Kitchen & Bath Contractor · Nashville, TN
The Nashville homeowner's guide to kitchen and bathroom remodeling
What the work involves, what drives the price, what your options are, and what a bad job looks like — written so you can judge any kitchen and bath contractor in Middle Tennessee, including us.
Warning signs
How to know you need us
If you recognize any of these, it is worth having somebody look before it becomes a larger job.
- A layout that makes people walk through the cook while they are cooking
- Cabinets structurally sound but dated, where refinishing beats replacing
- Grout and caulk failing at the tub or shower no matter how often it is redone
- A soft or springy floor near the toilet, the shower or the dishwasher
- Not enough counter run either side of the range or the sink to actually work
- Preparing to sell, where these two rooms carry more weight than any others
Your options
More than one right answer.
A kitchen and bath contractor who only ever recommends the most expensive option is not giving you advice. Here is the honest range.
Cosmetic refresh
Refinish the cabinetry, change the counters, update lighting and hardware. The biggest visual change for the least money, and often the right answer.
Replace within the existing layout
New cabinetry, tile and fixtures where the plumbing and gas stay put. A full transformation without the cost of moving services.
Full gut, same footprint
Everything out to the studs, waterproofing done properly, layout unchanged. The best value in a real remodel.
Full remodel with layout changes
Relocated services, walls opened with an engineered header, sometimes a structural change. Permitted, inspected, and worth planning properly.
What it costs
What actually drives the price.
We do not quote kitchen and bathroom remodeling over the phone, because an honest number needs somebody to look at the job. These are the things that move it.
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Whether the layout moves
Keeping plumbing and gas where they are keeps a project affordable. Moving a sink, a range or a shower drain — particularly on a slab — is the line between a substantial refresh and a substantial remodel.
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Cabinetry and countertops
Usually the largest line in a kitchen. Stock, semi-custom and custom differ as much in fit as in finish, and countertops are templated after the boxes are set rather than before.
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What is behind the tile
Older bathrooms hide water damage as a rule. A fair quote names the rate for subfloor and stud repair up front instead of pretending it will not be found.
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Electrical, ventilation and code
Modern kitchens need more circuits than older houses have, and bathrooms need real extract ventilation and GFCI protection. Both are permitted, inspected work.
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Tile area and difficulty
Tile is priced by area and by hand work. A niche, a curbless entry, a herringbone floor and a mitered corner are each slower than a plain field.
Every estimate is free, written and carries no obligation — including the parts we would find only after starting, which are priced up front rather than left open.
What happens
From your call to the finished job.
Design and selections
Two to four weeks, and worth taking. Selections made under time pressure are the ones people regret, and cabinet orders are effectively non-returnable.
Lead times
Cabinetry runs three to twelve weeks depending on stock or custom, and it drives the entire schedule.
Demolition and rough-in
A week or two. Plumbing, electrical and framing changes happen here and are inspected before anything is closed up.
Install and finish
Cabinets, then countertop template and fabrication, then tile, then trim and punch list. Counters add a week between install and finish.
Done badly
What goes wrong, and why it matters.
These are the shortcuts that make a quote look cheaper and cost you more later. Ask anyone you are considering about them.
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Ordering cabinets before the layout is final
Cabinet orders cannot be returned. Every change after that point is paid for twice.
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Tiling over a failed shower pan
New tile on an old liner buys a year or two, and then the ceiling below tells you about it.
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Skipping proper waterproofing
Cement board is not waterproof. A bonded membrane behind the tile is the entire point of the assembly.
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Removing a wall without checking what it carries
Ceiling sag and cracked drywall upstairs is the cheap version of what goes wrong.
Before you hire anyone
Six questions worth asking any kitchen and bath contractor.
Including us. If a contractor cannot answer these easily, that is the answer.
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Are you licensed for kitchen and bathroom remodeling and can I see the certificate?
A licensed and insured contractor will have this to hand and will not be irritated by the question.
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Is the estimate written, itemized and free?
A verbal number is not an estimate. Itemized means you can compare two quotes on the same basis.
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What happens if you find something once you start?
The honest answer names a rate and a process. The answer to worry about is that it never happens.
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Who is actually doing the work?
Employee crew or subcontractor is not a wrong answer either way, but you should know which, and who carries the insurance.
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What is the workmanship warranty, and is it in writing?
Materials carry a manufacturer warranty. Workmanship is the contractor, and it should be written down.
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Will you pull the permit?
For permitted work, a contractor who suggests skipping it is telling you something important about the rest of the job.
FAQ
Choosing a kitchen and bath contractor in Nashville
How do I choose a kitchen and bath contractor in Nashville?
Check the license and the insurance certificate, get the estimate in writing and itemized so you can compare quotes on the same basis, and ask what happens if something is found once work starts. A contractor who cannot answer those easily has told you what you need to know.
Should I get more than one quote for kitchen and bathroom remodeling?
Yes, and compare what is in them rather than the number at the bottom. The cheapest quote is often cheapest because it leaves something out, and on kitchen and bathroom remodeling the thing left out is usually the preparation that decides how long the work lasts.
Is the cheapest kitchen and bathroom remodeling quote usually a bad idea?
Not automatically — but an unusually low number is information. Ask specifically what is included, what grade of material is quoted, who is doing the work and what the workmanship warranty is. If all four answers are good, the low quote is a good quote.
Do I need a permit for kitchen and bathroom remodeling in Nashville?
It depends on the scope. Metro Nashville and the surrounding counties permit and inspect a good deal of this work, and a contractor suggesting you skip a required permit is telling you something about how they approach the rest of the job. We pull the permits our work requires.
How far in advance should I book kitchen and bathroom remodeling?
A few weeks where you can. Booking in the quiet season usually means better scheduling and sometimes better pricing than booking in the rush, and it gives you time to make the selections properly.
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