New to hiring a contractor? Start here.

Start with a sentence about what you want to change and a few phone photos of the room. You don't need drawings or a budget figured out yet. Call, text, WhatsApp or send the short form, and we'll set a time to walk through the house with you. After that visit you get a written estimate to think over at your own pace.

A few photos, a rough budget (even a wide range helps), and any date that matters, like a move-in or a family event. Screenshots of rooms you like are useful too. If you're in an HOA neighborhood or a historic district, have the rules handy. Our cost estimator gives you a planning number before we talk.

We come out, look at the house, measure and listen to what you want. Then we send a written scope, meaning a list of exactly what will be done, with a line-by-line price and a realistic timeline. There's no fee and no obligation. That written number is the one we hold to unless you change the plan.

Contractors use the three words loosely, so don't get hung up on the label. What matters is that the price is written, itemized, and says what is included and what is not. A number said out loud in the driveway isn't something either side can hold to.

For a bigger project, two or three is normal. Compare the scope, not only the total: the lowest number often leaves out prep, permits, hauling away debris or part of the materials. Ask every contractor the same questions and get every answer in writing. Our guide to checking a contractor in Alabama has a simple checklist.

In Alabama, residential work over $10,000 in labor and materials requires a license from the Home Builders Licensure Board (HBLB), and you can look any license up on the HBLB website. Also ask for a certificate of insurance and a written contract before you pay anything. We're glad to send our license and insurance certificate before you sign.

Probably not. Small repairs like drywall patches, doors, trim and rotten boards are regular work for us, and our repairs page lists typical prices. If you have several small items, putting them on one list for one visit gets more done for the trip.

We reply to calls, texts and forms within one business day, in English or Spanish. The walkthrough itself is usually within a few business days, and Auburn is the easiest to schedule because it's home base. Further out in our service area, we group visits to get to you sooner.

A price is labor, materials and the condition of the house, plus things like permits and hauling debris away. That's why two kitchens of the same size can cost very different amounts. Our service pages show typical ranges, and your written estimate breaks the price into lines so you can see where the money goes.

It depends on size, finishes and what shape the house is in, so the honest answer comes after a walkthrough. For a planning number now, use our cost estimator, which is built on real Auburn and Opelika pricing. Our cost guides go deeper for painting, kitchens and bathrooms.

Most contractors ask for one to hold your dates and order materials. Ours works like this: a deposit to schedule and order materials, progress payments at agreed milestones, and the balance after your final walkthrough, all written in the estimate. The FTC's general advice holds for anyone you hire: don't pay the whole job up front, avoid cash, and tie payments to work that's actually done.

Three things: you change the plan, you pick different materials, or we find a hidden problem such as rot or bad wiring behind a wall. In every case we tell you first, and nothing changes until you approve it in writing. There are no surprise invoices at the end.

A change order is a short written agreement to add, remove or change something after the contract is signed, with the new price and any change in time. You sign it before the extra work is done, not after. It protects you from surprise bills and protects the contractor from misunderstandings.

An allowance is a set amount in the estimate for something you haven't picked yet, like tile, a faucet or light fixtures. If you choose something that costs more, you pay the difference; if it costs less, the price goes down. Picking your finishes before the estimate, when you can, makes the number firmer. Our kitchen cost guide shows how finishes move the total.

If the cabinet boxes are solid and you like the layout, painting them is usually far cheaper than replacing them. If the boxes are water-damaged or the layout doesn't work, new cabinets make more sense. Our paint vs. replace guide walks through how to decide.

Painting, new flooring and cabinet painting usually don't need one. Moving plumbing, adding electrical circuits, changing walls, building a deck or an addition usually do. Inside Auburn the permit comes from the City of Auburn, inside Opelika from the City of Opelika, and outside city limits from Lee County. Our permit guide explains each case.

For permitted work, we pull the permit in our name, schedule the inspections and meet the inspector. Be careful if any contractor asks you to pull the permit yourself as the owner: that usually makes you the person responsible for the work meeting code.

The idea is the same, the offices and steps differ. Auburn permits go through the City's Inspection Services on N. Ross Street and an online portal. Opelika requires plans plus separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, review usually takes 3 to 4 business days, and the permit card has to be posted at the house. See the Opelika page for more.

