If a Remodel Goes Wrong: Complaints, Bond Claims and Your Options in Washington

Most remodeling problems are fixed with a conversation and a punch list. This page is for the ones that are not: work that stopped, work that was done badly and not corrected, or money paid for something never delivered. It sets out the options Washington law documents, in the order most people use them, with the dollar limits and deadlines as of October 2026.

First: stop, document, put it in writing

1. Raise it promptly and specifically. Say what is wrong, where, and what the contract or plans call for. Many disputes are misunderstandings about scope.
2. Photograph everything with dates, before anyone repairs or covers it.
3. Collect the paper: the contract, change orders, the signed Notice to Customer, invoices, proof of every payment, permit records, texts and emails. The documents that matter are described in contracts, deposits and change orders.
4. Send a dated written notice listing each problem and a reasonable date to respond. Keep a copy.
5. Limit the damage. Under RCW 4.16.326(1)(b), a builder may defend a defect claim by showing the homeowner unreasonably failed to minimize damage or give timely notice.
6. Be careful about final payment. L&I advises: "Avoid paying for your project in full until all work is completed and you are satisfied with the work." What you may withhold depends on your contract, so read it before you hold money back.

If the problem is covered by a written warranty, follow the claim process in that document first. See kitchen remodel warranties.

Your options at a glance

What L&I and the Attorney General do

L&I takes reports of fraudulent or unregistered contractors online and at 1-888-811-5974. For a registered contractor who left a job unfinished or did not build to the contract, L&I's stated remedy is a civil suit: "If you are unable to resolve serious problems with a contractor, you can file suit against their bond." We could not confirm whether L&I mediates or investigates workmanship complaints, so ask the contractor information line, 1-800-647-0982, what it offers now.

If the contractor's negligence damaged your property or injured someone, L&I's guidance is to claim directly against the contractor's liability insurer. The insurer and policy are listed in L&I's Verify tool, described in how to verify a contractor in Washington.

The Attorney General's Office accepts consumer complaints online, and its Consumer Resource Center is at 1-800-551-4636.

Suing the contractor and its bond

RCW 18.27.040(3) lets any person with a claim against the contractor for items the bond covers sue the contractor and the bond. The rules are specific:

• Where. In the superior court of the county in which the work was done, or of any county with jurisdiction over the contractor. The surety must be named as a party.
• When. A residential homeowner must commence the suit "within two years from the date the claimed contract work was substantially completed or abandoned, whichever occurred first." Other claimants, such as suppliers, have one year.
• Service. Service is made exclusively on L&I: three copies of the summons and complaint by registered or certified mail, with a fee. The statute sets it at not less than $50, and L&I's page lists a $66.20 check as the current fee. Confirm the amount and mailing address with L&I before you send it.
• Cost. L&I describes the superior court filing fee as "approximately $200.00" and says a homeowner may file "with or without an attorney".
• How much. L&I states the suit "is only for the amount available in the surety bond": $30,000 for a general contractor and $15,000 for a specialty contractor since July 1, 2024, shared with every other claimant. How the bond is divided is covered in contractor insurance, bonds and workers' comp.
• Afterward. The prevailing party must send L&I a certified copy of the judgment or settlement within 10 days. RCW 18.27.040(10) sets a penalty of not less than $250 for failing to.

A "residential homeowner" under RCW 18.27.010 is an individual who owns or leases a single-family residence and intends to live in it when the work is complete.

The Homeowner Recovery Fund

This is new. Under RCW 18.27.410, "Beginning July 1, 2026", an owner-occupant with an unsatisfied final judgment against a registered contractor on a bond claim involving their primary residence may apply to the homeowner recovery program. The conditions matter:

• You need a final judgment specifying actual damages, and you must have "proceeded against any existing bond covering the contractor."
• The judgment must not have been satisfied in full. L&I adds that it "must be ordered after July 1, 2026".
• You must apply "within 90 days after the conclusion of the civil action."
• Payment "may not exceed $25,000 per contractor per parcel, or the amount unpaid on the judgment, whichever is less." Attorneys' fees, court costs and punitive damages are not paid.
• It is not guaranteed. The statute says "Payments under this section are discretionary", and they are subject to available funds, paid in order of receipt, with a waitlist.

L&I handles applications on form F625-119-000 or online, and can be reached at 360-902-5699 or HRF@Lni.wa.gov.

Small claims court

Under RCW 12.40.010, the small claims department of district court hears claims for money only, up to "Ten thousand dollars in cases brought by a natural person". It suits a contained dispute, such as a refund of a deposit or the cost of having one item redone. It cannot reach the bond, because RCW 18.27.040(3) requires a bond claim to be filed in superior court.

The Consumer Protection Act

RCW 18.27.350 provides that when a contractor is found to have committed a misdemeanor or infraction under the registration law, that finding "shall constitute a violation of chapter 19.86 RCW", the Consumer Protection Act. Under RCW 19.86.090, a person injured in their property may sue for actual damages, costs and a reasonable attorney's fee, and the court may increase damages up to three times the actual amount, although the increase for an unfair or deceptive practice "may not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars". The bond does not pay these amounts. Whether your facts support such a claim is a question for an attorney. Conduct that can amount to an infraction, such as contracting without registration, is described in remodeling scams and contractor red flags.

Deadlines to keep in view

If a lien is part of the problem

When a contractor walks away, unpaid subcontractors and suppliers may look to your property. The notices, the limits on what they can collect on an owner-occupied remodel and the ways to clear a lien are in Washington construction liens.

Preventing the dispute

Almost every option above works better with a registered contractor, a written contract and payments tied to completed work. If you are still choosing, start with how to choose a kitchen remodeler. JDI Construction's process is built around a written, itemized plan and one accountable team, and if you would like to talk through a kitchen project, you can contact us.