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Face fines of $5,000 to $500

Twelve unregistered home improvement contractors are facing fines of $5,000 to $500 after they were caught in a state Division of Consumer Affairs sting in a vacant house in Morris County.

The undercover operation took place over the summer in a Morris Plains house that investigators obtained through the assistance of Morris County. Investigators contacted suspected unregistered contractors to come to the house, inspect it, and provide estimates for various improvements. The contractors were identified through print and online advertisements.

The proposed home improvement work included driveway repaving, basement renovations and waterproofing, installation of new wood floors, bathroom renovations, masonry repairs, and installation of a new fence. The estimates for projects ranged from $1,180 to $14,000.

The state Contractors' Registration Act, which took effect in 2006, requires all contractors performing residential work to register annually with the Division of Consumer Affairs. In order to register, contractors are required to disclose where their business is located, provide proof they have insurance, and use contracts containing specific consumer protection language for all projects costing more than $500.

"The contractors' registration law took effect nearly five years ago, so ignorance of the law is no excuse," state Attorney General Paula T. Dow said Tuesday. "Homeowners can spend thousands of dollars on home repairs and renovations and I am committed to rooting out phony contractors and unregistered contractors who attempt to rip off consumers."

The sting resulted in eight home improvement contractors receiving violation notices for being unregistered. An additional four contractors were cited for being registered but not displaying their registration numbers to the public as required. Two other contractors received warning letters for minor violations of the law.

"Homeowners throughout the state continue to fall prey to home improvement contractors operating outside the law," state Acting Consumer Affairs Director Thomas R. Calcagni said. "Knowing that the company is legitimately registered helps to ensure that it's not a fly-by-night operation, that it's properly insured, and that there's someone accountable should the repair or renovations go wrong."

There are approximately 43,000 registered home improvement contractors statewide.

Here are the contractors who are being assessed a $5,000 civil penalty, with the option of having the penalty reduced to $1,000 if a registration application is submitted by Dec. 3: Costello Sealcoating and Paving, Mine Hill; Decorative Concrete/Wyatt Concrete, Hillsborough; Eurocraft, Middlesex; Andrew Realmonte, Pine Brook: Neil's Custom Masonry, address being verified; Handyman Mike Rotolo, Warren; Ted's Home Improvement Services, Park Ridge, and Cacciola Iron Works, Paterson.

Here are the contractors who are registered but received violation notices for failing to display their Home Improvement Registration number on contracts, in advertisements, and on their vehicles, as legally required. Each is being assessed a $500 civil penalty. Bergen-Essex B&E Contractors, Nutley; Tom Dakake of Accurate Contractors, Haskell; Deegan Roofing Co., Plainfield, and American A-1 Waterproofing, Haledon.

Here are the contractors who are registered but were issued warning letters for using incomplete or incorrect registration numbers: Jersey Partners/East Rutherford Roofing, Little Falls, and Castillo Home Improvements, Paterson.

The Division of Consumer Affairs has an online database of registered home improvement contractors that the public can access to verify whether a contractor is registered. The database can be found at http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/LVinfo.htm. Consumers can also call 973-273-8090 to access the division's license verification system.

Consumers are asked to report any suspected unregistered home improvement contractor to the Division via its web site, http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov or by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll-free within N.J.) or 973-504-6200.

— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM