Planning notes
Hiring a remodeler in Washington
How to pick a licensed remodeler in Washington
Anyone can send a kitchen mood board. Not everyone can legally take the job.
Washington requires construction contractors to be registered with the Department of Labor and Industries. Before you share keys or a deposit, look the firm up yourself. Do not trust a logo on a truck.
Start with the official record
Use L&I's Verify tool:
https://secure.lni.wa.gov/verify/
Search by business name, contractor registration number, or UBI. On the record, check:
- Registration is active, not expired
- Bond and insurance information is present and current
- The legal name matches the name on the proposal
- Any bond claims or infractions the record shows
L&I also publishes consumer guidance at ProtectMyHome and a Hire Smart worksheet.
If something looks wrong, L&I's contractor fraud line is 1-888-811-5974.
What the record cannot tell you
A clean registration does not mean the firm is the right fit for your house. It does not prove a finished kitchen in your city. It does not replace walking the property.
Ask:
- Who will actually run the job?
- Who pulls the permit in this city?
- What is still unknown (structure, plumbing, electrical, access)?
- How do they talk about current work versus design inspiration?
RT Signature Homes is a Redmond design-build team. The homepage reports 5.0 from 23 Google reviews, with Google Maps as the source. Reviews are useful. They are not a substitute for an L&I record and a conversation about your house. We would rather you verify every remodeler you talk to, including us, on L&I's site.
Proof versus pictures
Directory sites, generated images, and design galleries are not a substitute for a state registration record and a conversation about your house. The galleries on this site are labeled as design inspiration, not completed RT Signature Homes projects. That is the honest way to use them.
If you are comparing firms for a Seattle or Eastside kitchen, bath, or ADU, the nested market pages explain the work we take: kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, and ADU builder.
How a consultation still starts with the house
Registration gets you to a legal conversation. Fit still depends on the property, the scope, occupancy, and the city that will review the work. Read What a project consultation covers and Design-build vs. a general contractor.
Questions homeowners ask
Is an active L&I registration enough to hire?
It is the minimum. It is not a fit test for your house.
Should I trust Google reviews instead?
Use both. The RT Signature Homes homepage reports 5.0 from 23 Google reviews. Check L&I anyway.
Do I need the license number before the first call?
You can look the firm up by name. Bring the record if you want to walk through it together.
Does a Redmond office mean they can work in Seattle or Bellevue?
RT Signature Homes evaluates qualifying projects across Washington, including Seattle and the Eastside, from the Redmond office. The city that has jurisdiction still issues the permit.
Continue exploring
Related services and markets
Start a practical conversation
Start a practical conversation
If you want to talk through a specific property, request a project consultation. Or call (206) 407-6291. Bring the L&I record if you want to walk through it together.