Field Soft Picks

Practical help for homeowners and small trades businesses, from someone who has been in remodeling since 1999: plain-spoken bid reviews and printable paperwork templates.

• Ask a Contractor: Bid Reviews
  Got a kitchen, cabinet or remodeling bid you can't judge? Get a $99 video call review or a $59 written review before you sign.
• Printable templates on Etsy
  Home maintenance logs, contractor-hiring guides, remodel planners and more at the SwantonTradeForms shop.

Guides

• How to Tell If Your Kitchen Remodel Quote Is Fair
  A remodeler who's built custom kitchens since 1999 explains what a complete kitchen bid includes, cabinet line items to check, red flags and questions to ask.
• What Should a Bathroom Remodel Bid Include?
  A remodeling estimator explains what belongs in a complete bathroom remodel bid: demo, waterproofing, plumbing, tile, allowances, permits (if required) and red flags.
• Is My Kitchen Cabinet Quote Fair? What to Check Line by Line
  A former custom cabinetmaker walks through a kitchen cabinet quote line by line: box construction, doors, finish, hardware, crown, fillers, panels and install.
• Why Are My Contractor Bids So Different? Comparing 3 Quotes
  Three bids, three wildly different prices? A remodeling estimator explains why bids differ and how to compare them fairly, line by line.
• Allowances, Exclusions and Change Orders: The Fine Print in a Remodel Bid
  What allowances, exclusions and change orders really mean in a remodel bid, how they change your final cost, and the questions to ask before you sign.