How to Hire a Contractor, Plumber or Electrician in Bergen County, NJ

Most bad contractor stories in New Jersey start the same way: no written contract, a big cash deposit, and no one checked the paperwork. The good news is that New Jersey has some of the strongest homeowner protections in the country, and using them takes about 15 minutes. Here’s how to hire the right pro for your Bergen County home and protect yourself if something goes wrong.

Step 1: Know which kind of pro you need

• General or home improvement contractor: kitchens, baths, additions, decks, basements, siding, roofing. Must be registered with the state as a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC).
• Plumber: water heaters, pipes, drains, fixtures, gas lines. Work must be done under a licensed NJ Master Plumber.
• Electrician: panels, new circuits, rewiring, generators, EV chargers. Must be a licensed NJ electrical contractor.

A kitchen or bath remodel often involves all three. Ask the general contractor which licensed plumber and electrician they’ll use, and check those licenses too.

Step 2: Check registration and licenses before you call back

New Jersey’s Contractors’ Registration Act requires home improvement contractors to register with the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs. Unregistered contractors can’t get municipal construction permits and aren’t allowed to do home improvement work in the state.

Registered contractors must show their registration number (it starts with “13VH” and is shown as “HIC Reg. #”) in their ads, on their vehicles and on their contracts. Look up that number, along with plumbing and electrical licenses, on the Division of Consumer Affairs website. Then search the business name with “complaint” and “BBB”.

Bergen County Best tip: If a contractor can’t give you an HIC number, or says “we don’t need a permit for this” on a kitchen or bath job, move on.

Step 3: Get three written estimates

Ask each contractor for an itemized estimate, broken out by labor, materials, permits and disposal. When the numbers are far apart, the reason is usually scope, so line the estimates up side by side and ask about every difference.

Step 4: Read the contract (New Jersey requires one)

Under New Jersey law, any home improvement contract over $500, and every change order, must be in writing and signed. The contract must include:

• The contractor’s legal name, business address and HIC registration number
• A description of the work and materials
• Start and completion dates
• The total price and payment schedule
• A notice of your right to cancel

Step 5: Know your 3-day right to cancel

You can cancel a home improvement contract for any reason until midnight of the third business day after you receive a signed copy. If you cancel in time, you’re entitled to a full refund within 30 days. Put the cancellation in writing and keep proof of delivery.

Step 6: Permits: who pulls them, and when you need one

Every Bergen County town enforces New Jersey’s Uniform Construction Code through its local construction office.

• Usually needs a permit: kitchen and bath renovations, finished basements, decks, additions, new electrical circuits, and water heater, furnace or boiler replacements. Emergency replacements can often be permitted shortly after the work, but call your town’s construction office to confirm.
• Usually doesn’t (“ordinary repairs”): painting, replacing gutters, swapping a dishwasher or washing machine. Since a 2018 rule change, replacing roofing or siding on a one- or two-family home is generally treated as ordinary maintenance.

Your contract should say the contractor pulls the permits and schedules inspections. Unpermitted work can cause problems when you sell the house.

Step 7: Pay in stages, never mostly up front

Tie each payment to a finished stage (demo done, rough-in inspected, final inspection passed). Hold back the last payment until the final inspection passes and the punch list is done. Pay by check or card, never cash.

Where to start

FAQ