Questions to Ask a Kitchen Remodeling Contractor

The questions below are grouped the way a kitchen remodel unfolds: who the company is, what it will build, when, for how much, who will be in your house, and what happens when something goes wrong. Each comes with what a good answer sounds like. Take the list to every company you interview and ask the questions in the same words, so the answers can be compared.

This page is the script. For the order in which to check a company, see how to choose a kitchen remodeler.

Credentials

The legal background, including current bond and insurance minimums and how to read a Verify record, is in our guide to verifying a contractor in Washington. For older homes, see the lead paint rules for pre-1978 houses.

Scope and design

• Who designs the kitchen, and what drawings will I see before I sign? Good: a named designer, and a floor plan, elevations and a specification list at minimum. Thin: "we'll work it out as we go."
• Is the estimate itemized? Good: cabinets, counters, plumbing, electrical, flooring and finishes shown separately, with brands or allowances named. Thin: one number for "kitchen remodel".
• What is not included? Good: a written exclusions list. Every job has exclusions. A contractor who says there are none has not thought about it.
• Which of my selections are allowances, and what happens if I go over? Good: each allowance stated with what it buys, and a clear rule for overages and credits.
• What do you expect to find behind the walls in a house like mine? Good: specifics for your home's age, such as older wiring, galvanized pipe, or a vent stack in the wall you want removed. This question separates people who have opened kitchens like yours from people who have not.

Permits and code

• Does this project need a permit, and which one? Good: an answer tied to your scope and your jurisdiction, city or county. Our page on whether a kitchen remodel needs a permit in Vancouver lets you check what you are told.
• Who applies for it and who meets the inspector? Good: "we do." State law requires the city or county to verify a contractor's registration before issuing a building permit and to print the registration number on it, so a permit in the contractor's name is itself a check.
• Who handles the asbestos question before demolition? Good: the contractor raises it before you do. In Clark County, the Southwest Clean Air Agency requires the owner or the owner's agent to determine whether suspect materials are in the work area before any renovation. Details are on our asbestos rules page.

Schedule

• When could you start, and what has to happen first? Good: a sequence. Design sign-off, selections, cabinet order, permit, then a start date tied to cabinet delivery. Be cautious of anyone who can start Monday on a kitchen that has not been designed.
• What are the current lead times for the cabinets and counters I am choosing? Good: figures from the contractor's own recent orders. No reliable industry-wide number exists, so this has to come from current experience.
• How long will my kitchen be out of use? Good: a range with the assumptions stated, and what would stretch it.
• How will I know if the schedule slips? Good: a regular update on a fixed day, in writing.

The phases themselves are laid out in how long a kitchen remodel takes.

Money

• Does the price include sales tax? Washington taxes the full contract price of a remodel, labor included. L&I's advice is that the contract state the "price, including sales tax". Good: a line showing the tax and the rate used.
• What is the deposit, and what are the later payments tied to? Good: a modest deposit and payments that follow completed phases, such as cabinets delivered or countertops installed. L&I says that besides a reasonable down payment, you should pay only when specific phases are completed. Worrying: most of the money due before most of the work.
• How do change orders work? Good: written, priced and signed by both sides before the changed work is done. L&I's wording is blunt: "Avoid verbal contracts or amendments."
• Will you give me the disclosure statement before work starts? For a residential job of $1,000 or more, RCW 18.27.114 requires the contractor to give you a "Notice to Customer" before starting. Good: "yes, you'll sign it with the contract and keep a copy."
• Will you provide lien releases from suppliers and other companies on the job? Good: yes, before final payment. The disclosure statement itself tells you that you may request them.

What a contract should contain is covered in remodeling contracts, deposits and change orders, and the reason lien releases matter is explained in Washington construction liens.

People on site

• Who is my day-to-day contact, and how often are they at the house? Good: a name and a pattern, not "the office".
• Who does the electrical and plumbing? Good: named companies or employees whose certifications you can check in Verify, which also confirms electricians and plumbers.
• What hours will the crew work, and how do they get in? Good: stated hours, a lockbox or agreed access, and a rule about who is allowed in the house.
• How do you control dust and protect the floors? Good: specifics such as zip-wall containment, covered returns, floor protection along the path to the door, and daily cleanup.

Problems and warranty

• What happens if you find rot, bad wiring or a leak after demolition? Good: work in that area stops, you are shown the problem, and you get a written price before the fix proceeds.
• What does your workmanship warranty cover, and for how long? Good: a written document with a term, a list of what is covered and a way to make a claim.
• If we disagree, what is the process? Good: a named person with authority, a walkthrough, and a written resolution. Then check that the contract says the same.
• Can I speak with a client whose project had a problem? Every company has had one. Willingness to connect you says a great deal.

How JDI answers

We would expect you to ask us all of this. In short: JDI Construction's Washington registration is #JDICOCN932KZ and our Oregon CCB number is #176101, both of which you can look up. We are design-build, so design and construction are handled by one accountable team. We handle permits and project management, provide an itemized plan and a 3D design layout, post updates to a client portal, and back our work with a 5-year written workmanship warranty. The rest is specific to your house, and the place to ask is a free in-home consultation. You can book one here or read about our kitchen remodeling service in Vancouver first.