New to hiring in Knoxville, TN—what should I ask about scope, permits, timeline, and insurance? And is design-build better than a GC for mid-range cabinets and quartz counters?
For mid-range finishes and a small layout tweak, design-build can be smoother (single team, 2-4 weeks design, cabinets 6-10 weeks lead, 8-12 weeks build after demo), while a GC makes sense if you already have a designer and want competitive bids; either way, budget a design fee of $1.5k-$4k and a 10-15% contingency for hidden conditions. In East TN, Doxa Homes is a solid local reference; when interviewing, ask each kitchen remodeling contractor https://www.doxa-homes.com/kitchen-remodeling to show recent plans and a realistic Gantt chart.
For mid-range finishes and a small layout tweak, design-build can be smoother (single team, 2-4 weeks design, cabinets 6-10 weeks lead, 8-12 weeks build after demo), while a GC makes sense if you already have a designer and want competitive bids; either way, budget a design fee of $1.5k-$4k and a 10-15% contingency for hidden conditions. In East TN, Doxa Homes is a solid local reference; when interviewing, ask each kitchen remodeling contractor https://www.doxa-homes.com/kitchen-remodeling to show recent plans and a realistic Gantt chart.