n.j dept of consumer affairs

[bobbygedd]

home improvement contractors license. another crock? is this a good thing? who will enforce it? they are talking about some very stiff fines.

[AL Inc]

Not enforced at all here, or very little. $200/year. Only problem is that a contract isn't enforceable by an unlicensed contractor. A client can just decide that they don't want to pay, and you are SOL. Then you have to resort to shovel method.

[Ol'time Lawncare]

home improvement contractors license. another crock? is this a good thing? who will enforce it? they are talking about some very stiff fines.
I've looked around, seen flyers everywhere.No one is displaying there numbers anywhere.

[bobbygedd]

I've looked around, seen flyers everywhere.No one is displaying there numbers anywhere.
are you, displaying yours?

[Ol'time Lawncare]

are you, displaying yours?
NOPE! I payed and havnt even got a number yet.it's bin 2 week already.And you, are you displaying yours? there saying major fines.

[bobbygedd]

i sent mine in december of 2005. i havn't recieved anything. oh, yes, i did, i recieved the cancelled check, they cashed it the next day

[Ol'time Lawncare]

i sent mine in december of 2005. i havn't recieved anything. oh, yes, i did, i recieved the cancelled check, they cashed it the next day
I talked to alot of guys and they said they havn't heard anything about this new law. what's next???

[bobbygedd]

yes, what IS NEXT? how can you compete with the guys not carrying the proper permits? it's not the $90 fee that bothers me. they are talking big fines, 10 grand for minor violations. anyone can get fined. let's just say you send an invoice without the #'s on it, u get fined. you will have to submit to inspections. paperwork, all involved, will end up costing money. YOUR price of doing business just went up, you have to adjust your fees accordingly. how do you compete with the guy who has no fees, and is able to price a job lower, and profit more?

[mrusk]

I got my #. I have it on my business cards, invoices etc. But not on my truck.

[rodfather]

A big f***iing crock to say the least...home improvement contractor is someone IMO who puts in new kitchen cabinets or installs a new bathroom tub. It is NOT someone who installs a couple of petunias or a few yards of mulch.

Give me a break already!:realmad: I'd rather give the money to charity.

[lawnguyland]

Yeah-pretty useless here too. Putting the # on your invoice is easy enough. Here we slap an orange sticker on the bumper and that's it. BUT................

The GOOD thing about it is that it means you have insurance and a buisiness license. In some towns here it is required for a permit to landscape (more $ for towns). Now the good thing is there is a town I work in that requires a permit which means you have to have the dept. of consumer affairs license, insurance, pesticide license, worker's comp, and more. All a big pain in the arse BUT...the town that requires permits actually has a guy that drives around and looks for the town permits on your truck, ENFORCING the law. This in turn means that in this town, the system works because there are never any unlicensed, uninsured landscapers working and all are legit companies playing on a level field. This is the best situation. In towns where there is no permit it is useless unless as AL inc. said you have to enforce a contract. So really, it depends on the town and it's requirements and especially the enforcement of the law which keeps the stinkin illegitimate children out!

[paponte]

Not enforced at all here, or very little. $200/year. Only problem is that a contract isn't enforceable by an unlicensed contractor. A client can just decide that they don't want to pay, and you are SOL. Then you have to resort to shovel method.

We got stopped twice last year. Had to show my ID card, and they called it in and verified everything. You guys should be greatfull for $90 bucks. We pay $500. every 2 years. $200yr, plus $100 to a restitution or "holy **** fund" as we call it.

[Trinity Lawn Care, LLC]

Waiting on my #. In addition there is verbiage that you need to add into your contract. The three day rescission period now applies to us. Don't buy any supplies for a job until the three days is up. The customer has three days to cancel and you have to refund them 100% of their money. When speaking to my attorney, he said that it may be a little while before the truly start enforcing it, because of the flood of applications. He said that after that he believes that they will start enforcing it pretty strictly. You are right there are some pretty stiff penalties. I do think that in the long run it will be to our benefit. I believe that it will force the "non-professional" people, and fly by nights out of the industry

[AL Inc]

Paponte, what is the extra $100 for?

[AintNoFun]

the only part of the landscaping industry i think it will help out are the paver guys who maybe need permits for driveways, patios, etc. other than that its not gonna help the lawn maintenance biz at all....

[paponte]

Paponte, what is the extra $100 for?

Goes to cover a restitution fund. Pretty much if you screw up a job or go out of business, the consumer is covered up to a certain amount to have someone else fix or finish the job. :rolleyes:

[LandscapePro]

3 quick questions...

How much insurance are they requiring?

Is there a restriction on using the word "landscape" or Landscaping" in a business name or ad without the new license?

