Kitchen remodel contract template
A kitchen remodel runs on a sequence: demolition, rough-ins, cabinets, countertop template, fabrication, backsplash, appliances. Each step waits on the one before, and the homeowner is cooking on a hot plate the whole time. This contract follows that sequence, with allowances for selections, lead times for cabinets and stone, and clear lines for who supplies each appliance. Read it below, then send it from SignMaster.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 4 min read
The contract
Gray blanks are yours to fill in before you send. Each signer fills in the blanks in their color.
- You, before sending
- Homeowner
- Contractor
Kitchen Remodel Contract
This Kitchen Remodel Contract (the "Contract") is made on Contract date between Contractor business name, license number License number (the "Contractor"), and Homeowner name (the "Homeowner").
1. Property and design
The kitchen at Property address will be remodeled following the design Design name and date. Changes to the layout, walls, windows or doors: Layout changes.
2. Scope of work
- Demolition and removal: Demolition and removal.
- Plumbing and gas: Plumbing and gas work.
- Electrical and lighting: Electrical and lighting work.
- Flooring: Flooring work.
- Backsplash: Backsplash.
- Drywall, paint and trim: Drywall and paint.
3. Cabinets
Cabinets: Cabinet line and finish. Hardware: Cabinet hardware. The Contractor will order the cabinets within Days to order cabinets days after this Contract is signed and the deposit is paid. The maker's current lead time is about Cabinet lead time in weeks weeks. Once ordered, made-to-order cabinets usually can't be canceled or returned, so changes after ordering are charged at their cost.
4. Countertops
Material: Countertop material. Edge profile: Edge profile. Countertops are measured after the base cabinets are installed, then fabricated, which takes about Countertop fabrication weeks weeks. Natural stone differs in color, pattern and veining from samples, and seams will be visible. Where the supplier allows, the Homeowner will approve the slab before it is cut.
5. Appliances
For each appliance, who supplies it and its model number:
- Range or cooktop: Range supplied by, model Range model number
- Wall oven or microwave: Oven supplied by, model Oven model number
- Refrigerator: Refrigerator supplied by, model Refrigerator model number
- Dishwasher: Dishwasher supplied by, model Dishwasher model number
- Range hood and others: Hood and others supplied by, models Hood and other model numbers
Appliances the Homeowner supplies must be on site by Appliance delivery deadline. The Contractor will install and connect them and warrants only that installation; the appliances carry their makers' warranties. Ducting a range hood to the outside is Hood venting.
6. Allowances
- Sink and faucet: Sink and faucet allowance
- Backsplash and floor tile: Tile allowance
- Light fixtures: Lighting allowance
If a selection costs more than its allowance, the difference plus Markup on overages percent percent is added by change order; if it costs less, the difference is credited.
7. Schedule
Work is expected to start on or about Estimated start date. The Contractor expects to finish about Weeks after cabinet delivery weeks after the cabinets arrive, plus countertop fabrication time. Late deliveries of cabinets, countertops, appliances or Homeowner selections, inspection timing and hidden conditions extend the schedule.
8. Temporary kitchen and access
The kitchen will not be usable during the work. Temporary arrangements: Temporary kitchen arrangements. The Contractor will seal the work area with dust barriers, protect the path through the house and clean up daily. Work hours: Work hours.
9. Permits, code items and hidden conditions
The Contractor will obtain the permits the work needs. Moving or adding plumbing, gas and electrical can bring code requirements such as dedicated circuits and protected outlets; those included in the price are: Code items included. Others, and any water damage, rot, mold or unsafe wiring found once cabinets and finishes are removed, will be shown to the Homeowner and priced by change order before they are fixed.
10. Price and payment
The total price is Contract price:
- A deposit of Deposit when this Contract is signed.
- A payment of Payment at cabinet delivery when the cabinets are delivered.
- A payment of Payment at countertop install when the countertops are installed.
- The balance at substantial completion, except Punch list holdback, which is paid when the final punch list is finished.
Accepted payment methods: Payment methods.
11. Changes
Changes to the design, selections, price or schedule must be in a written change order signed by both parties before the changed work or order goes ahead.
12. Warranty
The Contractor warrants its workmanship for Workmanship warranty in years year(s) from substantial completion. Cabinets, countertops, fixtures and appliances carry their makers' warranties. The warranty does not cover normal wear, damage from misuse, water left standing on surfaces, or work by others.
