What a remodeling service agreement is for
A remodel customer who loves their new kitchen is the best source of the next job, theirs or a neighbor's. A home care agreement with a yearly walkthrough, small touch-ups and priority scheduling keeps you in their home. It must separate warranty work from paid repairs and set what each visit covers.
What to put on a remodeling service agreement
- How many check-in visits a year, and what the crew looks at on each.
- Warranty work versus paid repairs.
- Touch-ups included, like caulk and grout.
- Priority scheduling for small jobs.
- Price, billing, renewal and cancellation.
A worked example
The bath remodel customer wants a yearly check and small fixes handled without waiting weeks.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly home walkthrough | 1 | visit | Your price |
| Caulk and grout touch-up in remodeled rooms | 1 | each | Your price |
| Priority small repair hours | 4 | hour | Your price |
Warranty items are never billed; put that in the terms. This is a template, not legal advice, so check your state's rules on service contracts and renewals.
Line items remodelers use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition and haul-away | each | Say what stays: cabinets, flooring, fixtures. |
| Dumpster | each | Size and how long it stays. |
| Framing changes | hour | Walls moved or added; say whether walls are load bearing. |
| Plumbing rough-in and finish | each | By a licensed plumber where required. |
| Electrical rough-in and finish | each | By a licensed electrician where required. |
| Drywall hang, tape and finish | sq ft | Level of finish. |
| Cabinets, supply and install | ft | Linear feet; brand and door style. |
| Countertops, fabricate and install | sq ft | Material, edge and sink cutouts. |
| Tile, floor or wall | sq ft | Tile allowance per square foot, plus setting. |
| Flooring | sq ft | Material and underlayment. |
| Fixtures allowance | each | Allowance amount the customer picks within. |
| Paint | sq ft | Walls, ceilings and trim in the remodeled space. |
| Permits and inspections | each | Building, plumbing and electrical as required. |
| Project management and cleanup | day | Daily site cleanup and coordination. |
Terms and deposit language for remodeling
- Deposit. A deposit at signing secures the schedule and orders long-lead items like cabinets. Many states limit home improvement deposits and require specific contract language, so check your state's rules.
- Payment. Progress payments tied to milestones such as demolition, rough-in inspection, cabinets set and substantial completion, with a final payment after the punch list.
- Warranty. State your workmanship warranty and that products carry their makers' warranties. Say how warranty requests are made.
- Allowances: if the customer picks items above the allowance, the difference is a change order.
- Hidden conditions behind walls and floors are priced by change order before the work.
- Lead times for cabinets, tile and fixtures can move the schedule; say how you communicate it.
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer and the start and end dates.
- List what each visit includes and how many visits a year.
- Add your price per line; the plan shows a yearly total, and a monthly figure if billed monthly.
- Fill in what is not covered and the renewal and cancellation terms.
- Check your state's rules, then print it for signatures.
Free tools for remodeling
- Flooring cost calculator
- Drywall cost calculator
- Demolition cost calculator
- Markup calculator
- Profit margin calculator
The same service agreement for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.
More for remodelers: how remodelers run on Koira.