Guides
Straight answers about homes and money
Kentucky-specific, plain-English, and cited to official sources - for homeowners planning projects and contractors building businesses.
Which programs might fit you?
Three quick questions - nothing personal collected, just guide routing.
What are you trying to do?
Are you a veteran or service member?
Is the property outside city limits / in a rural area?
For homeowners
Veteran housing benefits
VA loans, SAH/SHA adaptive housing grants, and the HISA grant most veterans never hear about - from a veteran-owned company.
Read the guide Repair helpUSDA repair loans & grants
1%-interest repair loans and hazard-removal grants for rural Kentucky homeowners - and 0%-down USDA purchases.
Read the guide InvestingHouse hacking in Kentucky
Buy a duplex-to-fourplex with 3.5% down (FHA) or 0% down (VA), live in one unit, and let rent cover the mortgage.
Read the guide Home buyingBuying a house in Kentucky
Budget to keys: pre-approval, offers, inspections, closing costs, and the assistance programs that lower the barrier.
Read the guide HiringHow to vet a contractor
Which trades Kentucky actually licenses, the one phone call that catches fake insurance, normal deposits, and the red flags that end the conversation.
Read the guide Storm damageStorm damage & roof claims
The first 48 hours, ACV vs. RCV, your 5-day right to cancel after a denial, and what Kentucky law says a roofer cannot do.
Read the guide EnergyEnergy efficiency help in 2026
The federal credits ended Dec 31, 2025. What still exists: free weatherization through Community Action, LIHEAP, USDA, and utility rebates.
Read the guideFor contractors
Become a contractor in Kentucky
The overview: licenses, structure, insurance, permits, and first jobs - start here, then go deep below.
Read the guide StartSole proprietorship in Kentucky
The fastest legal start: county DBA filing, taxes without the mystery, and when the LLC upgrade is worth it.
Read the guide StartForming a Kentucky LLC
One $40-ish filing, a registered agent, and the annual report that keeps your liability wall standing.
Read the guide StartGetting your EIN (free)
Fifteen minutes on irs.gov - and why it keeps your SSN off every W-9 a GC hands you.
Read the guide StartBusiness bank account
What Kentucky banks ask for, and the two-account habit that removes tax panic.
Read the guide ProtectContractor insurance in Kentucky
GL, workers' comp (no small-employer exemption), commercial auto, and how the COI dance works.
Read the guide ProtectKentucky license requirements
No statewide GC license - but electrical, HVAC, and plumbing are state-licensed, and cities want registrations.
Read the guide EstimatePricing: overhead & profit
Markup vs. margin, the overhead you're not counting, and the one formula that prices work correctly.
Read the guide QuoteWriting professional quotes
Scope, quantities, allowances, exclusions, validity - the seven parts that win jobs and prevent disputes.
Read the guide ContractContract essentials
Change orders in writing, sane deposits, cancellation rights, and what makes an agreement hold up.
Read the guide GrowGetting your first jobs
Google Business Profile, subcontracting, supplier counters, and winning on speed - no bought leads.
Read the guide GrowHiring your first helper
Employee or 1099 (it is not your choice), workers' comp from employee one, the four registrations, and what an $18 helper really costs.
Read the guide TaxesSales tax for contractors
You pay 6% on materials, you do not charge it on labor, and the side lines (lawn care, cleanouts) that are taxable.
Read the guide Get paidKentucky mechanic's liens
The 6-month filing deadline, the 75-day notice on owner-occupied homes, the 12-month enforcement window, and when a lien is the wrong tool.
Read the guide