All contract needs to fully define all aspects of what homeowner and contractor have agreed to. The level of detail that should be included in a contract will vary with the size and complexity of the project. For a new home building or renovation project, the contract should include details of the design, material and product specifications, the project schedule, costs, and payment arrangements. For more simple home repair jobs, less detail may be needed, but it should still provide a clear warranty on the work – specifically what is covered and for how long.  Here are some simple things all contracts should include:

-Name of contractor, business address, phone number and license number

-A clear description of work the contractor is responsible for doing

-If any work the homeowner or other contractor is responsible for doing

-Who is responsible for obtaining necessary building permits and inspections

-Start and completion dates

-Who will be supplying materials

-A clear payment schedule

-Signatures

A detailed written contract between homeowner and contractor is essential, whether you are doing a simple home repair or major renovation. If you get involved in a handshake “cash deal without a written contract, problems caused by mis-communication are more likely to occur making issues much harder to resolve.

To see what the Connecticut Department of consumer protection has to say about contracts, click here

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