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Track record over price
The cheapest quote is rarely the best value — and the prettiest website is not evidence.
South Florida has no shortage of yards. These are the nine questions we ask before we let any of them touch a boat in our care — and why each one protects you.
Choosing where to refit a yacht is one of the highest-stakes decisions an owner makes, and it is rarely made well. The instinct is to compare quotes and pick a number, or to choose the yard with the glossiest photographs of finished boats. Both are traps. As industry guidance on choosing a shipyard for a refit puts it plainly, a yard’s track record matters more than its location or its price — and a thorough site visit is essential before you commit to anything.
We have managed enough projects across South Florida to know which questions separate a yard worth trusting from one that will cost you in change orders, delays, and disappointment. Here are the nine we ask every time, in the order we ask them. Ask the yard early whether the machinery work is in scope, because engine repower cost is the line most likely to turn a cosmetic refit into a structural one.
01 · Track record
How many projects like mine have you completed — and can I speak to those owners?
Ask specifically for work of similar scale and type, and insist on talking to captains or owners who used the yard recently. Pictures of yachts on a website are not evidence; a yard should be able to point you to vessels that were genuinely in their full care.
02 · Site visit
Can I walk the yard before I commit?
Unless you already know the facility well, a thorough site visit is non-negotiable. Look in every corner — how organized the work areas are, how vessels are supported on the hard, how finished projects actually look up close. The yard’s housekeeping tells you a great deal about its work.
03 · Fixed vs. estimated
What in this quote is fixed price, and what is estimated?
The single most important question in any refit contract. You need to know exactly which numbers are firm and which are best-guesses that can move. Unclear scope is where overruns are born.
04 · Change orders
How are change orders handled, approved, and priced?
Refits uncover surprises — that is normal. What is not acceptable is an open-ended process. Ask who approves additional work, what markup applies, and how it is documented before it proceeds.
05 · Labour rates
What are your labour rates, and how are they applied?
Per hour, per day, or per task? How is time tracked and reported? Vague labour billing is one of the most common sources of disputes, and a straight answer here is a good sign.
06 · Payments
What is the payment schedule, and how is it tied to progress?
Milestone payments should track real, verifiable progress — not the calendar. Be wary of front-loaded schedules that ask for large sums before meaningful work is done.
07 · Financial health
Can you demonstrate the yard's financial stability?
A long refit ties your boat and your money to the yard for months. Every yard claims to be stable when pitching; ask for genuine evidence of solvency and cash flow, because a yard that struggles mid-project becomes your problem.
08 · Insurance & liability
What does your yard insurance cover, and will you provide a certificate?
The yard has care, custody, and control of your vessel. Verify the Certificate of Insurance, understand any waiver of subrogation, and confirm your own policy’s lay-up terms are satisfied — insurers have denied claims over violated lay-up warranties.
09 · Schedule & storms
Were past projects finished on time and budget — and what is your hurricane plan?
Ask directly whether recent projects ran to schedule, and beware exaggerated claims. In South Florida, also confirm the yard’s plan for vessels on the hard during hurricane season: how they are secured and what triggers action.
Key Takeaways
- 01
Track record beats price and location — ask for similar projects and speak to recent owners.
- 02
Always visit the yard in person before committing; photos prove nothing.
- 03
Nail down what is fixed versus estimated, how change orders work, and how labour is billed.
- 04
Verify financial stability and insurance — the yard has custody of your boat for months.
- 05
A quote far below the market is a warning, not a win.
Why the lowest quote is rarely the best value
It is worth dwelling on price, because it is where owners most often go wrong. A quote that comes in well below the others is not a bargain — it is a signal. Yards that price significantly under the market are usually doing one of three things: underestimating the scope, which returns to you as a wave of change orders; underpricing their labour, which raises real questions about quality and whether they can keep good people; or deliberately buying the job, intending to recover margin through variations once your boat is committed and on the hard.
None of those scenarios ends with you paying less. They end with you paying more, later, with less leverage. The yard worth choosing is usually the one that quotes honestly, scopes carefully, and answers the nine questions above without flinching.
How we use these questions
We do not treat these as a checklist to tick and file. We treat them as a conversation that reveals how a yard thinks. A yard that welcomes the site visit, gives straight answers on fixed versus estimated work, and can produce references and an insurance certificate without hesitation is telling you something about how the whole project will run. A yard that gets defensive is telling you something too.
For the owners whose boats we manage, we run this diligence so they do not have to — vetting yards, scoping work against real quotes, and holding the contract terms that protect them. The questions are simple. Asking them well, and reading the answers honestly, is the craft.
QWhat is the most important factor in choosing a yacht refit yard?
Track record — more than price or location. Ask how many projects of similar scale and type the yard has completed, and speak directly to captains or owners who used it recently. Marketing photos are not evidence of capability.
QShould I always get the lowest refit quote?
No. A quote well below the market usually means the yard is underestimating scope, underpricing labour, or buying the job to recover margin through change orders later. The lowest price is rarely the best value, and often costs more in the end.
QWhy is a site visit important before choosing a yard?
Unless you already know a facility well, a thorough in-person visit is essential. How the yard supports vessels on the hard, organizes its work areas, and finishes real boats up close tells you far more than any website. Look in every corner and ask plenty of questions.
QWhat should I check about a yard's insurance?
The yard has care, custody, and control of your vessel, so verify its Certificate of Insurance, understand any waiver of subrogation, and confirm your own policy’s lay-up terms are met. Insurers have denied claims when a vessel violated its lay-up warranty.
QHow should change orders be handled in a refit contract?
Through a clear, documented process: who approves additional work, what markup applies, and written agreement before the work proceeds. Open-ended change orders are one of the biggest sources of refit cost overruns.
QHow do I know if a refit yard is financially stable?
Ask for genuine evidence of solvency and cash flow, not just reassurance — every yard claims stability when bidding. A long refit ties up your boat and money for months, and a yard that runs into trouble mid-project quickly becomes your problem.
Let us vet the yard for you
We manage refit projects across South Florida — vetting yards, scoping the work against honest quotes, and holding the contract terms that protect you. Talk to us before you sign anything.
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