What the quote should actually cover
Separate incorporation assistance from statutory audit, bookkeeping, GST assessment and ongoing ROC work.
Describe the expected outcome of private limited company registration and ask the provider to identify the work needed to reach it. A narrow filing quote and a wider advisory engagement cannot be compared on headline price alone.
The facts that change the scope
Complexity can increase when records are incomplete, prior periods need correction, there are several locations or entities, or a matter requires representation rather than routine preparation. Ask whether software, travel, government payments, certification and applicable taxes are included.
Checklist
- Match subscriber names to identity records and obtain a landlord NOC that identifies the actual registered office.
- A certificate does not make a newly incorporated company ready to trade without its applicable post-incorporation actions.
- Confirm the relevant entity, period, transaction volume and number of locations.
Compare two proposals fairly
Put deliverables, dependencies, exclusions and approval responsibilities next to each other. Request a written definition of completion: an application submitted, an acknowledgement received, a report issued or a continuing monthly service. These are different outcomes.
Who controls the company email, digital signatures and filing acknowledgements after incorporation?
Agree how additional work is authorised
Ask for advance approval before work outside the scope is billed. Specify how portal queries, corrections, historical cleanup or follow-up meetings will be handled. A fixed fee for a defined task does not remove the uncertainty of third-party processing or a contested matter.
Resolve the proposed activities, shareholding and signing arrangements before preparing SPICe+ and linked incorporation forms.
Evaluate value beyond the first invoice
Retain constitutional documents, incorporation evidence and a calendar of applicable first-year obligations.
A usable handover, explained assumptions and accessible records can matter more than a small initial saving. Request a service-specific proposal based on your facts; do not assume an advertised starting price includes the full engagement.
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