Is there testing required with regard to Landscaping or is this "just pay me and go"?

Mike
La. Landscape Contractor #2576

[paponte]

Not sure about NJ, but in Suffolk County they require at least $300K in gls, yes there is a test, and any advertising requires that you state your HI license number on it. :)

[LandscapePro]

Paul,

thanks... In New York does the license requirement vary from county to county? Or is it pretty much the same state wide?

Mike
La. Landscape Contractor #2576

[AL Inc]

I hope I didn't miss the extra $, I just renewed my license last week, and it said the fee was $400. I wasn't aware of the exrtra fee.

[paponte]

I hope I didn't miss the extra $, I just renewed my license last week, and it said the fee was $400. I wasn't aware of the exrtra fee.

I stand corrected. The $100 is a one time fee, every renewal is $400. You are right AL. :)

[AL Inc]

Don't scare me like that, Paul, I've got enough problems LOL :)

[Trinity Lawn Care, LLC]

In NJ the min. insurance is 500k per occurrence of gen liab. Also, this reg# is needed if you do anything other than grass cutting. This includes mulching, planting, etc. Pretty much anything that we all do other than cut grass. I do not think that it has anything to do with your name. It is totally to do with what services that you provide.

[LandscapePro]

Rob,

Is there testing involved?

Mike
La. Landscape Contractor #2576

[Trinity Lawn Care, LLC]

No, as of right now there is no testing involved. The only requirements that I recall are: 1. You are a legitimate business (I had to send them the info of my formation.) 2. Minimum of 500k gen liab. Other than that the only other things that I remember were filling out the app. and $90 check. It could even be a personal check. However, I did read an article where they were talking about in the future possibly making mandatory education. There was a pretty nice size article in one of larger local papers in the area. They are definitely trying to educate the public to this new law.

[AintNoFun]

No, as of right now there is no testing involved. The only requirements that I recall are: 1. You are a legitimate business (I had to send them the info of my formation.) 2. Minimum of 500k gen liab. Other than that the only other things that I remember were filling out the app. and $90 check. It could even be a personal check. However, I did read an article where they were talking about in the future possibly making mandatory education. There was a pretty nice size article in one of larger local papers in the area. They are definitely trying to educate the public to this new law.



unless the state knows they can make some serious money enforcing it, there not going to.. look at all the fines they can hit people with for illegal chemical applications. In about SEVEN years i've seen one inspector for the DEP...

[Trinity Lawn Care, LLC]

Yeah, you are probably right. I was thinking that they are probably going to be looking more toward home improvement contractors (i.e. roofers, remodelers etc.) than us. However, I do not want to be the one that they make an example of. If they do ever decide to enforce it I would rather be safe then sorry.

[bobbygedd]

unless the state knows they can make some serious money enforcing it, there not going to.. look at all the fines they can hit people with for illegal chemical applications. In about SEVEN years i've seen one inspector for the DEP...
you never know though, just look at the dept of labor the last 2 yrs. every guy i know got stopped and hassled by them.

[rodfather]

you never know though, just look at the dept of labor the last 2 yrs. every guy i know got stopped and hassled by them.

even though they didn't make it up by me, I told my guys to keep a recent pay stub with them after you told me about the dept. of labor going around checking for payroll taxes and wc insurance.

[AintNoFun]

you never know though, just look at the dept of labor the last 2 yrs. every guy i know got stopped and hassled by them.


how professional did the guys look? you think they stopped some chooch in a 1976 6 different color chevy pickup, or a crew full of mexicans with jose' landscaping on the doors, i doubt it.. there are gonna stop the guys who have half way descent rigs cuz they know thats where the money is at... i fing hate NJ so much...

[Olylawnboy]

Are you guys saying you have to have a contractors licence on top of your bis licence to install lanscape plants and mulch? Because in doing so would would would be an "improvement" thus raising the value of a property? In a way I could see installing plants/trees/shrubs could increase the value of a property to some extent but mulch should be consitered maintenance. And I thought my state was nuts :)

[bobbygedd]

how professional did the guys look? you think they stopped some chooch in a 1976 6 different color chevy pickup, or a crew full of mexicans with jose' landscaping on the doors, i doubt it.. there are gonna stop the guys who have half way descent rigs cuz they know thats where the money is at... i fing hate NJ so much...
actually, they stopped guys i know that had nice stuff, and guys that had crappy stuff. how do you rationalize that "the big nice stuff is where the money is at?" i HATE that thinking. in fact, the guys with the crappola stuff, if they are smart enough, make ALOT MORE than the guys with the big new toys. there is one guy here, 7 shiny trucks, 22 employees, everything very nice and new and "pro fesh ion al". I NETTED MORE THAN HIM, with my crappy trucks, old mowers, a small mexican, and a lazy female employee. and i SPENT MOST OF THE SUMMER INTOXICATED!

