How to Choose a Bathroom Remodel Contractor

Updated October 2026 · 8 min read

The contractor decides more of your bathroom's outcome than any material you'll pick. The good news: you don't need to know construction to choose well. You need three comparable bids, a short list of checks, and the willingness to walk away from the cheapest number.

Start with a written scope

Before you call anyone, write down what you want done. Not a design — a list: what stays, what goes, what moves. Without it, three contractors will price three different bathrooms and you'll have no way to compare them. The scope of work guide covers what to put in it.

Where to find candidates

• Neighbors and friends who remodeled in the last few years. Ask to see the bathroom, not just the photos.
• Tile and plumbing suppliers. Counter staff know which contractors pay on time and which customers come back unhappy.
• Your building department's permit records. Many publish them online. A contractor who pulls bathroom permits regularly is one who does them properly.
• Review sites, read for patterns rather than stars: how a contractor answers a bad review tells you more than ten good ones.

Aim for four or five names, so that three bids survive the checks below.

The checks before anyone visits

Questions to ask at the walkthrough

• Who will actually be here every day — you, a foreman, or subcontractors?
• Which trades do you subcontract, and have you worked with them before?
• What waterproofing system do you use in showers, and can I see it before the tile goes on?
• Will you pull the permit in your name, and is it in the bid?
• How do you handle change orders — written price before work, or a bill after?
• What's the payment schedule, and what's the warranty on labor?
• Can I call two clients from the last year?

Listen to how the answers sound as much as what they are. Specific, unhesitating answers ("Schluter Kerdi, and yes, I'll text you photos before tile") are what you want.

How to compare bids

Put the bids side by side against your scope, line by line. Then look at:

• Exclusions. What one bid leaves out is often why it's cheaper. Permits, disposal, fixtures, paint and drywall repair are common gaps.
• Allowances. "$1,500 tile allowance" means you pay the difference if your tile costs more. Low allowances make a bid look cheap.
• Waterproofing and the pan. If it isn't named, ask. It's the most expensive thing to get wrong.
• Timeline. A start date and a duration in working days.

If one bid is 30% below the others, it is usually missing something, not more efficient. Ask what it excludes before you get excited. To sanity-check the totals, compare them with typical remodel costs in your city.

Red flags

• A large deposit up front. Many states cap deposits for home improvement; 10–30% is typical.
• Cash only, or a discount for skipping the permit.
• Asking you to pull an owner-builder permit for work they're doing.
• No written contract, or a one-line contract with a single price.
• Pressure to sign today for a "special price".
• They can't name the waterproofing they use.

What the contract must include

Frequently asked questions