Your first renovation, handled.
Most homeowners hire a contractor, pull a permit, and pass an inspection for the first time in their lives — and there's no manual. This is the manual. A staged path from "I'm thinking about a kitchen remodel" to "the inspector signed off."
Six phases, in order.
A staged path for the renovation process. Each phase links to the permits, templates, and checklists that apply.
- P·013 lessons →Plan & budget
What you actually want, what it'll cost, and what hidden expenses (permits, design, contingency) usually get missed at this stage.
- P·02verify →Find & vet contractors
License verification, references, insurance, bond. The exact questions to ask in a first call — and red flags.
- P·03templates →Sign the contract
Down-payment caps, milestones, change-order workflow, mechanics-lien notice. Use a template if your contractor doesn't bring one.
- P·04your city →Pull the permit
Who pulls it (almost always your contractor), what fees to expect, and how to verify it was actually filed.
- P·054 lessons →During construction
Inspection scheduling, change-order discipline, payment milestones, lien-release management.
- P·062 lessons →Final inspection & closeout
Punch list, final payment, certificate of occupancy, warranty period and what it covers.
What people actually ask.
The questions homeowners ask most often — answered with links to permit pages, code lookup, and templates.