Exterior changes that can be seen from the street usually need a Certificate of Appropriateness, an approval from the city's Historic Preservation Commission, before work starts. In Auburn that means the North College Historic District; in Opelika, districts include Northside, Downtown and Geneva Street. Interior work generally doesn't need it. Plan a few extra weeks, and see our Auburn page for details.

For exterior work, very often yes. Most Auburn subdivisions have rules about paint colors, additions and fences, reviewed by a board or an architectural review committee (ARC). Get the approval in writing before work starts. We prepare color chips, drawings and material specs for your application, for exterior painting and any other outside work.

Homes built before 1978 may have lead-based paint, and the dust from sanding or demolition is most dangerous for young children and pregnant women. Under the federal EPA rule known as RRP (Renovation, Repair and Painting), paid work that disturbs painted surfaces in these homes must be done by an EPA-certified firm using lead-safe methods, and you should receive the Renovate Right pamphlet before work starts. Ask any contractor, us included, to show the firm certificate first. The EPA's RRP page explains the rule.

Yes. Alabama law requires anyone digging, homeowners included, to contact Alabama 811 at least two full working days before the dig. It's free: call 811 or 800-292-8525, or file online at al811.com, and the utility companies mark their buried lines. If your project includes digging, make sure a locate request has been made before the first shovel goes in.

Usually yes. Painting, floors and most bathroom work are fine to live through, and during a kitchen remodel most families set up a small temporary kitchen with the fridge and a microwave. If your home has only one bathroom, tell us and we'll plan the order of work around it.

We agree on start and finish times before the job begins and stick to them. Tell us about anything we should work around, like a baby's nap, a night shift or working from home. If something changes, we call; you're never left guessing.

Plan to keep pets in a closed room or away from the work area, since doors will be open and there will be tools, paint and debris around. Tell us about pets and kids on the walkthrough and we'll set up the work area with them in mind.

Painting and flooring make little dust; sanding, drywall and demolition make more. We put up dust barriers, protect floors and clean up every day. In a pre-1978 home, dust from old paint needs lead-safe handling, covered in the lead paint question above.

Typical on-site times: interior painting 2 to 7 days for most homes, new floors 1 to 5 days, cabinet painting 3 to 7 days, a bathroom remodel 2 to 4 weeks, and a kitchen 2 to 6 weeks. Additions run longer and start after permits. Your written estimate includes a realistic timeline for your job.

We stop, show you, and explain your options with a written price before fixing anything. In older homes, common in Opelika and rural Lee County, the usual surprises are rotten wood, old galvanized pipes or outdated wiring. You hear about it first and you decide; nothing is added to the bill without your signature.

It can. Paint needs a dry surface and the right temperature, so we move exterior days around rain and heavy humidity rather than paint in bad conditions. In Lee County, fall is usually the best season. Our exterior paint timing guide explains why.

Your estimate says who moves what, so ask on the walkthrough. Either way, it helps to put away small items, valuables and anything breakable before the crew arrives, and to clear a path to the work area.

A punch list is the list of small things left to fix at the end: a paint drip, a missing outlet cover, a sticky door. We walk the job with you before we call it done, write everything down and finish it. The final payment comes after that walkthrough.

Ask any contractor to put the workmanship warranty in writing before you sign: what it covers, for how long, and how to make a claim. Materials like flooring, paint and fixtures often carry their own manufacturer warranties, separate from the labor. Keep both with your contract.

A final invoice showing what you paid, any warranty papers, and on larger jobs a lien release, a document saying the people who supplied work or materials have been paid and won't make a claim against your home. The FTC recommends collecting one with the last payment. Our contractor checklist explains more.

Call or text the owner first and we'll make it right. Describe what you see and send a photo if you can, so we arrive with the right materials.

Yes, ask us to leave labeled leftover paint. Write down the brand, color name and sheen, meaning how shiny the finish is, so a future touch-up matches. Store cans indoors, away from freezing and heat.

On Google, Angi or HomeAdvisor, whichever you already use; our reviews page has the links. Two minutes from you is how the next family on your street finds a contractor they can trust.

