest price
Article 1130 of the Civil Code assigns the manager ordinary administration tasks and the duty to report to the assembly, which remains the decision making body for extraordinary works under article 1135. The comparison between quotes should therefore reach the assembly already organized by criteria: price, timeline, warranties, references for similar work, and any option to split payments.
A comparison table attached to the meeting notice, with the same line items for every contractor, reduces disputes on the day and helps less experienced owners evaluate offers without being guided only by price, which can be misleading if the specification was not truly identical for everyone.
The assembly resolution and voting majorities
For extraordinary maintenance works, the assembly resolves with the majorities set out in article 1136 of the Civil Code, which vary depending on the amount and nature of the intervention. It is good practice to record in the minutes not only the outcome of the vote but also the criteria used to select the contractor, so there is written justification available if an owner later requests access to the records.
When the amount exceeds a certain threshold or involves structural common parts, it is worth considering appointing a works supervisor or technical consultant to validate the quotes before the vote, especially when offers diverge significantly.
From award to tracking the works
Once the award is approved, the manager's job is not over: progress, any changes compared to the original quote, payment deadlines and final documentation such as testing reports, warranties and compliance declarations all need to be tracked. Keeping everything in one register prevents the record of who decided what and why from being lost months later.
With AmministraPro, the link between quote, resolution and actual expense stays in the same building file: anyone reviewing the features and plans on amministrapro.it/prezzi will also find the works reporting module that closes the loop through to the final balance sheet.
Frequently asked questions
How many quotes are legally required before approving maintenance work?
The Italian Civil Code does not set a minimum number of quotes. It is up to the assembly, on the manager's proposal, to decide how to proceed. Established practice suggests at least three comparable offers for work of significant value, so the choice can be shown to be considered rather than arbitrary, reducing the risk of later disputes.
Can the manager choose the contractor without calling an assembly meeting?
For minor ordinary maintenance, the manager can act within the administrative powers set out in article 1130 of the Civil Code. For extraordinary maintenance, however, the decision belongs to the assembly under the majorities of article 1136, and the manager's role is to present the collected quotes, not to select the contractor alone.
What should happen if the cost of the works increases after the resolution compared to the quote?
Any significant change compared to the approved quote should be reported to owners promptly, and if the increase is substantial, brought back to the assembly for formal authorization. Documenting the change in writing, together with the technical reasons given by the contractor, protects the manager from disputes over how the expense was handled.
How can quotes and resolutions be tracked over time?
The most robust solution is a digital archive linked to the building, where every quote stays associated with the job, the resolution that approved it, and the payments made. AmministraPro organizes these elements within the same building file, making it possible to reconstruct the full history of an intervention within minutes, even years later.
Should the criteria used to choose between quotes be recorded in the minutes?
It is strongly advisable. Recording the criteria, not just the name of the selected contractor, protects the manager against future requests for clarification and gives absent owners a full explanation of the decision made by the majority, reducing the risk of the resolution being challenged for lack of justification.
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