The biggest risk in a multifamily siding project isn’t the price — it’s that three bids quote three different projects, so the “low bid” balloons once tear-off, rot repair, or flashing turn out to be missing. A bid and scope review fixes that by defining one scope — the Replacement Scope Map — that every vendor prices identically.
Why bids aren’t comparable
Why do three siding bids look nothing alike?
Because without a defined scope, each contractor includes what they assume and leaves out what they didn’t price. One bid includes full tear-off and a rot allowance; another quotes siding-over and no allowance; a third omits flashing detail entirely. The numbers aren’t comparable because the projects aren’t the same — and the lowest number is usually the least complete, not the best value.
For a board fiduciary, an apples-to-oranges comparison is also indefensible at the annual meeting. The fix is to make the comparison apples-to-apples before bids go out.
Planning guidance by Minneapolis Multifamily Siding Team.
The Replacement Scope Map
What is the Replacement Scope Map?
The Replacement Scope Map is a bid-prep framework that organizes the four things that actually drive a multifamily siding outcome: moisture and wall protection, resident disruption and occupied-building access, board-ready bid scope, and reserve and capital planning. It’s the checklist a board takes into the bid process so every vendor prices the same defined project.
The four areas:
- Moisture and wall protection — WRB, flashing at every opening, kick-out flashing, trim transitions, penetrations.
- Resident disruption and access — parking, balconies, entrances, noise windows, notices, building-by-building sequencing.
- Board-ready bid scope — line-item pricing with separated alternates for phased work.
- Reserve and capital planning — how the scope fits reserves, a special assessment, or a loan.
What a real bid must include
What must a multifamily siding bid include?
At minimum: material and profile, full tear-off, sheathing and rot-repair allowances, the water-resistive barrier, flashing (including kick-out flashing), trim, disposal, access equipment, a resident-disruption plan, warranty terms, and clearly separated alternates for phasing. A bid missing these isn’t cheaper — it’s just less complete, and the gaps reappear as change orders.
| Line item | Why it must be in the bid |
|---|---|
| Material and profile | The base of any comparison |
| Full tear-off | Siding-over hides wall problems |
| Sheathing / rot-repair allowance | Hidden rot is near-certain on older buildings |
| Water-resistive barrier | Code-required; the leak-prevention layer |
| Flashing incl. kick-out | Code-required; the #1 historical failure point |
| Trim and penetrations | Where water gets in if omitted |
| Disposal and access | Often the “surprise” line on a low bid |
| Resident-disruption plan | Protects occupied-building relations |
| Warranty terms | Material vs. labor, length, transferability |
| Separated alternates | Lets the board phase without re-bidding |
This is also the basis for a multifamily RFP — see /guides/hiring-and-bidding/how-to-write-a-multifamily-siding-rfp/.
How a scope review works
How does the bid and scope review work? (HowTo)
A scope review turns a vague project into a comparable bid package in a few steps: define the building and concern, map the moisture and access risks, write the line-item scope, and use it to evaluate every vendor on the same basis. The output is a document a fiduciary can defend, not just a price.
- Define the building and concern — property type, building count, current siding, the specific failure.
- Map the risk and access — priority elevations, water-risk areas, sheathing unknowns, resident logistics.
- Write the line-item scope — the full Replacement Scope Map as a comparable package.
- Evaluate the bids — score each vendor against the same scope, with alternates separated.
Why this protects the board
How does a defined scope protect a board or owner?
It converts a contractor decision into a defensible one. Minnesota requires common-interest communities to fund reserves and reevaluate them at least every three years (Minn. Stat. § 515B.3-1141), and a fiduciary has to justify a major capital outlay to owners. A comparable scope is the document that lets a board show it chose value, not just the cheapest signature.
It also blunts the low-documentation “storm chaser” bids common after Minnesota hail events — see /services/storm-hail-insurance-siding-claims/.
FAQ
Siding bid and scope review — common questions
Q: What should a multifamily siding bid include at minimum? Material and profile, full tear-off, sheathing/rot-repair allowances, the water-resistive barrier, flashing including kick-out flashing, trim, disposal, access equipment, a resident-disruption plan, warranty terms, and separated alternates for phasing. A bid missing these is incomplete, and the gaps come back as change orders.
Q: Why is the lowest bid usually not the best value? Because the lowest number often reflects the least-complete scope — siding-over instead of tear-off, no rot allowance, no flashing detail. Once those reappear as change orders, the “low bid” frequently ends up highest. A defined scope is what exposes the difference.
Q: Can you review bids we already have? The most useful approach is to define the scope first, then evaluate every bid against it. If you already have bids, a scope review maps them to a common checklist so you can see exactly what each one included and omitted.
Q: Are you a licensed contractor bidding the job? No. We don’t bid the work or compete with the vendors you’re comparing — that’s what keeps the scope review neutral. We’re a Twin Cities multifamily siding planning resource that helps boards, managers, and owners build a comparable bid scope before requesting pricing, then helps them enter contractor conversations with a comparable, defensible scope.
Make your bids comparable before you choose.
Tell us about the building and the bids you have (or need), and we’ll help you build a Replacement Scope Map so every vendor prices the same project — and you can see exactly what each bid included and skipped.