Questions to Ask a Kitchen Contractor Before You Sign
These are the questions to ask a contractor for a kitchen remodel while you are still collecting bids and nothing is signed. The 54 questions follow the order of a good walk-through: the contractor's track record with kitchens, the crew and the site, the plan and permits for your room, the bid and its allowances, the schedule, then the contract and warranty. License, deposit and lien rules change by state and country, so where a note says to check how it works where you live, your building department or contractor licensing board is the place to ask.
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The questions
Each question, and why to ask it
Track record
How many kitchen remodels did you finish in the past year, and what price range do most of them fall in?
Why ask it
A contractor who does two kitchens a year among twenty decks is learning on your house. The price range also tells you fast whether your budget sits at the bottom, middle or top of their normal work.
Are you licensed for this work here, and can your insurance agent send me a certificate showing liability and workers compensation cover?
Why ask it
A certificate sent straight from the agent is dated this week, where a photo on a phone could be of a policy that lapsed in the spring. Who must hold a license or carry workers compensation depends on the state or country and the size of the company, so look the license number up with the agency that issued it and ask that office what a kitchen job requires.
Can I see photos of a kitchen you finished in the last six months with a layout close to mine?
Why ask it
Recent photos reflect the crew working for them today, not a portfolio built by a lead carpenter who left years ago. A similar layout shows they have solved your specific problem, such as an island, a peninsula or a galley.
May I call two homeowners whose kitchens you finished six to twelve months ago?
Why ask it
Clients from last week are still in the honeymoon phase. At six months the drawer fronts have sagged or they have not, and you learn whether the contractor answered the phone after the final check cleared.
Is there a kitchen you are working on now that I could walk through for ten minutes?
Why ask it
A live site shows what photos cannot: whether the floors are covered, whether cabinets are stored flat and dry, and how the crew speaks to the homeowner. If there is no kitchen under way to visit, find out why.
What kind of kitchen job do you turn down, and where does mine sit in the work you like to do?
Why ask it
Some firms want full gut remodels and treat a cabinet and counter swap as filler between bigger jobs, and others are the reverse. You are listening for whether your project is the kind they schedule first or the kind that waits.
Can you tell me about a kitchen that went badly, and what you changed afterward?
Why ask it
Anyone who has built kitchens for years has one: a cracked slab, a cabinet order that came wrong, a client who stopped returning calls. The second half is the useful part, because a changed habit shows they learned something and are not just telling a story.
Crew and site
Will your own carpenters do the framing and cabinet installation, or do you subcontract that out?
Why ask it
Cabinet setting is the part of a kitchen where sloppy work shows forever in crooked reveals and doors that do not line up. If the installer is a subcontractor, ask how many of this firm's kitchens that person has set and whether the same one comes back to adjust the doors after the stone goes on.
Who are the plumber, electrician and tile setter you would bring, and how long have you worked with each?
Why ask it
A kitchen puts a plumber, an electrician, a tile setter and often a gas fitter in one small room, and the schedule depends on each one arriving in their slot. Long relationships tend to mean the plumber comes back for a half-day finish visit without a fight. Check that those subcontractors carry their own insurance too.
Who is my day to day contact once demolition starts, and how quickly do they answer calls and texts?
Why ask it
Kitchens generate a decision a day, from outlet heights to trim details, and the person who sold you the job is often gone by week two. Get a name, a phone number and how fast that person answers while the contract is still unsigned.
How many other jobs will that person be running while my kitchen is torn apart?
Why ask it
A lead with four sites visits each one in passing, and the question the tile setter has at ten in the morning waits until somebody is around. There is no right number, but the answer tells you how often you will be the one catching mistakes.
What hours will the crew work, and are there stretches when nobody will be here at all?
Why ask it
Gaps are normal in a kitchen: after the cabinets go in while the stone is being cut, or while everyone waits on an inspection. Knowing them ahead keeps an empty driveway from looking like an abandoned job. If you have a homeowners association or share walls, compare the work hours with its rules.
How will you contain dust and protect the rest of the house, and where can we set up a temporary sink and cooking space?
