How alternates work
The base bid covers the work as drawn and specified. An alternate describes a change to that work. You state the amount to add or deduct if the owner accepts it. Owners use alternates to fit the project to the budget.
- Add alternate. Extra work the owner can buy, such as a second scoreboard.
- Deduct alternate. Work the owner can remove, such as wall pads in an auxiliary gym.
- Product alternate. A different material or maker, such as a different floor finish.
Where to find them
Alternates are usually described in Division 01, in section 01 23 00. The bid form lists them with a blank for each price. The drawings can also mark areas by alternate number. Read all three places. They do not always agree.
How to price an alternate
- Read the description and find the affected sheets and sections.
- Decide if the alternate touches your trade at all.
- Do a separate takeoff for the alternate work.
- Include every cost that changes: material, labor, freight, equipment and markup.
- State each alternate as its own line in your proposal.
Common mistakes
- Putting alternate work in the base bid. Your base bid is then too high.
- Leaving an alternate blank. The general contractor must guess, or your bid is set aside.
- Pricing a deduct at full value. A deduct rarely returns all of your overhead.
- Missing an alternate that affects your work but is described under another trade.
How owners use the prices
The documents can state the order in which the owner will consider alternates. On public work the low bidder can depend on which alternates the owner accepts. An alternate price is binding for the period the documents state.
Bid documents · Updated 11 Nov 2026