[AintNoFun]

actually, they stopped guys i know that had nice stuff, and guys that had crappy stuff. how do you rationalize that "the big nice stuff is where the money is at?" i HATE that thinking. in fact, the guys with the crappola stuff, if they are smart enough, make ALOT MORE than the guys with the big new toys. there is one guy here, 7 shiny trucks, 22 employees, everything very nice and new and "pro fesh ion al". I NETTED MORE THAN HIM, with my crappy trucks, old mowers, a small mexican, and a lazy female employee. and i SPENT MOST OF THE SUMMER INTOXICATED!

how do you know you netted more than him.. even if he told you people do lie.. i lie about what i make all the time and always tell people i make a helluva lot less... cuz the generalization is the guys with nice trucks have the money to pay the fines........

[bobbygedd]

well, that's a dumb generalization. the richest people i know, appear to be broke. and the brokest people i know, appear to be rich. now, as far as this guy i was talking about.......facts are facts. in FACT, i know 2 guys that built "big" and went broke. one guy grossed 1.2 million, AND LOST money(no, he didn't draw a salary, and show a loss to the business) quite the contrary, he wasn't able to draw a salary at all, and still lost money. the other guy grossed alot more than that, and ended up in the same boat. both individuals currently work for someone else, while they desperately struggle to hold on. one even told me flat out, as he stood beside my rusty old dodge looking at my earthway spreader, patched up with duct tape, and my two old walk behinds, "when i had a setup like this, i made money, i wish i had kept it this way. "

[YardPro]

yea right...
keep telling yourself that bobby and you might actually start believing it.....

[bobbygedd]

why don't you just mind your own business

[LB1234]

Contacted home improvement contractors office two weeks before christmass and left message. Stated name, number, company, and said I had questions on the application sheet and I want to make sure when I send it in everything is correct and avoid holdups. No call for a week. Call back the wednesday before christmass same thing except I state the two specific questions I have. Tuesday afternoon rolls around and still haven't heard from them. Called, still nobody their and left a third message.

No call back that day so place in the mail making two assumptions. Wanted to make sure I got the BS application in before the 31st. Last week I get a phone call from jack...or whoever...I forget his name...from home improvement contractors office. I asked why he was calling, he said he was returning my phone call and wanted to answer the questions I had. After a long chuckle and a deep breath was taken I asked what took so long? Reponse...we are very busy. I said what good is it going to do now, I already made the assumptions and sent the application in. He said, oh sorry about that.

I asked if he could check on the status of the application. He put me on hold for all of 5 seconds to say, yes we have received your application. I asked, well, how much longer for the number. He said he didn't know. I said, 3 days, two months, anything. Nope he said. I said thanks for the returned phone call...laughed and hung up.

Just frustrating...

I checked my bank online, they cashed my check on 01/10 and wrote an application number on it. I'm hoping within the next week so I can start printing out my flyers and be 'legal and legit' and place my stupid f-ing number on their!!

[YardPro]

why don't you just mind your own business

lol

i see you changed your sig line.....
i think it is cute how you put forth lies like your sig line.....just lets everybody know how much to believe what u say

[LB1234]

"13:45A-16.2 Unlawful Practices"

8. Competitors:
i. Misrepresent that the work of a competitor was performed by the seller;

ii. Misrepresent that the seller's products, materials or workmanship are equal to or better than those of a competitor; or

iii. Use or imitate the trademarks, trade names, labels or other distinctive marks of a competitor.



I'm sorry, but that is just funny:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

"No miss, my workmanship is not equal to or better than my competitor"

Think that will land me the job?

[Big M LawnnSnow]

In NJ how do you apply and to who for this license?
Where do you get the paperwork?

[Big M LawnnSnow]

Hopefully there is going o be another registering period for the contractors license in NJ or do we just go out of business for the year?

[TJLANDS]

Just call the NJ division of Consumer affairs or go to their website. I waited until Dec to apply and had mine in 3-4 weeks.

[LB1234]

Hopefully there is going o be another registering period for the contractors license in NJ or do we just go out of business for the year?

you can still plow snow and mow lawns...:waving:

[FairwayLandscape]

We've had this requirement for sometime now. And they say they inforce it, but they are actually full of sh__. A guy who worked for us 2 years ago stole some clients and got some of his own is still out there unlicensed. Nothing done to HIM. and they, don't give a rats arse.
Are you kidding me I've had plenty of my own client's tell me they do'nt care about licensing! They don't care about anything except LOW prices and TO NOTCH SERVICE.:usflag: :nono: