Quick answer
The short answer: Get a detailed written scope, verify the contractor's qualifications and insurance, and assign responsibility for permits and inspections. Requirements depend on the address and work, so confirm them with the applicable building department.
Miami Contractor Hiring Checklist
- Qualifications: Ask which contractor category covers the proposed work and verify the information provided.
- Insurance: Request current insurance documentation and confirm what it covers.
- Scope: List demolition, construction, cabinets, finishes, appliances, and electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work.
- Allowances: Identify products that haven't been selected and explain how price differences will be handled.
- Trade responsibility: Record who will perform and coordinate each part of the project.
- Permits: State who prepares plans, submits applications, answers comments, pays fees, and retains approvals.
- Inspections: Assign responsibility for requesting inspections and addressing corrections.
- Schedule and payments: Connect payment milestones to clearly described project stages.
- Changes: Require written approval of scope, price, and schedule changes before changed work begins.
- Bid comparison: Compare proposals using the same scope rather than relying only on the total price.
Miami-Dade County publishes requirements for doing business as a general, building, or residential contractor. Compare the contractor's information with the county's building resources.
Heads up: A contractor match isn't a guarantee of permit approval, code compliance, price, timing, or inspection results. Independently verify qualifications, insurance, scope, and permit requirements before hiring.
Identify the Permitting Authority by Address
Start with the property address. Ask whether the responsible authority is Miami-Dade County or a municipality, then contact that office to confirm permits, forms, reviews, fees, and inspections for the proposed scope.
- Give the permitting office the complete property address.
- Describe any building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work.
- Ask which authority receives the application and conducts inspections.
- Ask whether separate county approvals apply to a municipal permit.
- Record the office, contact, required documents, and next step.
Some permits within municipalities require county approvals involving DERM, WASA, Impact Fees, Fire Rescue, or DOH. Ask the municipal office which approvals apply and use the Miami-Dade building page for county guidance.
Build the Scope Around Trade Coordination
A kitchen renovation can include building work plus electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work. Have each bidder identify the trades involved, who will perform them, and how their work will be coordinated.
| Scope item | Decision to document | Responsibility to assign |
|---|---|---|
| Layout or building work | What will be removed, built, or altered? | Plans, permit application, and inspection coordination |
| Electrical | What wiring, fixtures, devices, or equipment are included? | Trade work, permit documents, and inspections |
| Plumbing | What fixtures, piping, or connections are included? | Trade work, permit documents, and inspections |
| Mechanical | What ventilation or related equipment is included? | Trade work, permit documents, and inspections |
| Finishes and products | Which products are fixed selections or allowances? | Ordering, substitutions, and written price changes |
Miami-Dade County provides forms, checklists, fee sheets, and added requirements for electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits. Review the official county resources, then confirm the required documents locally.
Permit Responsibility Matrix
| Task | Question to resolve | Record to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare plans | Who creates each required drawing or document? | Final submission set |
| Submit application | Who files it with the correct authority? | Application and payment record |
| Answer review comments | Who coordinates revisions and responses? | Comments, responses, and revised plans |
| Track approval | Who monitors application status? | Status notices and approvals |
| Request inspections | Who schedules, cancels, or tracks each inspection? | Inspection history and correction notices |
| Close out | Who confirms required approvals are complete? | Approved plans and final permit records |
Miami-Dade applicants can obtain or check application status through the county's Portal or E-permitting system. The county also offers a permitting-assistance team and appointments for homeowners and small businesses.
Access permit guidance and assistance through the Miami-Dade County building page. Keep copies of applications, approved plans, payments, review comments, inspection records, and project correspondence.
Plan Review and Inspections
Miami-Dade County publishes plan-review criteria and guidelines intended to support code-compliant design. It also provides information about inspection requirements and services for scheduling, canceling, and tracking inspections.
Ask the responsible building department which reviews and inspections apply, when work must remain accessible, and who may request an inspection. The contractor should explain the process without promising approval or a passing result.
Budget for Scope, Permits, and Changes
Build the budget from a defined scope. Relevant cost categories may include plans, permit fees, trade requirements, product allowances, and reinspections. Obtain the current fee schedule from the authority responsible for the address.
Miami-Dade County accepts electronic payments for applicable upfront, permit, certificate, contractor licensing, reinspection, and impact fees. Confirm the current amount and when it will be assessed through the county building page.
- Require each proposal to use the same written scope.
- Separate fixed selections from allowances.
- Identify excluded work and owner-supplied products.
- State who pays permit and reinspection fees.
- Require written approval before changed work begins.
- Link payments to defined milestones rather than vague dates.
Lead-Safe Work in Pre-1978 Homes
Work in a pre-1978 home that has lead-based paint can create dangerous lead dust. The federal government banned the sale of lead-based paint for use in homes, childcare facilities, and preschools in 1978.
The EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule requires paid contractors who disturb painted surfaces in covered pre-1978 properties to be certified. Employees must be certified renovators or trained on the job by a certified renovator in lead-safe practices.
Ask whether the project will disturb painted surfaces and how the contractor will follow applicable lead-safe requirements. The EPA recommends hiring a lead-safe certified contractor for renovation, repair, or painting work in a pre-1978 home.
Heads up: The rule generally doesn't apply to owners working on their own pre-1978 homes. It can apply if they rent part of the home, operate a childcare center there, or buy, renovate, and sell homes for profit. Check the EPA program.
Prepare for Contractor Conversations
List priorities for layout, storage, lighting, finishes, and appliances before requesting proposals. For design context, review Kitchen Renovation Trends – Beverly Hills, LA & Miami, then separate essential work from optional features.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions
Does a Miami kitchen remodel require permits?
It depends on the property, scope, and permitting authority. Describe the building and trade work to the department responsible for the address and ask which permits, plans, and inspections apply.
Who should submit the plans and permit application?
Assign that responsibility in writing. Also identify who will prepare plans, answer review comments, track approval, pay fees, request inspections, and keep approved records.
How can I check a Miami-Dade permit application?
Miami-Dade County allows applicants to obtain or check application status through its Portal or E-permitting system. Its building page also provides access to permitting guidance and assistance.
How do I evaluate a kitchen remodeling contractor in Miami?
Verify the qualification claimed for the scope, request insurance documentation, compare equivalent written proposals, identify trade responsibilities, and review permit, inspection, payment, schedule, and change-order terms.
How are Miami-Dade inspections managed?
The county provides services for learning about inspection requirements and scheduling, canceling, and tracking inspections. Confirm the responsible jurisdiction and assign each inspection task in the contract.
What records should I retain?
Keep the signed scope, product selections, allowances, change orders, applications, plans, payment records, review comments, approvals, inspection history, correction notices, and project correspondence.