Why ask it
Without plastic zip walls, covered floors and a fan pulling air outdoors, demolition dust settles in every room of the house. A contractor with a ready answer about the temporary sink has worked around families living at home, not only in empty houses.
Which days will the water, gas or power be off, and how much notice will I get?
Why ask it
Shutoffs reach past the kitchen: closing the water takes the bathrooms with it, and a panel swap darkens the whole house. Anyone working from home or caring for a baby needs those days on a calendar, not in a text that morning.
Where will the dumpster, the cabinet delivery and the crew's tools go while the job is running?
Why ask it
A kitchen's worth of cabinets arrives as a truckload of boxes that need a dry, flat place for days, often a garage or the dining room. Settle that along with where the dumpster sits and whether you can still use the driveway. Then raise who repairs a cracked driveway or a rutted lawn.
What happens to the old cabinets, appliances and countertops?
Why ask it
Sound cabinets can sometimes be unscrewed whole for your garage or a reuse charity, which takes longer than breaking them up and may change the price. Old refrigerators often cannot go in a dumpster because of the refrigerant, and how they are collected depends on your town, so name who arranges it.
Plan and permits
Do you build from a designer's drawings, or would you draw the layout for this kitchen yourself?
Why ask it
With a plan from a designer or a cabinet showroom in hand, you need a contractor comfortable building someone else's drawings and phoning the designer with questions. Without one, find out who draws it, what that costs and whether the drawings are yours to keep if you hire someone else.
Does my plan move any plumbing, gas lines or the range hood duct, and what does that add in cost and days?
Why ask it
Relocating a sink to an island means cutting into the floor for a drain, and a hood duct may have to cross joists or leave through an outside wall. Getting the number now stops it from arriving later as an emergency change order.
Can my electrical panel handle the new appliances, and if it needs an upgrade to pass inspection, is that in this bid?
Why ask it
Electrical codes commonly call for dedicated circuits for the large appliances and protected outlets along the counters, but the exact rules are local, so ask what your inspector will require. An older panel may have no room for the extra breakers, and that upgrade is often left out of a bid and presented later as unforeseen.
If we remove or open up a wall, how will you find out whether it is load bearing, and who designs the beam?
Why ask it
Opening the kitchen to the next room depends on what that wall is holding up and what runs through it, such as ducts, drains or a gas line. A careful answer names who checks the attic or basement and whether an engineer's drawing is required where you live.
Where will the outlets, switches and under cabinet lights go, and when do I approve those locations?
Why ask it
Wiring is roughed in before drywall, long before the cabinets and backsplash exist, so locations are decided from a drawing or pencil marks on the studs. Walk the room with the electrician at that stage. An outlet that would land in the middle of the tile pattern costs little to move then and a good deal afterward.
Who measures for the cabinets, who places the order, and who pays if a box arrives wrong or damaged?
Why ask it
Cabinet orders are long lists of part numbers, and one wrong digit is a filler strip where a drawer bank should be. You want one named party who measured the room, signed the order and owns the fix, including the weeks a replacement takes.
Whose job is it to check that the range and refrigerator I picked will fit before the cabinets are ordered?
Why ask it
Appliance dimensions drive cabinet dimensions, so a panel ready fridge ordered in the wrong depth means rebuilt cabinetry. Hand over the model numbers and have the contract say who checked them against the cabinet drawing, so a range that will not slide in is not argued over on delivery day.
Does the new flooring run under the cabinets, and what happens where it meets the next room?
Why ask it
Whether the floor goes in before or after the cabinets changes the counter height, how easily a dishwasher slides out later and how much material you buy. The doorway deserves a minute too, since a new floor that sits higher than the hallway needs a transition somebody has planned.
What do you expect to find behind the old cabinets, and is patching and leveling in the price?
Why ask it
Old cabinets hide missing flooring, unpainted drywall and floors that slope toward a corner. New boxes and long runs of countertop need a flat, level base, so find out whether shimming, subfloor repair and wall patching are in the number or billed by the hour.
Given the age of my house, will anything be tested for asbestos or lead paint before demolition starts?
