How to Read a Quote
Not all sail quotes are created equal. Some specify every detail and others offer lots of nice pictures but not much detail. If you get several quotes and the prices vary significantly its important to ask the sailmaker what they are actually building. I'm happy to specify, and stand by, as much detail to the sail as you desire.
Fabric Choice
Beware any quote that doesn't exactly describe the cloth that will be used. Generic terms such as "crosscut dacron" and "performance laminate" leave a lot open to interpretation when it comes time to build the sail. Some sailmakers will say the sail is built out of Dimension Polyant, Contender etc cloth but all the cloth brands offer varying qualities of cloth. Between high end premium dacron and low end OEM quality dacron can be as much as $25 a yard.
Finishing Details
Are the corner patches stacked or radial? Are they made out of the same fabric as the body of the sail? What are the belts and reinforcements made from? Are the corner patches of your furling main or genoa big enough to support the reefed sail? If the quote doesn't specify these details its because the sailmaker doesn't want to make a big point of it and keep the price low or their margin high. Ask!
Place of Construction
In a decade of repairing sails, I have seen good and bad sails built by every brand from many different countries. In truth, sails built offshore often have a higher level of detail and finishing than those built in the US. When you only have to pay factory workers $3 a day it costs virtually nothing to add an extra row of stitching. The US sailmaker may be taking shortcuts to keep margins reasonable. There is of course the ethical question of where your sail is built and at Ullman Sails Annapolis I am happy to build your new sail here as long as we are aligned on the cost difference.