Idaho Contractor Contract Checklist
Idaho Code § 54-5215 sets the legal floor for what a residential remodeling contract over $2,000 must include. Here are the five statutory required items and the ten best-practice items every well-drafted Idaho contract adds on top — with an honest walk-through of what Iron Crest's own contracts look like.
Quick answer
Idaho Code § 54-5215 requires five items in every residential contract over $2,000: registration number, contractor name and contact, description of work, total price (or basis), and a right-to-cancel statement. Beyond that, ten best-practice items make the difference between a fine contract and a good one: itemized scope, milestone payment schedule, owner-selection allowances, written change-order procedure, substantial completion definition, written workmanship warranty (Iron Crest is 3 years), permit responsibility, insurance verification, dispute resolution, and concealed-conditions handling. Ask for lien releases at each payment milestone (Idaho Code § 45-501 governs mechanic's liens).
Quick answer
For residential construction work over $2,000, Idaho Code § 54-5215 requires the contractor to provide a written disclosure before work begins. The disclosure must include: the contractor's registration number, the contractor's name and contact information, a description of the work to be performed, the total price or the basis for calculating the price, and a statement of the consumer's right to cancel.
Idaho Code § 54-5215 (part of the Idaho Contractor Registration Act) is the statute that governs written disclosure for residential construction over $2,000. A contract that is missing any of these five items is non-compliant, and the contractor is exposed to disciplinary action from DOPL and potential contract defenses from the homeowner.
Contractor Registration Number
Iron Crest example: RCE-6681702. Verifiable at ibol.idaho.gov.
Contractor Name and Contact Information
Legal entity name (Iron Crest Remodeling Group LLC), physical address, phone, email.
Description of Work
What is being done. Statute does not require line-item detail, but good contracts have it.
Total Price or Basis for Calculation
Fixed price, cost-plus with cap, or T&M with cap — must be defined.
Right to Cancel Statement
Homeowner's statutory right-to-cancel notice, typically 3 business days after signing.
These ten items are not required by Idaho statute, but a contract without them is not a good contract. Every Iron Crest contract includes all ten. Look for these in any contract you are about to sign — with any contractor.
Itemized scope by trade
Line items for demo, framing, plumbing rough, electrical rough, drywall, tile, cabinets, counters, paint, trim, finish plumbing, finish electrical, punch. Not a two-sentence summary.
Milestone payment schedule
Deposit (10-25%), rough-in complete, drywall closure, substantial completion, retained final (5-10%). Not tied to calendar dates.
Owner-selection allowances
Tile allowance, fixture allowance, appliance allowance — with explicit over/under language and homeowner sign-off before ordering.
Written change-order procedure
Every change signed by both parties BEFORE work proceeds. Priced, scheduled, and dated. No verbal 'we'll figure it out later.'
Substantial completion definition
What must be done before punch list starts. Triggers final payment. Starts the workmanship warranty clock.
Written workmanship warranty
Length and scope. Iron Crest is 3 years on workmanship. Runs from substantial completion, not contract signing.
Permit responsibility
Who pulls the permit, who pays for it. Iron Crest handles all city / county / mechanical permits inside project scope.
Insurance verification
General liability + workers' compensation. Certificate of Insurance on request. Named as additional insured on the GL policy.
Dispute resolution
Direct communication first, mediation before litigation, venue in Idaho, plain-language process. Avoid one-sided attorney's-fees clauses.
Concealed conditions handling
How discovery of rotted subfloor, knob-and-tube, or other hidden conditions is priced and scheduled — should not be a blank check.
Under Idaho Code § 45-501, contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers who provide labor or materials to improve real property have a right to place a mechanic's lien against the property if they are not paid. The lien attaches to the property, not just the property owner — meaning if a contractor's subcontractor is not paid by the contractor, the sub can lien your property even though you paid the contractor in full.
Three protections:
- Get lien releases (also called lien waivers) at each payment milestone showing every trade and supplier has been paid up to that point. Conditional releases at payment issuance, unconditional releases after payment clears.
- Work with contractors who use a reputable escrow or joint-check arrangement for high-value material orders (cabinets, custom stone).
- Verify contractor registration at ibol.idaho.gov. Under Idaho Code § 54-5217, unregistered contractors have limited lien enforcement rights.
Iron Crest provides conditional and unconditional lien releases at every payment milestone — this is a standard part of our billing workflow, not something a homeowner needs to ask for.
What does Idaho law require in a residential remodeling contract?
For residential construction work over $2,000, Idaho Code § 54-5215 requires the contractor to provide a written disclosure before work begins. The disclosure must include: the contractor's registration number, the contractor's name and contact information, a description of the work to be performed, the total price or the basis for calculating the price, and a statement of the consumer's right to cancel. This is a floor, not a ceiling — a good contract for any remodel scope should also include the project address, payment schedule, change-order procedure, substantial completion definition, and the contractor's workmanship warranty. Idaho law does not specify the form of the contract, only that the disclosure items are in writing before the work begins.
What items should be in a good Idaho remodel contract beyond the legal minimum?
Ten items every well-drafted residential remodel contract should include, beyond the § 54-5215 minimum: (1) itemized scope of work by trade — not a two-line summary; (2) payment schedule tied to milestones (deposit, rough-in complete, drywall closure, substantial completion), not a calendar; (3) allowances for owner-selected items (tile, fixtures, appliances) with clear over/under language; (4) written change-order procedure — every change signed by both parties BEFORE work proceeds; (5) substantial completion definition — what has to be done before the punch list starts; (6) workmanship warranty length and scope in writing (Iron Crest is 3 years on workmanship); (7) permit responsibility clearly assigned — who pulls, who pays; (8) insurance requirements and confirmation contractor's coverage names the homeowner; (9) dispute resolution — mediation before litigation is common; (10) provisions for concealed conditions (rotted subfloor, knob-and-tube discovery) — how they're handled and priced.