Why ask it
Old sheet flooring, the adhesive under it and textured ceilings are places asbestos can turn up, and paint of the same era may contain lead. Rules on testing and on who may remove these materials differ by country and state, so hear what the firm is certified to do and who pays for the test.
Which permits does this job need, who pulls them, and are the fees inside your price?
Why ask it
Moving plumbing, adding circuits or taking out a wall commonly needs a permit, though the rules are set locally, so confirm with your building department. If a contractor suggests you pull the permit yourself as the homeowner, ask why, because in many places that makes you the responsible party.
Bid and allowances
Before you write the bid, is the budget I have in mind realistic for this kitchen?
Why ask it
Naming a number can feel like showing your hand, but a contractor who knows it can say on the walk-through whether it buys custom or stock cabinets, and whether the wall can still come out. Share the budget for the work and keep your reserve for surprises to yourself.
Is this a fixed price for the whole kitchen, or will parts of it be billed as time and materials?
Why ask it
Many kitchen bids fix the price for the known work and bill whatever turns up behind the walls by the hour. That is reasonable as long as you know which parts are which, the hourly rate and who approves the hours before they are worked.
Which lines in this estimate are allowances rather than fixed prices, and exactly what did you assume for each one?
Why ask it
An allowance is a guess at what you will choose, and a low guess makes the whole bid look cheaper than the kitchen you will end up buying. Ask for the product, brand and quantity behind each one, then price the countertop you really want against the figure they allowed for it.
Which parts of a finished kitchen are not in this price: appliances, backsplash tile, paint, light fixtures, cabinet hardware?
Why ask it
Kitchen bids stop in different places. One contractor hands over a room with painted walls, hung pulls and a connected ice maker line, and another considers the job done when the countertops are in. Go down the finish tasks one by one and get a yes or no on each.
If I buy the appliances, sink, faucet or tile myself, how does that change the price and who is responsible for them?
Why ask it
Buying your own can save money on sale items, but a missing part or a late faucet then stalls the plumber on your account. Find out whether there is a handling charge, who receives and checks the deliveries, and whether the labor warranty still covers a fixture the contractor did not supply.
Do you mark up the cabinets and countertops, or do I pay the supplier's price plus your installation?
Why ask it
Either arrangement is legitimate, and a markup pays for ordering, receiving and putting mistakes right. Knowing which one you are in explains why two bids with the same cabinets differ, and whether going to the showroom yourself would save anything.
If you open the walls and find rot, old wiring or a drain with no vent, what happens next?
Why ask it
Kitchens collect hidden conditions because decades of water, grease and wiring changes are concentrated in one room. The answer to hope for runs stop, photograph, price, get your approval, then carry on. Have them suggest a reserve to hold back for a house of your age, with their reasons.
What did you notice on the walk-through that could push this price up?
Why ask it
By the time a contractor has looked under the sink and at the ceiling below, they have suspicions: a stain, a soft spot by the dishwasher, a panel with no spare slots. Getting them said out loud puts those risks into the conversation and, better still, into the bid as priced lines.
How long is this price good for, and what happens if cabinet or stone prices change before you order?
Why ask it
A kitchen bid is built on supplier quotes that carry their own expiry dates. The thing to learn is whether signing locks the material prices or the contract lets increases pass through to you, and on what date the orders are actually placed.
Where would you trim this kitchen if the price had to come down, without it looking cheaper?
Why ask it
This draws on what the contractor knows and you do not: a cabinet line that is nearly the same box, a sink left where it is to save the plumber a day, an edge profile that costs extra for little visible gain. It also shows whether they will work toward your budget or only toward their number.
Schedule
When could you start, and what has to happen before that date holds?
Why ask it
A start date usually rests on three things outside the crew's calendar: the permit, the cabinet delivery and your own selections being final. Hear which of those the date assumes, and be wary of a start offered before any of them is settled.
What are the current lead times on the cabinets and countertops, and will materials be on site before demolition starts?
Why ask it
Cabinet lead times can run from days for stock boxes to months for custom work, and the figure a supplier quotes in spring may not hold in autumn. Tearing out a working kitchen before the cabinets arrive leaves a family washing dishes in the bathtub with no end date. Their answer shows whether they schedule around deliveries or around their own crew availability.
