Questions to ask a kitchen remodeling contractor.

Scope definition

• Is the scope of work written, and does it list each trade's work room by room?
• Which selections are named in the scope, and which are still to be decided?
• What happens to the price if a selection changes after the contract is signed?
• How are existing conditions handled if the walls reveal something unexpected?

Listen for a scope that names things: the cabinet line and construction, the countertop material and thickness, the number of new circuits, whether the floor extends into the next room. A scope that says only "new kitchen" leaves every later disagreement unresolved.

Insurance and licensing where applicable

• Can you provide a current certificate of insurance for general liability and workers' compensation?
• Which trades on this project hold licenses, and from whom? In Illinois, plumbers are licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health; Chicago licenses several trades through the Department of Buildings.
• If my building requires it, can the certificate name the association as additional insured?

Who performs the work

• Which parts of the work are done by your own crew and which by subcontractors?
• Who is on site every day, and who is the single point of contact for decisions?
• Have the trades you plan to use worked together on kitchens before?

Change orders

• How is a change priced and approved, and is work on it held until I sign?
• Does a change order show labor, material and any schedule effect separately?
• What counts as a change versus something included in the original scope?

The answer you want is that nothing changes without a written, priced document you approve first, and that the document also says what the change does to the schedule.

Allowances

• Which items in the estimate are allowances rather than priced selections?
• How were the allowance amounts set, and are they realistic for the quality we discussed?
• What happens when a selection comes in above or below its allowance?

Allowances are a normal way to price items not yet chosen, and also the most common source of a final bill that does not match the estimate. Ask for the allowance list on one page.

Payment schedules

• What is the deposit, what does it cover, and when is each later payment due?
• Are payments tied to milestones you can see, such as cabinets installed, rather than to dates?
• What is held until the walkthrough and punch list are complete?

Project communication

• How often will I get an update, and in what form?
• How do I reach someone during the day if something on site needs a decision?
• Who tells me when the schedule moves, and how far ahead?

Permits

• Which permits does this scope need, and who applies for them?
• Are permit fees, drawings and any engineering included in the price?
• Will I be able to see inspection results, and are inspections built into the schedule?

• Chicago kitchen remodel permitsWhat usually needs one, and how the City's processes work.

Material lead times

• What are the current lead times for the cabinetry, appliances and stone in this scope?
• Will demolition wait until the long-lead items are confirmed?
• What happens if an appliance is back-ordered after the cabinets are built around it?

Warranties

• What does your workmanship warranty cover, for how long, and is it in writing?
• How are manufacturer warranties on cabinets, appliances and fixtures handled, and who registers them?
• Who do I call if something fails a year after the walkthrough?

References

• Can I speak with recent clients whose projects resembled mine in scope and building type?
• Can I speak with someone whose project had a problem, and hear how it was resolved?

What is and is not included in the estimate

Two estimates with the same total can describe very different kitchens. Go through the estimate line by line and ask about anything not named. The Investment page carries a checklist of what a complete kitchen proposal should account for, from demolition and debris removal to the temporary kitchen plan and the final walkthrough. Use it as the agenda for this conversation.

• Are demolition, debris removal and protection of the rest of the home included?
• Are appliances included, or supplied separately against an allowance?
• Is wall, ceiling and trim repair and painting included, and how far beyond the kitchen?
• Are design fees, project management and cleaning included or separate?
• Is anything listed as excluded, and why?

How we answer these

Our proposals follow the in-home consultation and a written scope with named selections, so most of these questions are answered on paper before you ask them. Changes are documented and priced before the work happens, you have one point of contact throughout, permits are filed as part of the scope and construction starts only when long-lead materials are confirmed. Bring the rest of the list to the first call; we would rather answer it than have you wonder.

• What your proposal should account forThe checklist behind the estimate questions.
• How our process worksInquiry, visit, proposal and build.