1. Walk the room and the house
Note the existing layout, how old the surrounding structure is, and how the crew and materials would actually get in.
2. Ask what's actually behind the wall
In a house with decades of prior repairs stacked on top of each other, the drain location, framing, and waterproofing behind the surface tell a different story than the finishes do — that story shapes the real scope.
3. Get every boundary of the job in writing
Materials, protection for the rest of the house, permits, testing, cleanup, and how a mid-project surprise gets priced should all be nailed down before demo starts.
4. Read the reasoning behind each number
Two bids with the same total can mean two very different scopes — ask each provider to walk through what's actually included.
5. Do a final walk-through together
Confirm test results, cleanup, warranty documentation, and whatever's now your responsibility to maintain before anyone packs up.