A: Thanks for your inquiry. A contract is considered a legal, binding document, but I am not a lawyer nor familiar with the laws in your state, so I am not qualified to give specific advice about your contract.

You could give the contract to an attorney to review, but this is usually not necessary, especially if you are dealing with a reputable contractor. If you have done your homework, collected competitive bids from about three different service professionals so you are confident that the price is reasonable and will feel comfortable working with this company, common sense will usually prevail.

One general suggestion did come to mind when I read over your list. It's usually a good idea to write all the materials to be used in your remodel in as much detail as possible (i.e. the brand names, model numbers, colors, etc.) in the contract to avoid confusion and disappointment.

Good luck with your project!

by Kathy Maynard, reprinted courtesy of HomeAdvisor.com