Articles

  Not many residential contractors think of themselves as door-to-door salespeople. But the law in most states puts nearly all residential contractors in the home solicitation sales business.     "So what," you say. "I'm not doing anything shady. I deliver real value and have nothing but satisfied customers."   Continue reading →

  The legislature in Augusta has earned a reputation for piling on law that affects construction contractors. This month's Maine Supreme Court decision in Cellar Dwellers, Inc. v. Dominic D'Alessio, Jr. (2010 ME 32) illustrates the point.   Continue reading →

  Every construction contractor and subcontractor has heard the term flow-down. A few probably feel they were washed away by flow-down. I don’t think that’s necessary and will suggest a better way.   Continue reading →

  Every contractor who does residential work knows about a home owner's three-day right to cancel. But what you may not know is how vicious this innocuous little form can be. Here's a short quiz to test your understanding. Answers are below.   Continue reading →

  Every contractor who builds, repairs or remodels homes or apartments in Minnesota knows about One, Two, Ten.   Continue reading →

  If there's a load limit on construction contracts, Maryland must be getting close. The legislators in Annapolis require 21 distinct notices and disclosures in custom home building contracts. As a class, buyers of custom homes in Maryland must be among the best protected anywhere. Omitting any of these disclosures carries heavy consequences. More on that later.   Continue reading →

  Hawaii has a reputation for making life difficult for contractors who don't toe the line. Sometimes the results border on the ridiculous, at least from a contractor's perspective. Just ask Michael Sakatani, a Honolulu contractor doing business as 808 Development LLC.   Continue reading →

  The Texas Residential Construction Commission Act (TRCCA) has joined the Alamo as a memorable episode in Texas history. Like defenders of the Alamo, defenders of TRCCA went down swinging. But the result was about the same: A commendable effort that came up a little short.   Continue reading →

  Staying legal in the New York construction contracting business begins with licensing. New York State licenses only asbestos contractors. But that doesn't make licensing a trivial issue in New York. Cities and counties in New York are free to require a license for any type of construction activity. And many municipal governments do exactly that. For example, New York City licenses home improvement contractors. The site is: Continue reading →

  Not many home improvement contractors get their day at the supreme court. But it happened in New Jersey earlier this year. And there's a lesson here for residential contractors in many other states. I'll explain.   Continue reading →