Planning

Whole home remodel checklist: 12 decisions before you sign

Updated May 2026 · 10 min read

A whole-home remodel is the largest single decision most homeowners make outside of buying the house. The contract you sign should leave nothing important undecided. Here are the 12 things to settle before signature — the ones that, when left vague, become the change orders and disputes you'll talk about for years.

Whole home remodel living room with white-painted brick fireplace, 128 Cottonwood Cir, Franklin

1. Total scope, in writing, room by room

Don't accept a single-line scope ("whole home renovation"). The contract should list every room, what's being done in it, and what's not being done in it. If "the basement is excluded," that should be in writing.

2. Allowances vs. fixed line items

"Allowances" are placeholder amounts for items not yet selected (tile, fixtures, appliances). They're necessary for some line items, dangerous for too many. Ask: how much of the total is allowance vs. fixed? If it's more than a quarter, the project will likely run over.

3. Schedule with milestone dates

Get a Gantt chart or, at minimum, a milestone schedule with dates for: demo start, rough-in inspection, drywall, cabinets installed, tile complete, paint, final walkthrough. "About four months" is not a schedule.

4. Payment schedule tied to milestones

Payments should be due against verifiable milestones — permits pulled, rough-in inspection passed, drywall complete — not arbitrary calendar dates. Do not pre-pay more than 10–15% as a deposit.

5. Change order process

Change orders are normal. The process for handling them is what matters. The contract should specify: how changes are quoted (in writing, with line items), how they're approved (signature required), and how they affect the schedule. Verbal change orders are how disputes happen.

6. Material selections deadline

You will have homework. Tile, fixtures, paint colors, hardware. The contract should specify when each selection is due. Late selections delay the project — and the contract should be honest about that.

7. Allowances unused, returned

If you have a tile allowance and you select tile for less than the allowance amount, you should receive credit for the unused balance. Some contractors keep the difference. The contract should explicitly say allowances are at-cost with credit for any unused balance.

8. Subcontractor list

Find out who's actually doing the work. Subs the contractor uses regularly are an asset. A contractor who can't tell you who their plumber and electrician are typically subs to whoever's cheapest that week.

9. Insurance & license

General liability insurance and any required Tennessee trade licenses, with current certificates. Ask for them. A licensed and insured contractor will produce them in 24 hours; one who can't, can't.

10. Workmanship warranty

What's covered, for how long, and how do you make a claim? A real warranty is at least one year on workmanship and is in writing. Manufacturer warranties on fixtures and materials are separate.

11. Cleanup & protection standards

Daily cleanup, dust containment standards, protection of un-renovated areas, parking, port-o-john location, work hours. Sounds petty until you're 14 weeks in and contractor pickup trucks are blocking your neighbor's driveway daily.

12. Dispute resolution

If something goes wrong, what's the path? Mediation? Arbitration? Court in Davidson County? Better to know now than to find out under stress. Most reputable contracts include a graduated process: written notice, mediation attempt, then arbitration or court.

The best whole-home contract isn't the one with the lowest price. It's the one where the most decisions are already settled in writing.

Red flags to watch for

Verbal commitments not reflected in the contract. If they said it during the sales meeting, it should be in the document. If it isn't, it doesn't exist.
"Standard" allowances that aren't itemized. A "standard tile allowance" with no per-square-foot cost is a recipe for surprises.
Pressure to sign quickly. Reputable contractors expect you to take the contract to a lawyer. Pressure to sign in the meeting is the loudest red flag there is.
Cash discounts. A contractor who wants cash to lower the price is a contractor who isn't reporting income. That's their problem until it becomes yours.
Massive deposits. Anything over 15% up front, before mobilization, should be questioned.

What we put in our contracts

For our Nashville-area clients, our contracts include all 12 items above by default. Allowances are itemized. Selection deadlines are calendared. Workmanship warranty is one year, in writing, with a clear claim process. We expect you to read it. We expect you to take it to your lawyer if you want.

If you're getting bids and want to know what a real contract looks like, give us a call. We're happy to walk through ours so you have a baseline to compare against, even if you don't end up hiring us.