What’s the most important question to ask a contractor?
Ask for their New Jersey home-improvement registration number — it starts with “13VH” — and then look it up yourself at njconsumeraffairs.gov/hic before you discuss price. Registration is mandatory in New Jersey and has to be renewed annually. Plenty lapse.
The nine that follow protect you on permits, insurance, payment, and what happens when a crew opens a wall and finds a surprise. And in New Jersey, a home-improvement contract over $500 that’s missing required terms is void and unenforceable by the contractor — which is leverage most homeowners never know they have.
Most homeowners interview contractors backwards. They start with price, get three numbers that don’t compare, and pick the middle one. Price is the last question, not the first — because a low bid from someone who isn’t registered, isn’t insured, or won’t pull the permit isn’t a bargain, it’s a liability you’re taking on.
Here are the ten questions to ask before you sign anything, in the order that actually protects you, plus the New Jersey contract rules that give you more room than you’d think.
The 10 questions, in order
Work through these before money comes up. A contractor who answers the first four without hesitating has already told you most of what you need to know.
1. What’s your New Jersey registration number?
Every home-improvement contractor operating in New Jersey must register with the Division of Consumer Affairs and carry a number beginning with “13VH.” Verify it yourself at njconsumeraffairs.gov/hic — don’t accept a screenshot. Registration renews annually, so confirm it reads active, not just that a number exists. Operating unregistered carries civil penalties up to $10,000 for a first offense.
2. Can I see your certificate of liability insurance and workers’ comp?
New Jersey requires registered contractors to carry commercial general liability insurance with a minimum of $500,000 per occurrence. Ask for the actual certificate with the insurer’s phone number, and call to confirm the policy is current. Workers’ comp is the one people skip — without it, a worker injured on your property can become your problem.
3. Who is pulling the permit?
The answer should be “we are, in our name.” Roofing, siding, additions, and most structural work require a permit under the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, filed with your township construction office. If a contractor asks you to pull it, that often means they can’t — and you’ve just accepted legal responsibility for the work. In shore towns, flood-zone properties draw extra review, so ask whether that’s factored into the timeline.
4. Will the contract include everything New Jersey law requires?
A written contract is mandatory over $500, and the required terms are specific. See the checklist below — this is the question that separates a professional operation from a handshake and a truck.
5. Who is actually doing the work — your crew or subcontractors?
Both answers can be fine. What matters is knowing. If subs are involved, ask whether they’re covered under the contractor’s liability and workers’ comp policies, and get the general contractor’s registration number in the contract as the responsible party.
6. What happens if you open it up and find damage?
This is the question that prevents the mid-job argument. Older housing stock in Collingswood, Haddonfield, Audubon and much of Camden County hides rotted sheathing, old layers, knob-and-tube, and asbestos-era materials. Get the per-unit price for the likely surprises in writing — per sheet of plywood, per linear foot of framing — before work starts, not after the wall is open.
7. What’s the payment schedule?
Payments should track completed milestones, not the calendar. A modest deposit to order materials is normal. Half the job price before anyone shows up is not.
8. Who’s my point of contact day to day?
Get a name and a number for the person who’ll actually be on site or reachable during the job — not the salesperson who quoted it. Ask what hours they respond and how quickly.
9. What’s the warranty — on materials and on labor?
These are two different things. Manufacturer material warranties often require certified installation to stay valid, which is why credentials like GAF Master Elite matter beyond marketing. Get the labor warranty length in writing separately.
10. Can I see two recent jobs near me?
Ask for addresses in your township or a neighboring one, finished within the last year. A contractor who works your area regularly can produce them. One who can’t may be working your area for the first time — often after a storm.
What New Jersey law requires in your contract
This is where New Jersey homeowners have more protection than they realize. Under the Contractors’ Registration Act, every home-improvement contract over $500 must be in writing and must contain specific terms. If required terms are missing, the contract is void and unenforceable by the contractor — meaning they can’t sue you to enforce it.
You can read the statute yourself in the New Jersey home improvement contractor law published by the Division of Consumer Affairs. FEMA also publishes a general contractor checklist that’s worth printing before storm-damage repairs.
After you sign a New Jersey home-improvement contract, you can cancel before midnight of the third business day without giving a reason. It has to be in writing, delivered either by certified mail or by hand to the contractor’s business address. You’re entitled to a full refund, and it must be paid within 30 days of them receiving your notice. Signing under pressure at the kitchen table is recoverable — but only if you move fast.
Red flags when hiring a contractor
Four things should end the conversation, regardless of how good the price looks.
- “You pull the permit.” A registered contractor pulls it in their own name. This request usually means they can’t.
- “Cash gets you a discount.” No paper trail, no warranty recourse, and no proof of payment if it goes wrong.
- “This price is only good today.” Manufactured urgency is a sales tactic, not a market condition. Real contractors are booked weeks out and will still be there Monday.
- “We were in the neighborhood after the storm.” After a nor’easter, out-of-state crews work South Jersey hard. Some are legitimate. Ask for the 13VH number on the spot and look it up while they’re standing there.
Should you pay a contractor 50% upfront?
Generally, no. A deposit in the range of 10–30% to cover material orders is standard practice on most residential jobs, and larger material-heavy projects can justify more. What you’re looking for is payments tied to completed milestones — materials delivered, tear-off finished, work inspected — rather than a large sum handed over before anyone arrives.
Hold a meaningful final payment until the work passes township inspection and you’ve walked it yourself. And keep everything on a traceable payment method. If a contractor won’t structure payments against progress, that tells you something about their cash position that has nothing to do with your project.
Where to start looking
We run the registration, insurance, and reputation checks on every contractor in our directory before listing them, and nobody pays for a ranking. Browse the vetted South Jersey contractor directory, or if you’re working on a specific project, start with our vetted South Jersey roofing companies and the South Jersey roof replacement cost guide so you know the real numbers before the first quote.
Frequently asked questions
What are red flags when hiring a contractor?
The clearest red flags are asking you to pull the permit, pushing for cash to avoid a paper trail, claiming a price expires today, and door-knocking after a storm. Any one of them is reason enough to get another quote. Verify the contractor’s 13VH registration before going further.
Should I pay a contractor 50% upfront?
Usually not. A deposit of roughly 10–30% to cover materials is standard on most residential jobs, with the balance tied to completed milestones. Hold a meaningful final payment until the work passes township inspection.
Does a home improvement contract have to be in writing in New Jersey?
Yes, for any home-improvement contract over $500. It must include the contractor’s registration number, a copy of their liability insurance certificate, the total price, a description of work and materials, start and completion dates, warranty terms, and a 3-day cancellation notice. If required terms are missing, the contract is void and unenforceable by the contractor.
Can I cancel a contract after I’ve signed it?
In New Jersey you can cancel a home-improvement contract for any reason before midnight of the third business day after signing. Send written notice by certified mail or hand-deliver it to the contractor’s business address. You’re entitled to a full refund within 30 days.
How do I check if a contractor is licensed in New Jersey?
Search the company name or its 13VH number at njconsumeraffairs.gov/hic and confirm the registration reads active. Registration is annual, so a number alone isn’t enough — check the status. Then request current certificates of general liability and workers’ compensation insurance.
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