Your home may be your most valuable financial asset. That’s why it’s important to be cautious when you hire someone to work on it. Home improvement and repair companies usually advertise in local newspapers, Yellow Pages, radio, and TV. Please don’t consider a ad an indication of the quality of contractor’s work. The best source to find a good home improvement company is a neighbor, co worker, or other people that company has worked for. Make sure you get a written estimate, and don’t automatically choose the lowest bid. Good companies don’t just bid jobs to win a price competition; they try to educate the homeowner about their products and services. There is a saying that goes: People want good products, good installation and a cheap price, but the truth is you can’t have all 3.

Don’t Get Ripped Off\
Always ask to see a New Jersey Contractors License and an up to date certificate of insurance covering liability and workman’s compensation. This is to protect you if someone is injured while working on your home. Make sure the contract that is presented to you contains the full name, address and phone number of the company, a detailed description of the work that is to be done, the type and
brand of the material to be used, labor warranty, right of recession form (you have 3 working days
in which to cancel the contract), a performance date (when is the work going to start and when is it
going to be finished), and that the contract addresses any building or association permits that may be
required.

A lot of home improvement companies have showrooms. We strongly urge our customers to
come visit us so that they may touch and feel the quality of the products that they are considering. It’s also another way to see how the company you are considering operates.
Shopping Tips:
We have noticed in our 40 years in this business that a lot of people looking for home improvement
products shop for them as they would shop for an appliance. But remember, it’s not just about the product you are shopping for; it’s also about the contractor that’s going to do the work. If a company cares about satisfying the customer and ultimately receiving referrals for the good job they have done then they are going to provide products that perform well and an installation that will reach and exceed customer’s expectations.

Consider These Points:
✓ How long has the remodeling company been in business under their current name?

✓ Who will be working on your project? Will it be a 3rd party subcontractor, or an employee of the company? Employees are accountable to their boss and are more likely to know the company’s products and standards of workmanship.

✓ Do they have a list of references?

✓ What amount of deposit do they require? A 1/3 to 50% is acceptable depending on whether the material has to be custom ordered or not. Payment in full before the job is reasonably completed is not an acceptable practice. It exposes the buyer to unnecessary risk, and reputable companies won’t ask for it.

✓ Be careful of companies that are not local. They may be hard to track down if warranty work is required or if legal action is taken.

✓ Check the Better Business Bureau, the Division of Consumer Affairs, Google search the company and check Angie’s List (www.angieslist. com) for companies that have a high satisfaction rating by other homeowners in your area.

Finally, consider this . . .
People who do not invest enough in their home improvement projects may end up with bad products, poor installation, non-existent service, or all of the above.