What comes in a bid?

I try to be an educated consumer and read everything I recieve. My goal is to compare apples to apples.

I asked a contractor to come out and provide a bid for my windows. I did ask for a couple of different options in the bid (leave out a couple of windows etc). The bid was a one-page bid which stated what he woud do.....and with one price. Nothing was itemized.....materials, labor, cost of windows etc. Nor did he provide the different options I asked.

Is this normal or acceptable practice?

I personally do not see the harm in itemizing my bids. Some contractors think that by itemizing they are giving away too much info maybe.

Is good to itemize as i have found out that sometimes the job needs to be broken down into different phases. However i do draw the line if the customers ask for a super itemized quote i.e (labor,materials,profit,additional expenses how much if i help, how much if i dont, how bout if i feed you,cost of 5 different brand of windows etc, etc)......you get the point ...not because i mind letting my customer know how much i make as it usually turns out to be double the product cost. But because free estimating is very time consuming an like the word says is free so i find and usually my customers do too that a per window cost (including installation and materials) is sufficient.

E-z