Getting Started:
Your Renovation Guide

Where do I actually start? How do I get accurate quotes? Why won’t contractors call me back? Why am I getting such different quotes for the same project?

Here’s the short answer: contractors often don’t call back because they prioritize active, paying jobs over unvetted free estimate requests. Quotes vary because every company has different overhead, includes different material grades and makes different assumptions about scope.

Allura Bath & Kitchen specializes in kitchen and bath renovations along with custom cabinet design and sales, but this 10-step guide applies to any home renovation. Use it to save time, cut the guesswork, make a confident buying decision and avoid common pitfalls.

How Early Should You Start?

Here is a realistic timeline from first planning to your desired completion date:

  • Kitchen or bath renovation: 9–12 months

  • Additions and custom builds: 1–2 years

  • Window and door replacements: 6 months

  • Roof replacement: 3 months

Pro tip: every timeline includes vetting and quotes, product selections, material lead times, construction and buffer time. Build in an extra 15–20% for unforeseen delays.

10 Renovation Planning Steps

  • The projects that run the smoothest are always the ones planned well in advance. Smaller, single-trade jobs move fast. Anything involving several trades, complex finishes or a significant investment needs a longer runway. See the recommended lead times above.

  • Get clear on who is involved in the decision, whether that’s a partner, parents or adult children. Every household remodels for different reasons. Knowing the main users and financial decision-makers up front makes sure the right people are in the room when selections, floor plans and pricing are discussed.

  • To get accurate, apples-to-apples quotes, you need written goals. Verbal walkthroughs are full of assumptions, and every contractor uses different standards, materials and installation methods to reach a similar look.

    Why a written scope helps you:

    • A level playing field: contractors bid on your stated requirements instead of guessing.

    • It shows you’re serious: contractors spend unpaid hours on estimates. A written 3-to-5-sentence summary shows you’re ready to move forward and puts your project near the top of their callback list.

  • You don’t need to know exact trade costs to set a budget. Instead, decide what you’re willing to invest in your home. Set three numbers for yourself:

    • Minimum target investment

    • Ideal budget target

    • Absolute maximum

    Sharing a realistic range up front keeps contractors from designing a $75,000 kitchen when your limit is $35,000. Our pricing guides show typical cost ranges for the area.

  • The usual rule of thumb is to collect 3 detailed quotes to compare scope and company fit. To get 3 completed quotes, you may need to reach out to around 9 companies.

    Where to find them, best first:

    • Trusted personal referrals: ask people whose judgment and quality standards you respect.

    • Trade recommendations: ask a trusted electrician or plumber who they recommend. Good tradespeople know who runs a professional business.

    • Direct search: look locally online and review company websites, project portfolios, verified reviews and showroom locations.

    A caution on lead-generation sites: national platforms like Angi, HomeAdvisor or “instant quote” sites sell your contact details to several contractors at once, which often leads to aggressive sales calls.

  • When you call contractors, leave a short, detailed voicemail or follow up with a text and email:

    • Your full name and the job location

    • A one-sentence project description

    • Your best callback times and preferred contact method

    What to expect:

    • Solo operators: often harder to reach right away because they’re working on site all day.

    • Mid-sized and custom firms: usually return calls within 24 to 48 business hours.

    • Large franchise operations: call centers respond quickly, but service can feel transactional.

  • When you schedule an in-home consultation, make sure all decision-makers can be there. It shows you’re ready to move forward and lets the contractor answer structural, design and budget questions on the spot. If daytime meetings are hard because of work, ask about after-hours or early-morning options ahead of time.

  • If you contact 9 contractors, speak with 7, host 5 for consultations and receive 3 final quotes, you’ve narrowed your search well. Compare the 3 proposals against your written goals from Step 3:

    • Scope: does the proposal include labor and materials, or labor only?

    • Allowances: are allowances for tile, cabinetry and fixtures realistic, or set low to make the price look better?

    • Outliers: if one quote is half or double the others, find out why. High quotes often reflect premium materials or full project management. Low quotes often leave out key scope items or permit fees.

  • Free estimates take hours of detailed work. Asking a contractor to completely rework a proposal or remeasure without feedback can stall your project. Ask targeted questions instead:

    • “Does this estimate include all permits and dumpster fees, or are those billed separately?”

    • “What material changes could bring this closer to our target budget?”

    Questions like these refine the quote quickly and keep the contractor engaged.

  • Once you’ve chosen your contractor, let every company that spent time on your project know. Contractors are “ghosted” all the time. A quick, polite email such as “Thank you for your time and proposal. We’ve decided to go in a different direction for this project” is always appreciated and keeps the relationship open for future work.