Can you walk me through the schedule week by week, including what has to be finished before cabinets can be set?
Why ask it
A real answer sounds like demolition, rough plumbing and electrical, inspection, drywall, then floors and cabinets in the order they prefer. A contractor who cannot say it in order has probably not planned it yet, and a schedule written down before signing gives you something to measure week three against.
Who templates the countertops, and how many days pass between cabinet installation and stone installation?
Why ask it
Stone cannot be templated until the cabinets are set and level, so the fabricator's turnaround is added to the schedule after that day, not before it. Get the current figure in days, and be at the templating visit yourself to settle seam locations, the overhang and which sink goes in the cutout.
From the day the sink is disconnected, how many weeks until we can cook and wash up in the kitchen again?
Why ask it
The contract gives a total duration, but what a household feels is the stretch between losing the faucet and getting it back. Have that stated as its own number, then plan the microwave, the cooler and the dishwashing spot around it.
What do I have to choose before you can order, and what can wait until the cabinets are in?
Why ask it
Cabinets, appliances and the sink have to be settled early because everything else is cut to fit them. Paint color, pulls and often the backsplash can wait, and are easier to pick once the room has a shape. A dated list keeps you from being the reason the job stops.
Which inspections happen during a kitchen like this, and what if one fails?
Why ask it
Rough plumbing and electrical inspections usually come before the walls are closed, and the inspector's calendar can hold the job for days. Find out who meets the inspector, who pays for corrections and whether a failed visit moves your finish date. What gets inspected depends on your town.
What usually makes your kitchens run late, and what happens to the finish date when it does?
Why ask it
Honest answers name things like a damaged cabinet, a slab that cracks at the sink cutout or a backordered range. The follow-up is what the contract says about delay: whether it has a completion date at all, and which causes extend it.
Contract and warranty
How much do you ask for at signing, and what does that deposit pay for?
Why ask it
A deposit that covers the cabinet order is tied to something real, and you can ask to see the supplier's confirmation. Some states cap what a contractor may take up front, so look up the rule where you live before agreeing to a figure.
What is the payment schedule, and which completed milestone releases each payment?
Why ask it
Payments that follow finished work, such as passing the rough inspection or the cabinets being set, are easier to hold to than dates on a calendar. Settle who decides a milestone is complete, so your money never runs ahead of what has been built.
How do change orders work, and will I sign a written price before any extra work begins?
Why ask it
Verbal upgrades end in arguments because each side remembers a different number. A firm yes is the start. Ask to see a blank change order form, which should have a line for the added cost and a line for the added days.
Will you give me lien waivers from your subcontractors and suppliers with each payment?
Why ask it
If a contractor takes your money and never pays the cabinet supplier, in many places that supplier can file a lien against your house. Waivers are your record that the chain was paid. Lien law is local, so find out how it works in your state or country before the first check.
How do we close out the punch list, and how much of the price waits until it is finished?
Why ask it
The last details of a kitchen are small and tedious: a door that rubs, a missing toe kick, caulk at the backsplash. A written list walked together, with a stated share of the price held until it is done, is what brings a crew back for half a day's work.
What does your labor warranty cover, for how long, and how would I make a claim a year from now?
Why ask it
Have the length and the coverage written into the contract, not left in a brochure. Ask what counts as maintenance instead of a defect, such as a cracked caulk line or a door that needs adjusting after its first winter, and whether a callback for a leaking disposal means a text to the owner or a form and a wait.
Who handles a warranty claim on the cabinets, countertop or an appliance: you or the manufacturer?
Why ask it
A kitchen comes with a stack of separate warranties, and a peeling cabinet finish can leave the installer and the manufacturer pointing at each other. Pin down who makes the call, who pays for the labor to swap a part, and whether the registrations and receipts are handed to you at the end.
If we disagree about the work or a bill partway through, what does the contract say happens?
Why ask it
Some contracts send disputes to mediation or arbitration, and some let the contractor stop work as soon as a payment is questioned. Read that clause while picturing the kitchen torn open, and since a homeowner's options differ by state and country, ask someone qualified where you live what it would mean for you.
