Hire a Renovation Contractor: Contract, Payment Schedule, and Leverage

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Write the project scope and exclusions
2 hours
Every bidder prices the same job, or you cannot compare anything.
Write one page, room by room. For each space list the work included — demolition, plumbing, electrical, flooring, cabinets, paint — and under each line name the material and finish level: stock, semi-custom, or custom; builder grade or premium. Then a short exclusions paragraph: what stays untouched, what you supply yourself, which rooms are off limits, and the target start and completion dates.
Hand this identical sheet to every bidder and require each estimate to reference it line by line — that is what makes bids comparable.
- Walk each room and list every piece of work you want done, item by item: demo, plumbing, electrical, surfaces, fixtures.
- Under each item, write the material and finish level — stock, semi-custom, custom, builder grade, premium.
- List exclusions: items that stay, appliances or materials you supply yourself, rooms the crew may not enter.
- Add the target start date, completion date, and access rules such as working hours and pet arrangements.
- Save the sheet as a dated PDF, for example kitchen-scope-2026-08.pdf, and keep the master file for edits.

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