Start with the same comparison period
Choose a period, such as the first 12 months, and write down the building and number of lots each proposal covers. Record the proposal date and version so that a later revision does not quietly replace the figures you compared.
Copy each quoted figure as written, including whether GST is included, excluded or unstated. Ask for clarification where the tax basis is unclear. Do not add figures with different or unknown tax bases and present the result as a like-for-like total.
Record the details that change the comparison
Download the comparison worksheet (CSV). Open it in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets. This blank worksheet has no formulas or dropdowns and does not send data to Lot.
Use the accompanying CSV in a spreadsheet. Leave a quoted amount blank if it is not supplied and write “Not stated” in the separate status column. Zero means a confirmed zero charge, not missing information.
| Item | What to record | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Proposal and period | Provider, document version, dates, covered lots | Are we comparing the same building and period? |
| Base fee | Amount as quoted, frequency, stated GST basis | What work does this cover? |
| Included work | Exact description and any quantity/time limit | Where is that inclusion written? |
| Meetings | Included number, duration and stated extra charges | What happens outside the included allowance? |
| Additional work | Quoted unit price and charging basis | When does an additional charge apply? |
| Set-up or transition | Stated one-off items and payment timing | Which items apply only in the first year? |
| Other quoted charges | Separate amounts and their descriptions | Is this already included elsewhere? |
| Future price changes | Copy the proposal's wording and date reference | What remains uncertain beyond this comparison period? |
| Service arrangements | Named contact, channels and any stated response commitments | What has the provider actually committed to? |
| Unresolved items | Question, person responsible, answer and date | Which assumptions still need written confirmation? |
These are prompts for organising a document, not a statement that every provider charges for every item or must offer a particular service.
A worked example: the headline fee is not the whole subtotal
The following numbers are fictional. Both proposals cover the same 12 months and use the same stated GST basis. Assume two additional meetings in that period purely for this example.
| Included in this illustration | Proposal A | Proposal B |
|---|---|---|
| Annual base fee | A$8,000 | A$8,600 |
| Quoted charge per additional meeting | A$300 | A$100 |
| Assumed additional meetings | 2 | 2 |
| Meeting allowance at that usage | A$600 | A$200 |
| Known subtotal | A$8,600 | A$8,800 |
A starts A$600 lower on the base fee. At the illustrated meeting usage, the known subtotal is A$200 lower. The calculation is base fee + (quoted additional-meeting price × assumed meetings). It is not a forecast or an all-inclusive cost: other charges are outside this example, and an unknown item stays unresolved.
Keep first-year one-off costs separate from recurring costs. Do not multiply a first-year discount across future years or assume an unchanged rate unless the proposal supports it. Where the proposal only gives a monthly amount, multiplying by 12 is a scenario at that monthly rate, not proof of a contractual annual price.
Close the gaps before comparing totals
For each unclear row, record the question and the provider's written answer alongside the relevant document page or clause. Update the proposal version when a revised quote arrives. Keep the original version for reference.
Compare the service descriptions as well as the known costs. This worksheet does not assign a score or declare a winner. Interpretation of an agreement, authority to appoint a manager and questions about changing or terminating an appointment need appropriate advice for the scheme and jurisdiction.
Common questions
What should I compare first in a strata management proposal?
Start with the period, building scope, base fee and included work. Then list additional charges, one-off items and unanswered questions. A comparison is easier to assess when both columns use the same assumptions.
Should a blank price count as zero?
No. In this worksheet, a blank quoted amount is paired with “Not stated” until it is clarified. Enter zero only when the relevant charge is confirmed as zero.
Can I compare only the annual management fee?
You can compare the headline figures, but that leaves scope and additional charges out of the comparison. Show the headline fee separately from any subtotal calculated using stated usage assumptions.
Is this a comparison of the building's total levies?
No. This worksheet organises management proposals only. It does not estimate every cost in a building's budget or calculate an owner's levies. See Lot's separate fees explainer for an illustrative distinction: Lot’s fees explainer.
Does this tell us whether an agreement is suitable or valid?
No. It records information and unanswered questions. It does not interpret an agreement, assess legal validity or replace advice about the scheme's circumstances.
Sources & method
This is an original Lot organisational worksheet, prepared with AI assistance. The example uses fictional inputs and reproducible arithmetic; it is not a market benchmark, prescribed form or practitioner-reviewed advice. It does not interpret an agreement or recommend a manager. How we research and check our resources.