This is the time when many people begin planning home improvement projects. Before hiring a contractor for your remodeling project, be sure you and your home are protected. The Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor Law is there to help you.
First Steps
First, be very specific about what you want and/or you need. Look at magazines and TV programs on home improvements. Talk with friends and relatives to get referrals for - or warnings about - contractors they have used.
Sign on the Dotted Line
Make sure your contractor is registered with the State; never deal with an unregistered contractor. Get at least three bids. Ask for a list of previous clients and visit them, see the projects and talk with them about their level of satisfaction dealing with the contractor.
All major home improvement contracts must be in writing. Make sure your agreement is specific - include the grade, quantity, color, size and brand for all building materials. Never sign an incomplete contract, or a blank one. Make sure you agree in writing that no changes or substitutions can be made unless you both agree in writing.
Does the contract permit or require arbitration? Find out what this means - is the arbitration a state run program? Is it an arbitration program provided by a builders' association? If so, find out the terms of that arbitration. Once you sign the agreement, you are bound to its terms.
Make sure your contractor is insured for Worker's Compensation and liability insurance - ask to see written proof. Never pay the full contract price in advance. A home improvement contractor can only require a deposit of 1/3 of the full contract price.
Problems? Act Quickly!
Contact your local building inspector early in the process, making sure the contractor has obtained the required building permit, and assuring the inspectors will do the required periodic inspections. If unexpected delays happen, address them with the contractor immediately.
The building contractor that signs your contract is personally liable to you, should anything go wrong. If you cannot recover from the contractor, there is a state-sponsored arbitration program and Guaranty Fund for home improvement contracts that go wrong, but your contractor must be registered at the time of the contract, and other restrictions apply. The maximum restitution available under this program is $10,000, however, and it does not apply to construction of a new home, only to home improvements.
Retaining an attorney to review your contract will add value to your project by minimizing risks of delay and default.
