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Rules

What the contract should say

Scope, price, payment schedule, deposit, change orders, dates and the right to cancel: what to get in writing, and what California and Nevada require.

A homeowner reading a printed contract at a kitchen table

A kitchen remodel runs for weeks and involves many small decisions, and the contract is where they are written down before money changes hands. Some states spell out what a home improvement contract must contain; where yours does not, the same list still protects you.

What to get in writing

  • Who you are contracting with: the company's name, address and license or registration number.
  • The scope, item by item: which cabinets (maker, line, finish), which countertop (material, color, edge), which appliances, sink and faucet, what is demolished and hauled away, what is patched and painted.
  • The price, including taxes, and what is not included.
  • The payment schedule, tied to finished stages of the work rather than to dates.
  • The deposit. See the state rules below.
  • Change orders: any change in scope or price agreed in writing before the work is done.
  • Dates: when work starts and when it is expected to be finished.
  • Permits and inspections: who takes them out and who pays for them.
  • Cleanup, protection of the rest of the house, and working hours.
  • The warranty on workmanship, and who holds the manufacturers' warranties.

California

The down payment on a home improvement contract may not be more than $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less. Apart from the down payment, the contractor may not take payment for work not yet done or materials not yet delivered. The contract must include a notice of your right to cancel within three business days, unless it was signed at the contractor's place of business or is a service and repair contract; for repairs after a declared disaster, the period is seven business days.

Nevada

A contract with an owner who lives in the house must show the contractor's license number and the monetary limit of that license, the estimated completion date, a description of the work and the total price including taxes. The down payment may not be more than $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, unless the contractor keeps a $100,000 consumer bond with the state board. Any change in scope or price must be a written change order that you accept.

Before you sign

Read the scope against what you asked for at the design visit, and compare estimates only when they price the same scope. See What it costs and Checking a contractor.

Updated 2026-10-12.

Sources

More guides

The work Kitchen remodeling Refresh, replace or rebuild: the three sizes of job and who does each part The work Cabinet refacing When the boxes can stay and when they have to go The work Countertop replacement Template, fabrication, installation, and what comes out with the old top The work New tops on old cabinets Level, strength, the sink base: what to check before the template Planning Design consultation What happens at the first visit and what to have ready The work Opening a wall Load-bearing or not, temporary supports, and the permit The work Electrical and appliances Induction, range hoods, new outlets: when an upgrade means new wiring The work After water damage Stopping the water, photos for the insurer, and what has to come out Money What it costs What sets the price, local trade wages, and what permit records show Money Paying for it Equity loans, payment schedules, and what the IRS says Rules Permits What usually needs a permit, from the documents of two cities Rules Checking a contractor License lookups by state, insurance, and the questions to ask Rules Lead-safe remodeling Homes built before 1978: certified firms and what they do Planning Timeline and order From measuring to the final inspection, in the order it happens Planning Before you call What you will be asked and how to measure your kitchen
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