What is a mechanic's lien in Idaho and why does it matter to me?
Under Idaho Code § 45-501, contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers who provide labor or materials to improve real property have a right to place a mechanic's lien against the property if they are not paid. The lien attaches to the property, not just the property owner — meaning if a contractor's subcontractor is not paid by the contractor, the sub can lien YOUR property even though you paid the general contractor in full. Practical protections for you: (1) get lien releases (also called lien waivers) at each payment milestone showing every trade and supplier has been paid up to that point; (2) work with contractors who use a reputable escrow or joint-check arrangement for high-value material orders; (3) verify Iron Crest's registration status at ibol.idaho.gov — unregistered contractors have limited lien enforcement rights under § 54-5217. Iron Crest provides conditional and unconditional lien releases at every payment milestone.
What are typical deposit amounts in Idaho for residential remodels?
Idaho does not statutorily cap contractor deposits, but industry norms in the Treasure Valley run 10% to 25% of the project total at contract signing, with the remainder paid on a milestone schedule as work progresses. Red flags: a contractor asking for 50% or more up front, a contractor asking for all cash outside a written contract, or a contractor asking for full payment before work begins. For a typical Iron Crest project, we structure payments as: 10-15% deposit at contract signing (materials procurement + scheduling), then draws at rough-in complete, drywall closure, and substantial completion, with final 5-10% withheld until punch list is cleared. Every draw is invoiced with lien waivers for the work covered.
How should change orders work in an Idaho remodel contract?
Every change to the original scope should be a written change order, signed by both parties, priced, and dated BEFORE work on the change proceeds. This includes owner-requested additions (nicer tile, added lighting), contractor-discovered conditions (rotted subfloor found at demo), and code-required items (GFCI upgrade required by inspector). The change order should state: what is being added or removed, the change in cost (up or down), the change in schedule (if any), and both signatures. This is not paperwork bureaucracy — it is the mechanism that prevents the two most common remodel disputes: 'you never said that would cost more' and 'you didn't do what you said you'd do.' If a contractor tells you 'don't worry, we'll figure it out at the end,' walk away.
What is 'substantial completion' and why does it matter?
Substantial completion is the point at which the work is complete enough that the homeowner can use the space for its intended purpose — the kitchen is functional, the bathroom is usable — even though minor punch-list items remain. Idaho contracts should define substantial completion clearly: what has to be done, what can remain on a punch list, and how quickly the punch list will be cleared (typically 30 days). Substantial completion typically triggers the final payment milestone. It also starts the workmanship warranty clock — Iron Crest's 3-year warranty runs from substantial completion, not from the original contract signing. Without a clear substantial completion definition, disputes about whether the project is 'done' can drag on for months.
Should I have a lawyer review my remodel contract?
For a small remodel (bathroom refresh under $20K), most homeowners are comfortable reviewing the contract themselves against a checklist like this one. For a larger project ($50K+), an addition, or an ADU, having a real-estate attorney spend 30 minutes reviewing the contract is $150-$300 well spent — they will catch language that a checklist can't. Iron Crest contracts are drafted with clear structure and plain language specifically so homeowners CAN read and understand them without a legal degree, but we welcome attorney review on any Iron Crest contract. If a contractor pushes back on attorney review of their contract, that itself is a red flag.
What if the contractor uses their own contract template?
Most contractors do — including Iron Crest. That is fine as long as the template contains the § 54-5215 required disclosures and the ten best-practice items listed above. Read the contract before signing. Look specifically for: an aggressive attorney's-fees clause that puts you at risk for the contractor's legal fees; a mandatory arbitration clause with a venue in the contractor's favor; a warranty disclaimer that eliminates the workmanship warranty; unclear or one-sided change-order language; blank spaces or 'to be determined' items that should be specified. If any of these are present, ask the contractor to revise before signing. A reasonable contractor will work with you; an unreasonable one has told you what to expect.
How does Iron Crest structure its contracts?
Every Iron Crest contract includes: (1) all § 54-5215 required disclosures at the top; (2) itemized scope of work by trade and area; (3) fixed-price with owner-selection allowances explicit; (4) milestone-based payment schedule (deposit + rough-in + drywall + substantial completion + retained final); (5) written change-order procedure requiring both signatures before proceeding; (6) substantial completion definition tied to functional use of the space; (7) 3-year workmanship warranty in writing; (8) permit responsibility (Iron Crest pulls all permits inside scope); (9) certificate of insurance available on request naming general liability and workers' comp; (10) plain-language dispute resolution starting with direct communication, then mediation, then formal legal process if needed. RCE-6681702.
Idaho Code § 54-5215 (pre-job disclosure)
The written-disclosure statute for residential construction over $2,000.
Idaho Code § 45-501 (mechanic's liens)
Contractor and subcontractor lien rights against improved real property.
Idaho Code § 54-5201 – § 54-5224
The full Contractor Registration Act.
DOPL / IBOL Contractor Lookup
Verify contractor registration before signing. Iron Crest = RCE-6681702.
Idaho Attorney General — Consumer Protection
State consumer protection division for complaints against contractors.
Hiring Hub (parent)
The full consumer-protection guide.
Every Iron Crest Contract Has All Fifteen Items
§ 54-5215 minimums, plus itemized scope, milestone payments, allowances, written change orders, substantial completion, 3-year workmanship warranty, permit responsibility, insurance, dispute resolution, concealed-conditions. RCE-6681702. Free estimates.