I am a self-employed contractor. I specialize in kitchen remodeling. When I am called upon for an estimate, I always make the homeowner aware of the fact that there may be additional expenses once I get started. I learned this lesson after remodeling kitchens in a few older homes. Electrical and plumbing issues can arise, especially in older homes. Homeowners are not happy when you inform them that their project is going to cost two or three times the amount of your initial estimate. I always let customers know that my quote includes only the work that I am asked to perform. It does not include electrical or plumbing work that may be required in order to complete the project properly. My contract clearly states this, and the homeowner signs the contract before I start the job. My contract is designed to protect me in the event that a customer has a problem with faulty wiring or plumbing. I cannot legally remodel a kitchen that I know has issues such as these without the problems being corrected first. I also cannot take the chance of having a customer report that I charged them well over the amount of the estimate without people knowing the reason why. This could ruin my reputation as a contractor and prevent me from obtaining additional work.