Sample documents
Sample kitchen remodel proposals: what a good bid looks like
Two fictional proposals you can open and compare against the bids you get: a $12,380 cabinet and fixture refresh and a $102,255 kitchen and butler's pantry remodel. Here's what each one does right, and what to check in yours.
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Quick answer
A good kitchen proposal names the contractor's license and prices the work line by line, room by room. It marks allowances for anything you haven't picked yet, includes permits and puts changes in writing. In California the down payment can't exceed $1,000 or 10%, whichever is less, and later payments must follow finished work or delivered materials.
Who to call: Coachella Valley Remodeling connects you with our licensed partner contractor, who visits and gives you a written price. Free to you. Get my free kitchen referral or call (760) 766-2218.
Most homeowners only see a few remodeling bids in their life, so it's hard to know what a good one looks like. These two samples show the standard we expect from the licensed contractors we connect you with. Both are fictional: the company, the clients and the addresses are made up, and every page is marked SAMPLE.
The two samples
- Cabinet and fixture refresh, $12,380 (PDF): new semi-custom shaker cabinets, the existing quartz counters reset, a new sink, faucet and disposal, pendants and LED lighting, in a Palm Desert kitchen. Six pages.
- Kitchen and butler's pantry remodel, $102,255.50 (PDF): custom inset cabinets to the ceiling, a 9-foot island, quartzite counters, panel-ready appliances, a relocated sink, new circuits, lighting and white oak floors, in a La Quinta home. Eight pages.
Open one next to a bid you've received and walk through the checklist below.
What a good proposal gets right
The contractor and license are on it. The company name, address, phone and CSLB license number appear on the cover and the detail page. A kitchen remodel calls for a B (general building) license, or a C-6 for cabinet work only. You can look up any license at cslb.ca.gov.
The work is priced line by line, by room. Each item has a description, a quantity, a unit price and a total, and the brand and model where it matters. “Cabinets: $30,000” tells you nothing; “18 custom inset base cabinets, painted maple, soft-close, at $540 each” tells you exactly what you're buying and makes two bids comparable.
Allowances are marked. In the $102k sample the range, refrigerator, dishwasher, faucets and pendants are allowances: budgets for products the client hasn't picked yet. Check that yours are realistic for what you want; a low allowance makes a bid look cheaper than it will end up.
Permits are included. Moving a sink, adding circuits or removing a soffit usually needs a permit. Both samples list permits and inspections as a line item. Be wary of a bid that leaves them out or suggests skipping them.
The “included” lines say so. Demolition, supervision and the final clean show “Included” rather than being left off, so you know they're in the price.
Changes go in writing. The terms say any change gets a written change order showing the effect on price and timing before work on it starts.
The deposit is legal and payments follow milestones. Both samples take a $1,000 deposit, then payments tied to milestones like “cabinets delivered to site” and “countertops installed”. In California the down payment on a home improvement contract can't be more than $1,000 or 10%, whichever is less, and each later payment can't exceed the value of the work done or materials delivered so far, so check that every milestone payment in your bid matches what will actually be finished by then. Our down payment guide explains the rule.
There's a real warranty. One year on workmanship, plus the manufacturers' warranties on products, in writing.
What to watch for in the bids you get
- A large deposit, or “50% to start”. That's over the legal limit for most home improvement contracts.
- A single lump sum with no breakdown, or vague lines like “kitchen package”.
- No license number, or a license that doesn't match the work.
- Permits missing, or “we don't need one for this”.
- Allowances far below the products you've described.
- Pressure to sign the same day.
Want a proposal like this for your kitchen?
Tell us about your project and we'll connect you, free, with a screened, licensed local contractor who puts it in writing like this.
Common questions
Are these real proposals?
No. Both are samples from a fictional company, Desert Sample Builders, for fictional clients. The prices are realistic for the kind of work shown, but they aren't a quote for your kitchen. A licensed contractor gives you a written estimate after seeing your space.
How much can a contractor take as a down payment in California?
For a home improvement contract, no more than $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, under Business and Professions Code section 7159.5. After that, each payment can't be more than the value of the work done or the materials delivered so far. Contractors who post a full performance and payment bond can be exempt.
What is an allowance on a kitchen proposal?
A placeholder budget for something you haven't chosen yet, like a range, a refrigerator or pendant lights. If you choose something that costs more, you pay the difference; if it costs less, you get a credit. The samples mark every allowance so you can see what isn't final.
What does a real California contract add?
A signed home improvement contract also has to include notices such as the three-day right to cancel (five business days if you're 65 or older and sign at home) and the Mechanics' Lien Warning. The samples stop at the proposal stage, so they only mention them.
Last reviewed . Prices and rules change; confirm details with your contractor and your city or county building department.