Kitchen remodel planning checklist: 10 steps before you ask for bids
Kitchen remodels often go over budget or stall because something was decided late: a sink that moved after the cabinets were ordered, a wall nobody checked, a fridge that does not fit its opening. This checklist puts the decisions in the order that saves the most rework, so the bids you collect describe the same job.
Updated 2026-10-18. Permit rules and code details vary by city and county; your building department has the final word.
The checklist
- Measure the kitchen as it is. Every wall, window and door, the ceiling height, and where the sink, range, vent and outlets sit today. Our guide on how to measure a room takes about twenty minutes per room.
- Get an existing floor plan. Find the original plans if they exist (see how to find the floor plan of your house), or have the measured kitchen drawn to scale. Every later step is drawn on top of it.
- Decide the scope. Same layout with new cabinets and finishes, or a new layout? Moving the sink, the range or a wall moves plumbing, gas, venting and wiring, and that is where cost and permit work grow fastest.
- Check every wall you want to move. If a wall might carry load, a licensed engineer or architect has to decide before anyone draws a new layout around its removal.
- Find out what needs a permit. New circuits, moved plumbing and changed walls usually do; cabinet and counter swaps in place often do not. See do I need drawings for a kitchen remodel permit or try the free permit checker.
- Lay out the work aisles. The NKBA guidelines recommend a work aisle of at least 42 inches for one cook and 48 inches for two or more. Kitchen layout clearances that pass inspection covers the rest.
- Pick the appliances before the cabinets. Get the spec sheet of each one: width, depth, door swing, and the exact cutout for a cooktop, wall oven or built in fridge. Cabinets are sized around them, not the other way round.
- See the new layout in 3D. A plan shows sizes; a 3D view shows whether the island blocks the fridge door or the room still feels open. Our overnight 3D visual is $99: order by 8 pm ET Monday to Thursday and see your plan in 3D by 9 am ET.
- Count the materials. Drywall, flooring, paint and trim by quantity, from the same plan, so every bid prices the same amounts. See how a material takeoff speeds up bids.
- Send one package to every contractor. The same plan, the same appliance list and the same scope in writing, so the bids compare line by line. The inputs are the same as for a bath: what a contractor needs to bid a bathroom remodel.
What to have in hand before you ask for bids
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Existing floor plan to scale | Every contractor measures from the same base |
| Proposed layout | Shows what moves and what stays |
| Appliance list with spec sheets | Cabinet sizes and electrical loads depend on it |
| Finish choices or allowances | Counters, flooring and tile drive the price |
| Permit answer | Tells the bidder whether drawings and inspections are part of the job |
What drawings cost with us
Your first 2D floor plan of one floor is free with FIRSTPLAN, and each extra plan is $10. An overnight 3D visual is $99. A permit ready set of existing and proposed plans for a non structural remodel, with the material takeoff, is $1.00 per sq ft at the current pilot price, $990 minimum. See pricing for every package and turnaround.
Free first 2D floor plan
New customers get one 2D floor plan of one floor of their home free, one per new customer. Use the code FIRSTPLAN on the quote form.
- What you send: the room measurements of that floor (a hand sketch with numbers is fine) and photos of each room.
- What you get: an as-built 2D floor plan of that floor as a PDF, drawn from your measurements.
- When: usually within 5 US business days after we have your measurements and photos. If we are behind, we tell you the date before we start.
- No card, nothing to pay, no obligation to order anything else.
- More plans: first plan free with FIRSTPLAN, each extra plan $10 (another floor or another property).
We are not architects or engineers and our drawings are not stamped. If your kitchen remodel removes or changes a bearing wall, a beam or a floor opening, you need a licensed engineer or architect, and we will tell you so at intake.