Before you sign
In New York City and in several surrounding counties, home improvement contractors must hold a local license, and you can usually check a contractor's status online before hiring. New York State law also sets requirements for home improvement contracts, including that they be in writing, and it addresses how a homeowner's deposit must be handled. A workable remodeling contract describes the scope in enough detail to measure against, lists materials and allowances, ties payments to completed stages rather than to dates alone, and says who obtains permits. It should also explain how changes are priced and approved, since change orders are where most disputes start.
Records during the job
Keep the signed contract, every change order, payment records, and the texts and emails with the contractor, along with dated photos of the work as it progresses. Agree to changes in writing, even briefly, before the work is done. If problems appear, describe them to the contractor in writing and give a chance to correct them where the contract calls for that. Stopping payment or barring the contractor from the site without legal advice can be treated as a breach on your side, and a contractor who is not paid may be able to file a mechanic's lien against the property within a set period. Permits, inspections, and sign-offs belong in the file as well, because open permits can surface when you later sell or refinance.
Resolving a remodeling dispute
Disputes tend to center on unfinished or defective work, delays, payment for extra work, and deposits for materials that never arrived. Our review begins with the contract and change orders, the contractor's licensing status, what has been paid against what was completed, and whether a lien has been filed or threatened. Options can include a negotiated completion plan, bringing in another contractor to finish, a complaint to the licensing agency, or a lawsuit for the cost of completing or correcting the work. We also represent contractors in payment disputes, where the contract and the documentation of change orders matter just as much.
