Home Improvement Contract Checklist for Washington

Short Answer: A good Washington home improvement contract names the registered business and number, describes the scope in detail, sets the price and a payment schedule tied to completed work, and covers change orders, permits, lien releases and warranty.

Quick Facts

A clear contract is the best tool you have for keeping a project on track, and the most important document if something goes wrong. Washington’s bond claims, insurance claims and court cases all turn on what was agreed in writing. Use this checklist before you sign.

1. The Parties

• The contractor’s legal business name exactly as registered with L&I.
• The registration number and its expiry date. Confirm both on the state record.
• The contractor’s business address, phone and email.
• Your name and the property address.

If the name on the contract differs from the registered name, ask why before signing.

2. The Scope of Work

• A detailed description of what will be done, room by room or phase by phase.
• What is excluded (for example painting after drywall, appliance installation or debris haul-away).
• Drawings or plans attached and referenced.
• Who handles demolition, disposal and site protection.

Vague scopes cause most disputes. “Remodel bathroom” is not a scope; a list of tasks and finishes is.

3. Materials and Allowances

• Brands, models, colours and quantities for key materials.
• Allowances for items you have not chosen yet, with the amount and what happens if you go over.
• Who orders materials and who bears the risk of delivery delays.

4. Price

• The total contract price, or the rates for time-and-materials work.
• Whether permit fees, disposal and taxes are included.
• For time and materials: hourly rates, markup on materials and a not-to-exceed amount.

5. Payment Schedule

• Deposit amount and what it covers.
• Progress payments tied to completed milestones, not dates.
• Retainage held until final completion, inspection and lien releases.
• Accepted payment methods; avoid large cash payments.

Payments that run ahead of the work leave you exposed if the contractor stops showing up.

6. Schedule

• Start date and estimated completion date.
• How delays will be communicated, and what counts as an acceptable delay.
• Working hours and site access.

7. Change Orders

• Any change must be in a written change order signed by both parties before the extra work starts.
• Each change order states the price change and schedule impact.

8. Permits and Inspections

• The contractor obtains all required permits.
• Final payment depends on passing final inspection.
• Copies of permits and inspection results are provided to you.

9. Subcontractors and Liens

• A list of subcontractors and their registration numbers.
• The contractor will provide lien releases from subcontractors and suppliers as they are paid.
• Your right to make joint checks to the contractor and a supplier if needed.

Washington lien law (RCW chapter 60.04) lets unpaid subcontractors and suppliers claim a lien on your property. See Lien Release Explained for Washington Homeowners.

10. Disclosure Statement

• The signed Notice to Customer is attached, as required for most residential jobs of $1,000 or more. Details are in our guide to the Washington Contractor Disclosure Statement (Notice to Customer).

11. Insurance

• The contractor’s liability insurer and policy period.
• A certificate of insurance attached.
• Confirmation that subcontractors carry their own coverage.

12. Warranty

• Length and scope of the workmanship warranty.
• How warranty claims are made and how quickly the contractor responds.
• Manufacturer warranties passed to you, with documents.

13. Completion

• A final walkthrough and written punch list.
• Cleanup standard.
• Final payment and retainage released only when the punch list is complete.

14. Cancellation and Disputes

• Your right to cancel, including any three-day cancellation right for sales made at your home. See Can You Cancel a Contract With a Contractor in Washington?.
• What happens to deposits and materials if either party ends the contract.
• How disputes are handled: negotiation, mediation, arbitration or court.

Tip: Before signing, read the contract side by side with the contractor’s quote and your notes from the interview. Anything promised verbally that is missing from the contract should be added.

Red Flags in a Contract

• Blank spaces left to be “filled in later”.
• A clause requiring full payment before completion.
• No mention of permits on work that clearly needs them.
• A different business name than the one you checked.
• Pressure to sign the same day.

After Signing

Keep the signed contract, Notice to Customer, change orders, receipts, lien releases, photos and messages in one folder or shared drive. Re-check the contractor’s registration on L&I Verify before each large payment; statuses can change if a bond or insurance policy lapses.

Why It Matters

If you ever need to make a bond claim, the contract defines the breach. Courts and sureties look first at what was promised. A thorough contract turns a he-said-she-said argument into a simple comparison between the agreement and the work.

A Worked Example: Turning a Bid into a Contract

A homeowner receives a one-page bid for a kitchen remodel: “Remodel kitchen, new cabinets and counters, $38,000, 50% down.” Using this checklist, the homeowner asks the contractor to add:

• the registered legal name and number,
• a room plan and a list of tasks, including electrical and plumbing work and who performs it,
• cabinet and counter specifications, plus allowances for fixtures,
• a payment schedule of a modest deposit, payments at rough-in, cabinets installed and countertops installed, and a final payment with 5% retainage,
• a written change-order process,
• permits and inspections, lien releases, cleanup and a one-year workmanship warranty.

The final contract is four pages instead of one. The price barely changes, but the risk does.

Small Jobs Need a Short Contract Too

For a small repair, a one-page agreement can still cover the essentials: the registered business name and number, what will be done, the price, when it will be done and how payment works. A short written agreement is far better than none, and it gives you something to point to if the job is not finished.