The right kitchen remodeling contractor near you in Tampa Bay holds a Florida license you can look up in two minutes, pulls the permit in their own name, and gives you one written price before demolition. Expect $15,000 to $80,000 or more for the work and about 10 to 14 weeks from contract to finished kitchen. CraftLine Remodeling is a licensed design build contractor, CBC1269114, working across Hillsborough and Pinellas from offices in South Tampa and St. Petersburg.
This page is the checklist we would hand a friend who was getting bids. Use it on us and on everyone else you call.
Step 1: Check the License Before the First Visit
Go to myfloridalicense.com, choose Verify a License, and search the contractor by name or license number. You are looking for three things:
- License type. A kitchen that touches walls, plumbing or electrical needs a licensed contractor. Certified Building (CBC) and Certified General (CGC) licenses are issued by the state and are good in every county. Ours is CBC1269114.
- Status. It should read Current, Active. Anything else, stop there.
- Name match. The name on the license should match the name on the proposal and the truck. If a company name has no license attached, ask whose license the permit will be pulled under.
Step 2: Ask Who Pulls the Permit
The contractor should pull it. Some low bids quietly ask the homeowner to apply as an owner builder. In Florida that makes you legally responsible for the work, the subcontractors and the inspections, and it can complicate a future sale or insurance claim. A real contractor builds the permit fee into the price. In Hillsborough that fee is about $500 to $1,100 with a 10 to 30 day review. In Pinellas it is about $550 to $1,200, and the City of St. Petersburg review takes 3 to 5 weeks.
Step 3: Get Insurance Proof From the Agent, Not the Contractor
Ask for a certificate of general liability insurance and proof of workers compensation coverage, sent to you directly by the insurance agent. A PDF the contractor forwards can be months out of date. If a worker is hurt in your kitchen and the contractor has no workers comp, the claim can land on your homeowners policy.
Step 4: Compare Bids Line by Line
Two kitchen bids that look $10,000 apart are often the same price once you line up what each one actually includes. Put them side by side against this list:
| Line item | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Scope | Every task written out: demo, framing, plumbing, electrical, drywall, cabinets, tops, tile, paint, trim |
| Allowances | Dollar amounts for cabinets, counters, tile and fixtures. Low allowances make a bid look cheap and get expensive later |
| Permits and fees | Included, and pulled in the contractor’s name |
| Demolition and haul away | Included, with dust protection for the rest of the house |
| Licensed trades | Plumbing and electrical done by licensed trades, not general labor |
| Schedule | A start week and a construction duration in writing |
| Payment schedule | Payments tied to finished stages, not dates |
Florida also requires contracts for residential work over $2,500 to include a notice about the Florida Homeowners’ Construction Recovery Fund. If that paragraph is missing, the contractor is not using a real contract.
Step 5: Watch the Deposit
Under Florida law (section 489.126), a contractor who takes more than 10 percent of the contract price as a deposit must apply for the permit within 30 days and start work within 90 days of the permit, unless your contract says otherwise. A contractor asking for half up front with no permit filed is a reason to walk away.
Red Flags to Watch For
- A price given over the phone without anyone measuring the kitchen
- No license number on the proposal, website or vehicle
- “We don’t need a permit for this”
- Cash only, or a big discount for cash
- No written schedule, or a start date that keeps sliding
- Cabinets and counters “to be determined” with no allowance amount
What You Should Expect to Pay
Ranges from our Tampa Bay kitchen remodel cost guide, for licensed and permitted work:
| Scope | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Small kitchen, same layout | $15,000 to $25,000 |
| Mid size kitchen, full remodel | $25,000 to $45,000 |
| Large kitchen or new layout | $45,000 to $80,000+ |
If a bid comes in far under these numbers, look for what is missing from the scope. For a full breakdown of what drives cost and timeline, read our page on kitchen remodel costs and timelines in Tampa Bay, or get a quick estimate from the remodeling cost calculator.
Where We Work
Hillsborough County: South Tampa, Hyde Park, Beach Park, Davis Islands, Palma Ceia, Bayshore Beautiful, Seminole Heights, Carrollwood, Westchase, Lutz, Brandon, Riverview and Temple Terrace. Most of our South Tampa work is in 1920s to 1950s homes where galvanized supply lines and cast iron drains are still common, so we plan for them in the price instead of finding out later. Our Davis Islands kitchen page covers one of those neighborhoods in detail.
Pinellas County: St. Petersburg, Old Northeast, Kenwood, Gulfport, Seminole, Largo, Clearwater and Dunedin. Pinellas permit reviews run longer, so we file the week the contract is signed. See our St. Petersburg kitchen and bath page.
How We Run a Kitchen
We measure, design and give you one written price. You sign, we pull the permit, and then demolition starts. The kitchen goes back to the studs, and while it is open we inspect the supply lines, drain and vent, framing, subfloor and wiring. Anything we find, you get a photo and a plain explanation, and nothing gets closed up until you approve it. Construction takes 5 to 6 weeks on site. One contract, one crew and one schedule, through to your final walkthrough. You can see finished work like our Brandon kitchen refresh and Clearwater custom kitchen in the portfolio.
What Homeowners Say
CraftLine holds 93 Google reviews with a 5.0 rating. We are licensed and insured (CBC1269114), BBB accredited and members of NARI Tampa Bay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I hire a general contractor or a cabinet company?
A cabinet company sells and installs boxes. If your kitchen needs plumbing, electrical, wall changes or new flooring, you need a licensed contractor who can permit and coordinate all of it under one contract.
Should a contractor charge for the first estimate?
Our in home consultation and measurement is free. A detailed design with selections takes more work, and that is where the written price comes from.
Can I pull the permit myself to save money?
You can as an owner builder, but you take on the legal responsibility for the work and the trades. The fee itself is a few hundred dollars, so the savings are small and the risk is not.
Are permits different in Tampa and St. Petersburg?
Yes. Hillsborough reviews usually take 10 to 30 days. The City of St. Petersburg takes 3 to 5 weeks and fees run slightly higher. We handle both counties.
Get Your Kitchen Bid From Us
Put us through the same checklist. Schedule a free in home consultation or call 813-522-4359.