Should the contractor or subs pull permits?

The licensed contractor on the permit should be whoever is legally responsible for the work. Never allow unpermitted structural, electrical, or plumbing changes.

Kitchen Remodeling

How to Choose a Kitchen Remodeling Contractor

Vet kitchen contractors with license checks, kitchen-specific references, itemized bids, and clear payment schedules.

8 min read

Verify credentials

Kitchen remodels involve multiple trades — your GC should coordinate licensed subs.

State/local contractor license
Insurance certificates
Better Business Bureau and online reviews
Kitchen-specific references from last 12 months

Compare bids fairly

Same scope, same allowance levels, same timeline assumptions.

Itemized materials vs labor
Allowance amounts for tile and fixtures
Change-order process
Warranty on labor

Payment best practices

Never pay the full project cost before work begins.

Typical deposit: 10–33%
Tie payments to milestones
Hold final 10% until punch list complete

Kitchens are a coordination job

You are hiring someone who can sequence cabinets, electrician, plumber, and fabricator — not only a person with a beautiful Instagram island. Ask how they handle a delayed cabinet truck and who stores the stone. References should be kitchens, not decks.

Who templates counters and how many days after cabinet set?
Do they have a regular fabricator or a bid-whichever-is-cheapest shop?
Can they show a kitchen they finished that still had the same GC at punch list?

Showroom partnerships can be a conflict

Some GCs steer you to a cabinet line they mark up. That can be fine if the boxes are good and the price is transparent. It is not fine if you cannot see the line-item for the boxes versus labor. Ask for the cabinet invoice class, not a mood board.

You can buy cabinets elsewhere if openings stay in the drawing
A design fee should credit toward the job or be a clear standalone
Beware “free design” that only works with one locked vendor

Frequently asked questions

Should the contractor or subs pull permits?: The licensed contractor on the permit should be whoever is legally responsible for the work. Never allow unpermitted structural, electrical, or plumbing changes.