Sample report

A $54,500 cabinet quote, reviewed

This is a real quote from a real kitchen remodel, with names, addresses, and contact details removed. It shows what can be checked from the document itself: what's covered, what's not, which terms to fix, and what to ask before you sign.

A paid audit adds your reviewer's price read — labeled as expert judgment — a short video walkthrough, and 48 hours of follow-up questions.

Project: Kitchen remodel plus a laundry room converted to a pantry and coffee bar
Location: Single-family home, Westside Los Angeles
Document: Cabinet supply-and-install proposal, 2 pages, October 2026
Price: $54,500 fixed, for both rooms

Every finding is labeled by source: Observed read directly from the document · Expert judgment the reviewer's call from experience · Modeled calculated from stated assumptions · Data coverage where our evidence is too thin to conclude.

Bottom line

Fix the terms before signing, whatever the price. The payment schedule and the missing license number matter more than the total.

You'd pay 92% before installation is finished. Only $4,500 is held back for installation and completion, so you'd have almost nothing to withhold if something goes wrong. Observed
The deposit is 46% of the price. California's contractor board says a home-improvement down payment should never exceed 10% of the price or $1,000, whichever is less. Observed
There's no license number on the quote, and no schedule, cabinet list, or warranty. Observed

Price check

Line	Quoted	Our read
Kitchen + laundry cabinetry, installed	$54,500	No verdict: we don't yet have enough comparable cabinet records to call this high or low, so we don't guess. Data coverage
Split between rooms	Not given	One total for both rooms, so neither can be compared or cut on its own. Ask for a per-room price. Observed
Cabinet count or linear feet	Not given	No way to price per box or per foot, or to check that every cabinet in the design is included. Observed
Wood species	"TBD"	The price is fixed but the wood isn't chosen — and species can change the cost. Observed

Sources and coverage

The quote itself — 2 pages, October 2026, Westside Los Angeles. Every Observed finding on this page comes from it.
Deposit rule — California Contractors State License Board guidance. California-specific; other states have their own rules.
Comparable cabinet prices — not enough records for this scope and area yet, so this report gives no price verdict.

Payment schedule

When	Amount	Paid so far
On signing, before drawings or materials	$25,000	46%
On delivery to the house	$25,000	92%
When installation is complete	$4,000	99%
Final completion	$500	100%

Delivery isn't the same as finished. If doors don't line up or a box arrives damaged, $4,500 is the only leverage left. Observed

Costs that aren't in this number

Staining or painting — the cabinets arrive as raw wood, so finishing is a separate trade and a separate bill. Observed
Hardware — pulls and knobs. (Soft-close hinges and drawer slides are included.) Observed
Countertops and any stone. Observed
Electrical and plumbing — including anything built into the cabinets. Observed
Appliance installation. Observed

Get a finishing quote before signing — staining raw cabinets is its own trade, and its cost belongs in the same budget.

Don't pay for drawings twice. This quote includes shop drawings, and the project's designer offered separate cabinet elevation drawings for $2,400. Decide which set is the reference before signing either. Observed

Negotiation brief

What we'd ask for before signing, in order of how much it protects you:

Check the license first on the CSLB website, and get the number written on the contract.
A smaller deposit — no more than 10% or $1,000, whichever is less, unless the contractor shows a blanket performance and payment bond.
Payments tied to finished work, with a meaningful amount held until installation is complete and every punch-list item is fixed.
The wood species and finish named in writing, or a written promise the price won't change when you choose.
A cabinet list or drawing set attached to the contract, a delivery and install schedule, and a written warranty.
A per-room price, so the laundry room can be adjusted on its own.

Questions to send the cabinet maker

What's your contractor license number?
Would you accept a smaller deposit, with payments tied to delivery and finished installation?
Which wood species is the $54,500 based on, and how does the price change for others?
How many cabinets are included — can you attach the layout or list?
What's the schedule from signing to installation?
What warranty do you give on the cabinets and the installation?
Who do you recommend for finishing, and what does that usually cost?

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