Inclusions
An inclusion states work that is in your number. Write the items the GC might doubt. Examples are freight, shop drawings, unloading, installation, final adjustment and warranty. State furnish only, install only, or furnish and install.
Exclusions
An exclusion states work that is not in your number. The GC must cover it somewhere else. Examples are power wiring, structural steel supports, in-wall blocking and floor finishes.
Qualifications
A qualification is a condition, not a scope item. It says what you assumed when you priced the job. Some people call these clarifications or assumptions.
- The price is based on one mobilization.
- The price is based on work during normal hours.
- The price is based on the drawings dated on the cover and addenda 1 and 2.
- The price assumes the named basis-of-design manufacturer.
- The price is good for a stated number of days.
Why you keep them apart
The GC reads each list for a different reason. Inclusions confirm that you cover the section. Exclusions show the holes the GC must fill. Qualifications show the risk the GC takes if the job changes. A mixed list hides all three.
A test for each line
- If the line names work you will do, it is an inclusion.
- If the line names work someone else must do, it is an exclusion.
- If the line starts with based on or assumes, it is a qualification.
Public bids on a fixed form may not allow qualifications. Check the instructions to bidders. A qualified bid can be rejected on some public jobs.
Bidding and estimating · Updated 11 Nov 2026