13. Cancellation and general terms
If this Contract was signed at the Homeowner's home, the Homeowner may have a legal right to cancel within three business days, and the Contractor will provide a written notice explaining how. The Contractor carries liability insurance and will show proof on request. This Contract, with its design and change orders, is the whole agreement and is governed by the laws of the state of State. Electronic signatures count as original signatures.
Homeowner contact details
Phone: Homeowner phone Email: Homeowner email
I have read sections 3, 4 and 5 on cabinet lead times, natural stone and appliances.
Homeowner
Contractor
Opens it in SignMaster as a template you can edit and send.
A starting point, not legal advice. Have a lawyer review it for your state and situation.
On this page
Why kitchens need their own contract
Kitchens pack almost every trade into one small room, along with the most expensive selections in the house. Cabinets can take weeks to arrive, countertops can't be measured until the cabinets are in, and the slab the homeowner loved at the stone yard may be gone by the time you call. A general remodeling contract misses those details; this one writes them in.
It also answers the question every kitchen client asks halfway through: when do I get my kitchen back? The schedule ties the finish to cabinet delivery and countertop fabrication, so delays you don't control aren't read as broken promises.
What the template covers
- Design and scope: the design by name and date, layout changes, and each trade from demolition to backsplash.
- Cabinets: maker, line, finish and hardware, when you'll order, the quoted lead time, and why changes after ordering cost extra.
- Countertops: material and edge, templating after the base cabinets are in, fabrication time, and the natural variation of stone.
- Appliances: who supplies each one, the model numbers, the delivery deadline, and that you warrant only your installation.
- Allowances: the sink and faucet, tile and lighting, with overages and credits settled by change order.
- Code items and hidden conditions: circuits and outlets the code may require, and damage found once cabinets come off the walls.
- Temporary kitchen: what the household uses during the work, dust barriers, work hours and daily cleanup.
- Payment and warranty: deposit, payments at cabinet delivery and countertop install, a punch-list holdback, and your workmanship warranty.
Kitchen remodel mistakes
- Promising a calendar finish date before cabinets are ordered. State the finish as a number of weeks after cabinet delivery instead.
- Letting the homeowner buy appliances without specs. A range a few inches off, or a fridge needing a water line you didn't plan, changes cabinets and plumbing.
- Treating stone like a factory product. Natural stone varies in color and veining and seams show. Say so, and have the homeowner approve the slab where the yard allows.
- Forgetting new circuits. Kitchen remodels often bring code requirements for dedicated circuits and protected outlets, so price them in from the start.
- Leaving the temporary kitchen to chance. Agree where the fridge and microwave go during the work, and how long the sink stays usable.
Get appliance model numbers first
Section 5 has a line for every appliance, who supplies it and its model number. Have those filled in before you place the cabinet order, so the openings, the water line and the circuits match what's actually being delivered.
How to send it with SignMaster
- 1
Open the template
Choose Use this template. It's ready with the homeowner as the first signer and your company countersigning.
- 2
Add the design and selections
Fill in the gray blanks: the design reference, the cabinet line and finish, the countertop material, who supplies each appliance, the allowances and the payment milestones.
- 3
Let the homeowner add model numbers
The appliance model number blanks belong to the homeowner, so when they're buying their own appliances they type the numbers in before signing, and you order cabinets to match.
- 4
Sign it together or from home
Review it at the table and use Sign in person, or email the link so the homeowner can read it properly first. They check the box saying they've read the cabinet, stone and appliance terms before signing.
- 5
Keep every upgrade signed
You countersign last, and each of you gets the signed PDF with its certificate of completion. When the homeowner upgrades a faucet or adds pull-outs, send a change order the same day.
Showrooms and design teams
If your kitchens are sold in a showroom, the designer may prepare the contract and the project manager sign for the company. Templates belong to the workspace, so everyone sends the same approved version, and on paid plans the Responses tab gathers every client's appliance models and answers into one table your ordering team can export.
Questions? Answers.
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
It depends mostly on the scope and on cabinet lead time. Once cabinets arrive, the rest still takes weeks, and countertop fabrication adds time after templating. That's why this template states the finish in weeks after cabinet delivery.
Who warranties appliances the homeowner buys?
The appliance maker. Under this template, the contractor installs and connects homeowner-supplied appliances and warrants only that work.
What should a kitchen remodel contract include?
The design and scope, cabinets, countertops, appliances, plumbing and electrical work with permits, allowances, the schedule and lead times, living arrangements during the work, payments, change orders and the warranty.
What if the homeowner picks a pricier countertop?
It's a change order. The difference between the quoted material and the new choice, plus your markup, is added to the price and signed before the slab is ordered.