The Nashville metro is one of the fastest-growing markets in the country, which means a lot of contractors chasing volume — and a steady supply of people who bought a truck last year. This is what we would tell a family member to ask before signing anything, even though some of it makes our own job harder.

In this guide

Verify the License Yourself — It Takes Two Minutes

Tennessee requires a state contractor license for any project of $25,000 or more. Below that threshold, licensing requirements vary by municipality.

Ask for the license number, then look it up yourself on the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance site. Do not accept a photo of a card — cards do not show whether the license is currently active, whether it is the right classification for your work, or the monetary limit on it. Tennessee licenses carry a limit, and a contractor licensed to $50,000 cannot legally take your $120,000 addition.

Insurance Is Not Optional, and It Protects You

Two policies matter:

  • General liability — covers damage to your home. If a worker puts a foot through your ceiling, this is what pays for it.
  • Workers compensation — covers injury to their crew. Without it, an injured worker on your property can become your financial problem.

Ask for a certificate of insurance sent directly from the insurance agent, not a PDF forwarded by the contractor. It costs the contractor nothing and takes a day. Anyone reluctant to do it is telling you something.

Seven Questions Worth Asking

"Who is actually doing the work?"
Employees or subs?
Neither answer is wrong, but you want to know. If it is subcontractors, ask whether they are the same crews every time — consistency is what makes quality repeatable.
"How many jobs will you have running during mine?"
The scheduling question
This is the real reason projects stall. A contractor running eight jobs with two crews will leave yours sitting. Ask directly and watch how comfortably they answer.
"What did you find on the last job that surprised you?"
Tests honesty
Every remodeler hits surprises. Someone who says they never do is either new or not being straight with you. What you want to hear is how they handled it and how they told the homeowner.
"How do you price change orders?"
Ask before, not during
You want a defined method agreed up front, in writing, not a number invented mid-project when you have no leverage.
"Who pulls the permits?"
Should be them
A contractor who asks the homeowner to pull permits is shifting liability onto you. On a permitted job the contractor pulls them.
"Can I see a job in progress?"
More useful than finished photos
Finished photos are staged. An active site tells you how they protect floors, manage dust, and whether the crew cleans up at the end of the day.
"What is not included in this price?"
The most valuable question
Every bid has exclusions. A contractor who can name theirs immediately has actually thought the job through. One who says "nothing, it is all covered" has not.

Three Answers That Should End the Conversation

  • "I need half up front." A deposit covers materials and reserves your spot — 10–30% is normal. Fifty percent or more before anything is ordered is how people lose money.
  • "We can skip the permit, it is faster." Unpermitted structural, electrical or plumbing work becomes your problem at resale, and your insurer may deny a claim tied to it. A contractor offering this is telling you how they handle everything else.
  • "Cash only, and I will knock off the tax." No contract, no recourse, no warranty, and you are a participant. Walk.

A softer signal worth noticing: a bid that arrives as a single number on a text message. That is not a quote, it is a guess — and guesses get revised upward once work starts.

How to Compare Bids Without Fooling Yourself

The most common mistake is comparing three numbers that describe three different jobs. Before you compare, check that each bid covers the same:

  • Material allowances. If one bid assumes $40/sq ft tile and another assumes $12, the cheaper bid is not cheaper.
  • Demo and haul-off. Frequently excluded on low bids.
  • Permits and inspection fees.
  • Trades. Is electrical and plumbing rough-in included, or "by others"?
  • Paint and trim after the work. The finishing touches that make a job look done are often where a low bid stops.

When one bid is dramatically lower than the others, that is information. Ask that contractor specifically what they are doing differently. Sometimes the answer is legitimate — lower overhead, self-performed labor. Often the answer is that something is missing.

What the Contract Must Say

  • Scope of work in enough detail that a stranger could read it and know what is being built
  • Fixed price, or clearly defined allowances with what happens when you go over
  • Payment schedule tied to milestones — never to dates alone
  • Who pulls permits and schedules inspections
  • Estimated start and substantial-completion window
  • Change order process and pricing method
  • Warranty terms on workmanship
  • Lien waiver provisions for subs and suppliers

That last one matters more than most homeowners realize. In Tennessee, an unpaid subcontractor can place a lien on your property even if you paid the general contractor in full. Lien waivers with each payment protect you from paying twice.

What We Do

We are licensed and insured, we pull the permits, we scope the job in person, and we give you a fixed price before anything starts. If we find something during demo, you hear about it that day with a number attached — not at the end.

Call (615) 821-2275 or use the form below and we will come look at the project.

See how we work in Nashville and Smyrna, or read our guide to remodeling permits in Rutherford County.

Talk to a Licensed Local Contractor

Serving Smyrna, Murfreesboro, LaVergne, Nashville, and surrounding areas in Rutherford County.

Request a Free Estimate (615) 821-2275

FAQs \u2014 Choosing a Contractor

How do I verify a contractor is licensed in Tennessee?

Tennessee requires a state contractor license for projects of $25,000 or more. You can verify any license free at the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance website by searching the contractor name or license number. Ask for the license number directly — a legitimate contractor gives it without hesitation.

How much deposit should a remodeling contractor ask for?

A reasonable deposit is 10–30% to cover materials and scheduling, with the balance tied to progress milestones. Anyone asking for 50% or more up front, or for the full amount before work starts, is a serious warning sign.

Should I always get three quotes?

Get at least two, and make sure they cover the same scope — otherwise you are comparing numbers that mean different things. The lowest bid is frequently the one that left something out, and you will pay for it later as a change order.

What should a remodeling contract include?

A clear scope of work, a fixed price or a defined allowance structure, a payment schedule tied to milestones, who pulls permits, an estimated start and completion window, how change orders are handled and priced, and proof of liability insurance and workers compensation.