Reading your carpenter's material list

A carpenter's material list is usually a genuine estimate written quickly by someone who'd rather be working. It isn't a conspiracy. But it's written in trade shorthand, and a few lines on it are where honest estimating and quiet padding look identical from the outside.

You don't need to audit it. You need to ask about five things.

1. Sheet count, not square feet

Plywood is quoted per square foot but bought as 8 × 4 sheets — 32 sq ft each. Ask how many sheets, then divide. If the list says 900 sq ft, that's 28 sheets. For a standard 3BHK's worth of wardrobes and a kitchen, that's plausible. For one bedroom, it isn't.

2. Grade per item, not per list

A list that says "plywood — BWR" at the top and then covers the whole house is worth a second look. The kitchen should be BWR, the sink base arguably BWP, and the bedroom wardrobes only need MR. Being charged BWR for the whole house is one of the most common quiet overcharges there is.

3. Hardware counted, not lumped

"Hinges and channels — ₹28,000" is not a line item, it's a number. Ask for the count: hinges per shutter (usually two, three on tall doors), channels per drawer (one pair), and which of them are soft-close. This is also where you can make real savings by splitting soft-close and normal.

Wastage of 5-10% on sheet goods is normal and honest. 25% is a conversation.

4. Who supplies what

Material bought through a middleman usually carries a markup you never see, and you have no way to verify the brand is genuine. There's nothing wrong with your carpenter arranging material — but you should be able to see the rate, and buying it yourself is usually cheaper and always more transparent.

This doesn't have to be adversarial. Most carpenters are relieved not to have to front the money and do the shopping.

5. What's missing

The commonest cause of a stalled site isn't over-ordering, it's forgetting the small things. Check the list actually includes adhesive, screws, edge-band tape, and the handles and locks — these get left off constantly and then hold up a whole day's work.