Home Remodel Contract Checklist — Miami–South Florida

What it should state. What's commonly not stated. What to ask before you sign.

You're about to sign a home remodel contract — a kitchen, a bathroom, or other rooms in the Miami–South Florida area. This page lists what a complete one states, the lines that are commonly not stated, and the questions worth asking before your name goes on it.

This is a reading checklist, not advice. Spend Defense doesn't tell you whether to sign — we make sure you've actually seen what's on the page, and what isn't.

What a complete remodel contract states

Scope of work — what is being removed, built, and installed, room by room, with drawings or a written description attached.
The contract price — one total, with allowances shown separately inside it.
Allowances as dollar figures — cabinets, counters, tile, and fixtures each given a dollar amount you can spend against.
Over-allowance terms — what you pay if your selections cost more than the allowance, including any markup.
Payment schedule tied to milestones — each payment linked to finished work (demo done, rough-in passed), not just calendar dates.
Change-order process — how changes are requested, priced, and approved in writing before work proceeds.
Start and completion dates — both dates, and what "complete" means (final inspection, punch list done).
Permits and license — who pulls permits, and the contractor's license number on the document.
Warranty — the workmanship warranty length and what it covers.

What's commonly not stated

Markup on allowance overages — whether the contractor adds a percentage when selections run over is often silent.
Definition of "complete" — without one, the final payment can come due while a punch list is still open.
Delay terms — what happens if the job runs long — for either side — is often missing.
Leftover materials — who owns extra tile, cabinets, or fixtures you paid for is rarely stated.
Living-space protection and cleanup — dust barriers, daily cleanup, and final cleaning are often assumed rather than written.
Permit and license details for Miami–South Florida-area remodels — whether this job needs a permit depends on the scope and on the city or county it's in, so the quote should say whether one is needed, who pulls it, and whether it's in the total. Licensing for this work is set by Florida and local agencies; ask for the license information on the document and look it up yourself with the issuing agency.

None of these gaps decide anything by themselves. They're the lines to ask about before you sign, not after.

Questions to ask before you sign

“Ask your Miami–South Florida remodeling contractor: what are the allowances for cabinets, counters, and fixtures, in dollars?”
“If I go over an allowance, what do I pay — is there a markup?”
“Is each payment tied to a finished stage of work?”
“How do change orders work, and will each one be priced in writing before you start it?”
“What does "complete" mean in this contract, and when is the final payment due?”

Want a second set of eyes on the actual document?

Send us the paperwork before you sign. A Quick Check reads your document and shows you what it says, what's not stated, and what to ask — for $4.99 (up to 10 pages). Longer documents: Document Review $19, Premium Review $49.

Check my document →

We don't decide for you. We make sure nothing on the page — or missing from it — surprises you later.

FAQ

How much does a kitchen or bathroom remodel usually cost in the Miami–South Florida area?

We don't price other people's work — cost depends on the size of the room, how much is moved or rebuilt, and the finishes you pick. What you can check is whether your contract states its own total, its allowances in dollars, and how changes are priced. Those three lines shape the final number.

What if something on this checklist is missing from my remodel contract?

Ask for it in writing before you sign. A missing allowance figure or change-order rule isn't a verdict on the contractor; it's an unknown in a contract you'll live with for months. Getting it stated on the page costs nothing and settles it before demolition starts.

Can Spend Defense read my actual remodel contract?

Yes. Short contracts fit the Quick Check ($4.99, up to 10 pages); longer ones with drawings and specs usually go through the Document Review ($19, up to 25 pages). You'll get back what it says, what's not stated, and what to ask before you sign.

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Spend Defense — we read the paperwork before you sign. We don't decide for you.