In Georgia, any kitchen remodel above $2,500 in combined labor and materials must be performed by a state-licensed residential contractor, so choosing one starts with a two-minute license lookup in the Secretary of State’s licensee database — before you look at a single portfolio photo. From there, three documents separate a contractor worth interviewing from one worth passing on: a current certificate of insurance showing general liability plus workers’ compensation, a proposal broken out line by line instead of one lump sum, and the written warranty state law requires licensed residential contractors to offer on covered residential contracts above $2,500. On money, hold two numbers in your head: a down payment at or under 25% of the contract price, and roughly 10% withheld until the work is finished to your satisfaction. The rest comes down to six specific questions, and to noticing which answers arrive as numbers and which arrive as reassurance.
Step One: Verify the License Before Anything Else
Georgia has required a license for residential contracting work above $2,500 since 2008, and a full kitchen remodel clears that threshold many times over. The Secretary of State’s licensee search lets you confirm a license is active, see its class — Residential Basic or Residential-Light Commercial — and check for disciplinary action. Run that search before the first appointment, not after you have a proposal you like.
Two details matter more than most homeowners realize. The license needs to connect to the entity that will sign your contract; a salesperson quoting under a business name that returns nothing in the database is a problem. And plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and low-voltage work require separate state licenses at any project size, so ask by name which licensed trade partners handle those portions.
The Insurance Check Most Homeowners Skip
Ask for a certificate of insurance and read the dates on it. You want general liability coverage current through the months your project will run, and workers’ compensation, which Georgia requires of any employer with three or more employees. An uninsured worker injured in your kitchen creates exposure that has a way of finding its way back to the property owner. A company with active policies can usually have a certificate emailed the same day, so a week of excuses is itself an answer. Ask the same about subcontractors: a sub without workers’ compensation can make the general contractor the statutory employer of that sub’s crew.
The Six Questions to Ask Every Kitchen Contractor
Ask all six at the consultation, in the same order, of every company you interview. Comparing the answers tells you more than any single answer does.
| Question | A solid answer sounds like | What should give you pause |
|---|---|---|
| What is your Georgia license number, and what entity holds it? | A number you can find in the state database, matching the company on the contract. | A number that returns nothing, or a license in a name other than the one signing. |
| Can I see a current certificate of insurance? | A certificate within a day or two, with dates covering the project window. | We are covered, do not worry about it — or a certificate that expired last spring. |
| How is the proposal broken down, and what are the allowances? | Separate lines for cabinetry, counters, tile, plumbing, electrical, and labor, with dollar allowances for anything not yet selected. | One line and one number, or allowances left blank so the real cost lands later. |
| Who is on site each day, and which trades are subcontracted? | A named lead, a normal crew size, and specific licensed subs for plumbing and electrical. | No clear answer about who runs the job, or vagueness about who the subs are. |
| What is the payment schedule, and how much is held until the final walkthrough? | Milestone draws, a modest deposit, and real money reserved for punch-list completion. | Most of the money requested before demolition. |
| How are change orders handled? | Written, priced, and signed before that work happens. | We will settle up at the end — the phrase that funds most budget overruns. |
Red Flags in the Bid Itself
Most trouble is visible on paper before anyone swings a hammer.
- The one-line bid. Kitchen remodel, one number, no breakdown. You cannot see what is inside it, so you cannot hold anyone to it later.
- Missing allowances. Anything not yet chosen — tile, fixtures, appliances — should carry a dollar allowance. Blank allowances are not savings; they are deferred costs.
- Excluded work that has to happen anyway. Permits, inspections, debris removal, floor protection, final cleaning, and drywall repair at the edges all cost money. If they are not in the bid, they come out of your pocket later.
- A bid far below the others. When one number sits 30% under two comparable proposals, something is usually missing: permits, licensed trades, real cabinetry, or labor hours.
- Cash-only pricing, or payment to a personal account. A business that cannot take a normal business payment is telling you how it operates.
- No written contract, or one with no scope, schedule, or warranty attached — often paired with a discount that evaporates by the end of the visit, which exists to keep you from comparing.
Payment Schedules: What Counts as Fair
Georgia does not cap residential deposits by statute, which puts the discipline on you rather than on the law. Two numbers are worth holding to: a down payment at or under 25% of the contract price, and roughly 10% of the total withheld until the work is complete and you have walked the job. In between, tie each payment to work that is finished and verifiable — rough-in passed inspection, cabinets set, counters installed — rather than to calendar dates.
The last five percent of a remodel is punch-list work: the drawer that catches, the caulk line, the trim return nobody notices until it is wrong. A contractor already holding nearly all of your money has little left pulling them back for those items. Deposits themselves are not a red flag, since cabinetry and stone are ordered long before installation, but the proposal should show what the deposit buys.
