Negotiate a quote with the detail in hand

Short answer: you no longer argue about a total, you discuss a cycle time, an hourly rate, material scrap, a batch size. Each line of the rebuilt price has a formula your supplier will recognise.

By the RFQdecoder team · updated 27 September 2026

Four buying situations

Situation	What the breakdown brings
A single quote, nothing to compare	A reference point: the gap between the quote and the rebuilt cost.
Two quotes that do not compare	The same cost structure for both: freight, tooling, inspection on the same scope.
A price increase mid-contract	The increase traced to the lines that carry it: material, energy, labour.
A change in quantity	The price recalculated at the new batch size, with setup and tooling spread.

The questions to ask, line by line

Question	Published benchmark
Is the percentage a markup on cost or a margin on price?	A 30% markup gives a 23% margin. Source: QuoteBuddy.
Over what quantity is setup spread?	Sheet metal enclosure: €193.10 per part as a one-off, €70.70 in a batch of 25. Source: QuoteBuddy, RFQdecoder calculation.
How much of the increase is really material?	Welded frame: material is 21% of cost; +10% on steel adds 2.1% to cost. Source: QuoteBuddy.
What is not in this price?	Factory price is often 50 to 70% of landed cost. Source: Sourcify.

What the tool does

It rebuilds a cost and shows the gap with the quote received, line by line.
It flags every assumption: a price based on an assumption is an order of magnitude to confirm.
It prepares the discussion: a quote is still a commercial offer; the breakdown tells you which line to question.

Sources

QuoteBuddy, “Reduce Quoting Errors: 5 Places Quotes Break”, 27 June 2026.
QuoteBuddy, “Sheet Metal Fabrication Cost Estimation: The 6 Cost Blocks”, 5 September 2026.
QuoteBuddy, “How to Quote Structural Steel Fabrication: A Complete Cost Guide”, 30 July 2026.
Sourcify, “Hidden Factory Costs Nobody Warns You About”, 16 June 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How do you analyse a machining quote?

Rebuild the cost line by line (material, time per operation, hourly rate, spread setup, tooling, freight), then compare each line with the quote received to see where the gap is.

How do you compare two supplier quotes?

Bring them to the same cost structure and scope: same quantity, freight, tooling and inspection included or excluded on both sides.

How should you respond to a supplier price increase?

Trace the increase to the line it affects. On the welded frame published by QuoteBuddy, material is 21% of cost: a 10% steel increase justifies about 2.1% on cost.

Why does unit price change with quantity?

Setup and tooling are fixed costs spread over the batch. On the enclosure published by QuoteBuddy, cost goes from €193.10 as a one-off to €70.70 in a batch of 25.

Is a 30% markup a 30% margin?

No: applied to cost, it gives a 23% margin on price, according to QuoteBuddy. For a 30% margin, divide cost by 0.70.

Break down the next quote before the call

A PDF, DXF or STEP drawing and a quantity: the rebuilt cost, line by line, ready for negotiation.