How to Choose a Kitchen Remodeling Contractor: Questions, Paperwork and Contract Checklist

How to choose a kitchen remodeling contractor: the short process

Hiring goes best as a sequence, with each step narrowing the field before you spend time on detailed estimates.

1. Verify the basicsCheck local registration or licensing and insurance before the first meeting runs long.
2. Meet and ask questionsUse the questions below to see how each contractor plans, schedules and communicates.
3. Collect comparable estimatesAsk every contractor to price the same scope in the same categories, with allowances listed.
4. Review the contractCheck it against the contract checklist and ask for changes in writing before signing.
5. Pay against milestonesTie payments to completed work and collect lien waivers with each one.

Licensing and registration in Illinois

Illinois does not license general contractors statewide, so local rules matter. The City of Chicago requires a city general contractor license for most construction, alteration, repair and demolition work, and publishes a lookup of licensed contractors. Many suburbs require contractors to register with the village each year, often with proof of insurance and sometimes a bond; others, such as Geneva and Oak Brook, state that they do not require contractor registration. A building department will usually not issue a permit until the listed contractors meet its requirements.

• Ask for the contractor's registration or license number in your town and check it with the building department.
• For plumbing work, confirm the plumber's state license through the IDPH lookup.
• Make sure the contractor, not you, will apply for the permits.

Insurance: what to ask for

Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from the contractor's insurance agent, not a photocopy. It should show general liability coverage and workers' compensation coverage for employees, with current dates. Some villages require the certificate to name the municipality as a certificate holder; for your own protection you can ask to be listed as well.

If subcontractors will work in your home, ask how they are insured. A plumber or electrician working under the general contractor should carry coverage of their own.

Questions to ask a kitchen contractor

The goal of the first meetings is to see how the contractor thinks about your project. Good answers are specific; vague answers are a warning sign.

People and process

• Who will manage the project day to day, and how will you communicate with me?
• Which work do your own crews do, and which do you subcontract?
• Who designs the layout, and do I get drawings before I sign?
• How do you protect the rest of the house and control dust?

Schedule, permits and surprises

• Will you pull the permits and attend the inspections?
• What is the schedule from ordering to completion, and what could change it?
• How do you handle hidden conditions found during demolition?
• How are change orders priced and approved?

After the job

• What warranty do you give on workmanship, and what do manufacturers cover?
• Can I see completed kitchens or talk to past clients?

Comparing estimates fairly

Two estimates for the same kitchen can differ widely simply because they include different things. Ask each contractor to break the estimate into the same categories: demolition, structural work, plumbing, electrical, drywall and paint, cabinets, countertops, backsplash, flooring, appliance installation, permits and cleanup.

Note which items are allowances, meaning placeholders for selections you have not made yet, and whether they are realistic for what you want. An estimate much lower than the others often leaves something out or relies on allowances that will grow later. Ask what is excluded before deciding.

Kitchen remodel contract checklist

Illinois' Home Repair and Remodeling Act requires contractors to give a consumer brochure and a written contract for larger jobs. Regardless of size, insist on a written contract. Before you sign, check that it includes the items below.

Who, what and when

• Contractor's legal name, address, phone and local license or registration numbers.
• A detailed scope of work, referencing the drawings and selections.
• Specific products, models and finishes, or clearly stated allowances.
• Start date and estimated completion, with what can affect them.

Money and changes

• Total price and a payment schedule tied to completed milestones rather than dates.
• A written change-order process: no extra work without a signed change order showing price and schedule impact.
• How hidden conditions are handled and priced.
• Lien waiver terms, including waivers from subcontractors and suppliers with each payment.

Responsibilities and protection

• Who obtains permits and schedules inspections.
• Cleanup, debris removal and protection of the home.
• Warranty terms for workmanship and who handles manufacturer warranties.
• Insurance requirements and termination terms.

Lien waivers and the Mechanics Lien Act

Under the Illinois Mechanics Lien Act, contractors, subcontractors and material suppliers who are not paid can, in general, record a lien against the property they improved. That can happen even if you paid your general contractor in full, if the contractor did not pay a supplier or subcontractor.

Lien waivers are the usual protection: signed statements that the party has been paid for work through a certain date. Ask for waivers from the contractor and major subcontractors and suppliers as payments are made, and a final waiver at the end. For larger projects, some homeowners use a title company to handle payments and waivers.

Red flags when hiring a contractor

Most contractors are honest, but a few patterns should make you slow down.

• Pressure to sign the same day or a discount that expires tonight.
• A request for a large share of the price before any work or ordering.
• Reluctance to put the scope, schedule or change orders in writing.
• Suggestions to skip permits or to have you pull them as the homeowner.
• No local registration where the village requires it, or no proof of insurance.
• Cash-only payment or a business with no verifiable address.