Yes. The visit, the written estimate, the contract, calls and WhatsApp messages can all be in Spanish, from start to finish. Our Spanish-language guide explains what to ask any contractor.

Yes. Send photos of the project on WhatsApp and we'll reply with next steps, in English or Spanish. It's often the easiest way to show us a problem; the number is on our contact page.

If you prefer, yes, along with every change order. You should never sign something you can't read comfortably.

Yes. Mixed-language families are common here, so we can keep one person informed in Spanish and another in English, or put everyone on the same messages.

In spring. Most Auburn leases end and start within the same few summer weeks, so crews and materials get booked early. Send us your move-out and move-in dates and we'll schedule the turn to fit. See rental turnovers.

Most units take 2 to 10 days, depending on condition. A typical 3-bedroom getting new LVP flooring takes 2 to 4 days, and paint can happen at the same time. Our turnover guide shows the order of work that keeps it fast.

A light turn (paint, patching and fixes) usually runs $1,500–$4,000, a medium turn with LVP and new fixtures $5,000–$12,000, and a heavy turn with kitchen or bath updates $12,000–$30,000 per unit. Pet damage and neglected maintenance move the number more than size. Several units, or a standing turnover agreement, lower the per-unit cost.

You get before-and-after photos of every room, an itemized invoice you can forward to your accountant, and a walkthrough video on request. Tell us how you want access handled, through a lockbox, your property manager or a neighbor, and we'll work with it. You have one person to call.

Often, yes, especially for repairs. You or your manager arrange access and give the tenant the notice your lease and Alabama law require; we show up in the window you set and keep the work area tidy.

Plan the year around the lease: turnover work booked in spring, small repairs during school breaks, and one yearly checklist for the air conditioner, water heater, smoke alarms and caulk. Our student condo guide lays out the calendar.

Waterproof LVP flooring instead of carpet, durable paint that touches up well, and the same standard colors and sheens in every unit so future touch-ups match. Our flooring guide compares floors for humidity, pets and tenants.

Yes. We can work directly from a property manager's work order and bill either the owner or the management company, whichever you prefer. See how we run rental turnovers.

Yes. We carry general liability insurance, and a certificate of insurance (COI) is available on request before any work starts. If your company requires specific coverage or wording, send the requirements and we'll tell you straight whether we can meet them.

We reply within one business day. How soon we can start depends on the season: summer in Auburn is the tightest, so book turnovers in spring. For repeat work, tell us what you have coming and we'll plan ahead with you.

Yes. Multiple units or a standing turnover agreement lower the per-unit cost, and we keep standard paint colors, sheens and LVP lines so every unit matches and future repairs are simple.

Written scopes and prices per unit, before-and-after photos, and itemized invoices you can pass to the owner or the accountant.

Usually fresh neutral paint, worn flooring, and the small punch-list items buyers notice: sticky doors, damaged trim, missing covers, stained caulk. Those cost little compared to how much they change first impressions. We do pre-listing punch lists; start with painting.

Send us the inspection report. We'll price the repair items in our scope in writing and tell you straight which ones need a different trade, so nothing falls through the cracks before closing.

Many repairs take 1 to 3 days and interior painting 2 to 7 days for most homes. Send the closing date as soon as you have it, since anything needing a permit adds time.

Whole-interior paint in a modern neutral, painted cabinets with new hardware, LVP instead of carpet, new lighting, and a bathroom refresh give the most impact per dollar. Our builder-grade upgrade guide ranks them with Auburn prices.

Ask us. Our focus is homes and rental properties, so tell us the scope and we'll tell you straight whether it's a fit for our crew.

The homeowner submits the plan to the board or architectural review committee before any exterior work. We prepare the color chips, drawings and material specs for the application, and we start only after approval is in writing.

Get your association's rules first: work hours, parking, elevator use, noise and where debris can go. Alabama's HBLB license rule for jobs over $10,000 covers condos too. Share the rules with us before the estimate so the price and schedule account for them.

Our focus is homes and rental properties. If you have a small commercial job, call or write and describe it; we'll tell you straight whether it's a fit.