Permits, Warranties, and Lien Waivers
Ask who pulls the permits and which inspections your kitchen will need. Most kitchen remodels that touch plumbing, electrical, or structure require permits in Fulton and Forsyth counties, and the contractor normally pulls them. Two answers should end the conversation: that permits are optional here, and that you should pull it yourself as the homeowner, which shifts liability to you and often signals a licensing problem.
On warranty, Georgia law requires licensed residential contractors to offer a written warranty on covered residential contracts above $2,500, and the state’s rules set out what it must describe: the work covered, the exclusions, the standards used to judge whether something is defective, the term, the claim procedure, and which manufacturer warranties transfer to you. A complete copy is meant to be attached to the contract or available for review before you sign. Read it then, not after a problem appears.
Lien waivers are the piece homeowners most often miss. In Georgia a subcontractor or supplier can file a lien against your property for up to 90 days after their last work or delivery, even if you have already paid your contractor in full for that work. Collect a signed lien waiver with each payment and ask for waivers from major subs and suppliers.
If Something Goes Wrong: Georgia’s 90-Day Notice
Georgia’s Right to Repair Act requires a homeowner to send written notice of an alleged construction defect to each responsible contractor at least 90 days before filing a lawsuit. It goes by certified mail or overnight delivery with return receipt requested, and describes the type and result of each defect along with any inspections, reports, or photographs you have. The contractor then has 30 days to respond in writing, choosing whether to inspect or to offer a settlement. The practical takeaway: photograph the job as it goes, and keep the written record, because this process begins with paper.
Comparing Bids Without Simply Taking the Lowest
Three proposals for the same kitchen can differ by tens of thousands of dollars and all be honest, because they are pricing different work. Normalize the scope first: same cabinet construction, same stone, same appliance allowance, same plumbing and electrical relocation, same treatment of permits and cleanup. Once the columns match, the differences that remain are real.
For context, most full kitchen remodels in Alpharetta and the surrounding North Atlanta market run roughly $50,000 to $85,000, and larger or more custom projects go past $100,000 — though your own number depends on your kitchen’s layout, its condition behind the walls, and the materials you choose, so treat any range as a starting point rather than a figure to hold anyone to. Our kitchen remodel cost guide breaks pricing down by scope, and the bathroom remodel cost guide does the same for baths.
Ask for the schedule in writing alongside the price, in weeks and phases rather than one finish date — our post on what a bathroom remodel timeline actually looks like shows the detail a real schedule carries. In older homes across Milton and Johns Creek, ask how the proposal handles what may be found behind the walls, since era-related surprises in wiring, venting, and framing are the most common source of change orders. Then ask for references from projects finished a year ago rather than last month, with three narrow questions: did the schedule hold, how were change orders handled, and did anyone come back for the small things.
Common Questions
How do I check if a kitchen contractor is licensed in Georgia?
Search the Georgia Secretary of State’s licensee database by company name, individual name, or license number, under residential and general contractors. Confirm the license is active, note its class, and check for disciplinary history. Make sure the license connects to the same business entity that will sign your contract, because a mismatch between the two is a meaningful warning. Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC licenses are issued separately, so verify those trade partners as well.
How much should I pay a kitchen contractor up front in Georgia?
Georgia sets no statutory cap on residential deposits, so use a practical limit: keep the down payment at or below 25% of the contract price, and hold back roughly 10% of the total until the job is complete and you have walked it. Tie the payments in between to finished, verifiable milestones rather than calendar dates. A deposit is normal, since cabinetry and stone are ordered long before installation, but a request for most of the money before demolition is not.
What are the biggest red flags in a kitchen remodel bid?
A single line with a single number, blank allowances for materials not yet chosen, and no mention of permits, debris removal, or final cleaning. Add pressure to sign the same day, cash-only pricing, no written contract, and a total sitting far below two comparable proposals. Any one of these is a reason to ask more questions; two or three together usually means the real cost is being deferred rather than reduced.
Do I need a licensed contractor for a small kitchen project in Georgia?
Georgia requires a residential contractor license for work above $2,500 in combined labor and materials, so genuinely small jobs below that figure fall outside the general contracting requirement. The exception matters more than the rule: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and low-voltage work require separate state licenses at any project size. Since almost any kitchen remodel involving a sink, a range, or new circuits touches those trades, most kitchen work needs licensed people regardless of the total.
Interviewing contractors in North Fulton or Forsyth? We do kitchen and bath remodeling in Alpharetta and the surrounding communities, and we expect to be asked every question on this page. Book a consultation or call 404-640-2361, and bring your other bids — going through them line by line is a useful hour either way.