Contractors: 10 Things to Know (or Ask)

Contractors Legal and Ethical Requirements / Protecting Your Home

1. Are they licensed? Many contractors are not licensed, sometimes for good reason: lawsuits from homeowners like you, poor workmanship, fraud, and more.
2. Are they bonded AND insured? A bond is required for a license to be issued while general liability insurance is not. Many contractors claim to be bonded and insured but merely have the required $15,000 bond insurance. Be sure any contractor you consider also carries a general liabilty insurance policy that will protect your home and project after its completion whether the contractor stays in business or not.
   
   
3. Are there employees protected? If there is no Workman’s Comp insurance and an employee (or day laborer?) gets hurt on your property and you have to pay for them to be out of work for 2-4 months, your homeowner’s insurance will ask if you checked their Workman’s Comp insurance. Most people don’t know where to check (Here! cslb.ca.gov) to see if they have Workman’s Comp or any legal actions against them.
4. Does the company rep have the Home Improvement Sales (HIS) badge showing they were fingerprinted and background-checked (LiveScan) before entering your home? The law demands this to ensure felons are not entering your home. Note: If they cannot produce proof of Workman’s Comp insurance and they do not have the HIS badge, they’ve already broken the law twice before they’ve done anything. 

JNR provides proof of Workman’s Comp, background checks, bonding and a $1 mil Liability Insurance policy, which is above and beyond the state requirements. We do this to ensure YOU are covered if anything goes wrong (more on this).

Great Reviews / Best Contractor & Landscaper 5 Years Running

   5. Do they have good reviews? Are there multiple good reviews online for people they’ve worked for? In addition to being the highest rated contractor and landscaper in the Antelope Valley and surrounding areas, JNR has hundreds more in the “hidden reviews” section of Yelp - be sure to look for them! We pride ourselves on making our customers happy with the knowledge that most bad reviews are from people we never even worked for. JNR has won A.V.'s Best Contractor and A.V.’s Best Landscaper most of the years between 2017-2023.

Free Consultation / Fair Pricing / Deposits / Financing Available 

     6. Why should you wait? JNR will quickly schedule a free consultation with a licensed Home Improvement Salesperson/Designer (HIS) who will measure your project space and give you an estimate on the spot, instead of waiting a week or more. 
     7. Do they dump in the desert? Too many contractors are known to take your broken concrete, old wooden patio pieces and other landscaping materials and dump them in the desert. We are vehemently against illegal dumping - we live here too! - and we pay thousands of dollars every year to properly dispose at the appropriate landfills. 
     8. How much, and how much down? Despite the challenging economy, we’ve managed to keep prices down and we also let our customers know when specific items have exceeded inflation and spiked much higher (like wrought iron and vinyl fences in the current climate). As for down payments, California law is clear in that contractors may not ask for more than $1000 down or 10% of the total cost of the job, whichever is less. If anyone asks you for 50% down, which is a too-common occurrence, ask for proof of licensing and insurance, and chances are they don’t have those either. 
     9. Do banks trust this contractor? Most contractors are not granted access to banks to offer financing for various reasons. JNR does, having been vetted by many banks, which allows you more power in decision-making and more financial flexibility. For instance, a low monthly payment of $260 on an $18,500 project may be preferable to paying cash, or you may prefer a special program of 0%, 0 payments for a year. That way, you can wait until your dream project is completed before you pay. 

JNR offers financing through Wells Fargo, Service Financial and several other banks to give you more options to beautify your home now, rather than waiting years before you begin. Approvals usually happen during the free consultation and just take a few minutes. 

Location, Location, Location 

     10. Can you visit your contractor anytime? JNR Home Improvements has an office at 39450 3rd St East, in Palmdale. Although many contractors operate 
“out of a truck,” JNR’s office is available to visit anytime during the week. We also have a small showroom displaying artificial turf and colored rock samples. 

Any other questions? Just call us at 855-376-3330 and we’ll be happy to answer them.