May I take the contract home for a few days, and will it list every cabinet, appliance and finish by model?
Why ask it
A contract that says 'new kitchen per discussion' leaves the discussion to memory. The model numbers, the cabinet drawing and the finish schedule should be attached, so there is one document to point at. Contract law differs by place, so have someone qualified read anything you cannot follow.
Hiring and Managing a Kitchen Contractor
Practical guidance for the conversation itself
How to Compare Bids Fairly
Hand every contractor the same spec sheet
Write down cabinet brand and door style, countertop material, flooring, appliance model numbers, sink, faucet and lighting count, then give that list to every bidder. Otherwise you are comparing one contractor's laminate assumption against another's quartz, and the cheapest bid usually just has the thinnest assumptions.
Read the line items, not the bottom number
Look for demolition and disposal, permits, rough plumbing and electrical, drywall and paint, cabinet install labor, countertop template and install, tile and grout, and final cleaning. Anything absent from the bid tends to come back as a change order, priced after you have lost the chance to shop around.
Verify insurance and license at the source
Call the number on the certificate of insurance to confirm the policy is active, and look the license up with the board or agency that issues it where you live, which often lists complaints too. It is a short job from your desk, and easier to do before the walk-through than after you have started to like someone.
Hold a contingency you do not mention
Set aside a reserve for hidden conditions and for your own mid project upgrades, sized after asking each bidder what they have found inside houses like yours. Budget it privately so the number does not become a target.
Answers That Should Worry You
A large deposit or cash only terms
A deposit far beyond what the first cabinet and material orders cost, or a discount for cash with no contract, can mean they need your money to finish someone else's job. Some states cap deposits, so check the rule where you live, and pay by check or card so there is a record.
We can skip the permit to save you time
The time saved is theirs. You are the one left explaining unpermitted plumbing or wiring to an inspector, an insurer or a buyer years later, so ask your building department what this kitchen needs before you agree to anything.
An estimate that is mostly allowances
When countertops, tile, cabinets and fixtures are all allowance lines, the price you were quoted is fiction. Ask them to price your actual selections before you sign.
We will start Monday
A busy kitchen contractor usually has a waiting list and will not begin demolition before the cabinets have a delivery date. An open calendar proves nothing by itself, but ask what happened to the job that was meant to fill this week, and what your kitchen would look like while the cabinets are still on order.
What the Contract Must Spell Out
- Scope of work room by room, including what is explicitly excluded
- Every material by brand, model, color and quantity, with allowances labeled as allowances
- Total price and a payment schedule tied to completed milestones, not dates
- A retained final payment, with the amount stated, released after the punch list
- Start date, substantial completion date and what happens if the schedule slips
- Who pulls permits and schedules inspections, with fees included or excluded
- Written change order process requiring your signature before extra work
- Labor warranty length plus manufacturer warranty registration for appliances and cabinets
- Lien waivers from subcontractors and suppliers delivered with each payment
- Daily site rules: work hours, dust containment, bathroom use, and end of day cleanup
- Debris disposal and who supplies the dumpster
- Termination clause describing how either side exits and how work in place is valued
Living Through the Remodel
Set up the temporary kitchen before demolition day
Pick a room with water nearby, have the refrigerator moved there if a circuit can be spared, and add a microwave, a kettle and one plug-in burner. Cook a trial dinner in it while the real kitchen still works, so you find out what is missing while it is easy to fetch.
Empty the room in labeled boxes
Pack the cabinets by where things will live in the new layout, not where they sat in the old one, and keep a single box of everyday dishes out. Photograph any drawer arrangement you like so it can be rebuilt.
Keep one running list for the site lead
Questions texted one at a time get answered one at a time, or lost. A shared note, or a page taped inside the pantry door, gone through at a set time each week keeps the decisions in one place and gives you a dated record if a change order is ever disputed.
Walk the room at the three moments that are cheap to fix
Go in after framing and rough wiring with the plan in your hand, again when the cabinets are set but before the stone is templated, and once more with the punch list before the final payment. A problem caught at one of those points is a morning's work, and the same problem found later can mean taking finished work apart.