25 questions to ask a kitchen remodeler

Ask every company the same 25 questions and write down the answers. They are grouped by company, contract and money, schedule, permits and law, and warranty. Each has one line on why it matters. The legal ones carry the Illinois statute section they come from.

By Ryan Nesheim ยท Published 2026-10-20

Estimates are easier to compare when every company answers the same questions. Use this list on the first call or at the first meeting. The printable checklist in our choosing guide covers the same ground as tick boxes.

A flat lay of material samples including marble, wood and tile pieces, a paint palette, a notebook and a camera on a white table
Illustration, not a photo of a listed company's project.

The company

  1. What is the company's legal business name and address?Why it matters: The contract has to state the business name and address (815 ILCS 513/15), and the Attorney General says to verify both.
  2. Is the business registered with the Secretary of State, or under an assumed name with the county clerk?Why it matters: The state pamphlet (815 ILCS 513/20(c)) tells homeowners to check this when a contractor uses a name other than the real one.
  3. Which city or village license or registration applies to this job, and do you hold it?Why it matters: Illinois has no state general contractor license. Chicago requires a general contractor license, and Evanston and Schaumburg require registration.
  4. Can you give me references?Why it matters: The Attorney General lists a contractor who refuses references as a warning sign.
  5. Will your own crew do the work, or subcontractors?Why it matters: Subcontractors and suppliers have lien rights of their own under the Mechanics Lien Act (770 ILCS 60/21(a)).
  6. My home was built before 1978. Is your firm EPA lead-safe certified?Why it matters: The EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule requires paid work that disturbs paint in homes built before 1978 to be done by a certified firm with trained employees, with exceptions for small jobs and for homeowners working on their own home.

Contract and money

  1. Will I get the state pamphlet "Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights" before I sign?Why it matters: The contractor must provide it before the contract is executed on any contract over $1,000, and you sign an acknowledgment form (815 ILCS 513/20(a)).
  2. Is the contract in writing, with the total cost, the materials listed and any charge for the estimate?Why it matters: A written contract is required before work starts on a job over $1,000 and must state those things (815 ILCS 513/15).
  3. Does the contract describe the work, and does it have blank spaces?Why it matters: The pamphlet lists a description of the work as a term a contract should include and says never to sign a contract with blank spaces.
  4. Does the contract include binding arbitration or a jury trial waiver?Why it matters: The contractor must tell you before you sign and let you accept or reject each clause. A clause not accepted or rejected and signed is void (815 ILCS 513/15.1).
  5. What is the payment schedule: down payment, later payments and final payment?Why it matters: The Attorney General and the pamphlet list the schedule and method of payment as terms a contract should include. Section 15 does not require it.
  6. Will you give me a sworn statement of everyone who furnished labor or materials before I pay?Why it matters: The contractor must give it, and the owner must require it, before the owner pays (770 ILCS 60/5(a)).
  7. Will you give me lien waivers from your subcontractors and yourself?Why it matters: The pamphlet says you should obtain lien waivers from all contractors and subcontractors if appropriate, and the subcontractor notice in 770 ILCS 60/21(c) urges owners to request them. The Act does not define "lien waiver", so ask a lawyer about your rights.
  8. Can I see proof of insurance?Why it matters: The Act requires insurance unless the contractor has a net worth of at least $1,000,000 (815 ILCS 513/25), and refusing proof of insurance is on the Attorney General's warning list. The statute does not say a certificate must be shown, so you have to ask.

Schedule

  1. What are the starting and estimated completion dates, in writing?Why it matters: The Attorney General and the pamphlet recommend both dates in the contract. Section 15 does not require them.
  2. Does the start date depend on permit approval, and how long does your city take to review?Why it matters: Cities publish their own review times, such as Evanston at 4 to 6 weeks for building permits. We have no sourced figure for the length of a remodel itself.
  3. How will you tell me if the dates change?Why it matters: A schedule only helps if both sides agree how changes are handled and recorded.

Permits and law

  1. Who applies for the permit, you or me?Why it matters: The pamphlet tells homeowners to check with local and county units of government about permits and inspections, and Aurora says homeowners doing work must also apply.
  2. Will a licensed plumber and a registered electrician do those parts?Why it matters: Plumbing must be done by plumbers licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (225 ILCS 320/3), and cities and villages register electrical contractors (65 ILCS 5/11-33-1).
  3. Will any walls move, and does the city need drawings from an architect or engineer?Why it matters: Chicago, Evanston and Wheaton say drawings or plans must come from an Illinois-licensed architect or structural engineer when walls or structure change.
  4. Which inspections will happen, and who schedules them?Why it matters: Wheaton, for example, requires rough inspections once all rough-ins are complete and before insulation or concealment.
  5. Did we agree to this contract at my home? Does a right to cancel apply?Why it matters: The Attorney General describes a 3 business day right to cancel for some at-home sales, with exclusions (815 ILCS 505/2B). People 65 or older who buy from an uninvited solicitor at home have 15 business days (815 ILCS 513/22).

Warranty and problems

  1. Do you guarantee your work? What does it cover, for how long, and is it in writing?Why it matters: The Attorney General says a one-year general warranty against defects in workmanship is not required, though contractors may provide one.
  2. When is the work considered finished, and what do I sign?Why it matters: The pamphlet says not to sign a certificate of completion or make final payment until the work is done to your satisfaction.
  3. What happens if a problem shows up after the job is done?Why it matters: A violation of the Home Repair and Remodeling Act counts as a violation of the Consumer Fraud Act (815 ILCS 513/35(b)), and the Attorney General takes complaints through an online form.

What to do with the answers

Compare answers across companies, not only prices. A company that answers plainly and puts the answers in the contract is easier to work with than one that will not. The Attorney General's guide says to compare an estimate with those from at least two other contractors. Our cost guide shows what published surveys say kitchens cost, as estimates and not quotes.

For the law behind the contract questions, read kitchen remodel contracts and lien waivers in Illinois. For permit rules in your city, see kitchen remodel permits in Illinois. To find companies to ask, pick a city such as Chicago, Naperville or Rockford, or browse every city.

Sources

Every source below was checked on October 19, 2026. Official pages change, so confirm anything that affects your job with the source itself.

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