North Bergen has a little of everything: two-family homes off Kennedy Boulevard, older one-family houses, and plenty of condos and rentals along the Palisades. Whatever you own, the hardest part of a remodel is often the first decision: who you let into the house to do it.
We are a licensed general contractor working in North Bergen and across Hudson County. Here is the short list of things we would check if we were the ones hiring. Most of it takes ten minutes, and it can save you months of headaches.
1. Make sure they're registered with the State
New Jersey requires home improvement contractors to register with the Division of Consumer Affairs. That covers most of the work homeowners hire for: kitchens, bathrooms, finished basements, additions, windows, roofing, siding, flooring and more.
- Ask for the registration number. It usually starts with "13VH." Registered contractors are supposed to show it on their contracts, ads and work vehicles.
- Look it up yourself. The Division of Consumer Affairs has an online license lookup, and you can call them at 1-888-656-6225 if you have questions.
- Registration is not a skills test. It shows the business is on file with the State and carries the required insurance. You still need to check references and past work.
Our number is NJ Home Improvement Contractor License #13VH13409900. We are happy to have you check it.
2. Ask for proof of insurance
New Jersey requires registered home improvement contractors to carry commercial general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence. Under the rules that took effect in 2025, they also need workers' compensation coverage unless they are exempt.
Ask for the certificate of insurance and actually read it. Check that the business name matches the name on the contract and that the policy dates cover your job. If someone gets hurt on your property or something gets damaged, this is what protects you.
3. Get a real written contract
For any home improvement job over $500, New Jersey law says the contract and any changes to it must be in writing and signed by both sides. The contract has to include:
- The contractor's legal name, business address and registration number.
- A copy of the liability insurance certificate and the insurance company's phone number.
- The total price, including any finance charges.
Beyond what the law requires, a good contract spells out the scope room by room, who buys which materials, start and completion dates, the payment schedule, and how change orders are handled. If a bid is one line that says "bathroom remodel," you are guessing about what you are actually paying for.
4. Know your three-day right to cancel
In New Jersey you can cancel a home improvement contract for any reason before midnight of the third business day after you get a copy of it. You have to cancel in writing, by certified or registered mail or by hand delivery to the address in the contract. Any money you paid has to be refunded within 30 days. The contract itself is required to explain this in bold print. If yours doesn't, ask why.
5. Ask who pulls the permits in North Bergen
North Bergen follows the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code. Permits go through the Township's Code Enforcement (Building) Department at Town Hall, 4233 Kennedy Boulevard, North Bergen, NJ 07047. You can reach them at (201) 392-2051. Building, electrical, plumbing and fire permits are available, and the Township says permits have to be issued before an inspection can be scheduled.
Painting, new cabinets on existing plumbing, or swapping a vanity usually doesn't need much. Moving walls, adding circuits, relocating plumbing or finishing a basement usually does. When you interview contractors, ask:
- Who files the permit application, and whose name is on it?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector?
- Who handles the electrical and plumbing work, and are those trades licensed in New Jersey?
A contractor who says "you don't need a permit for that" on a job that moves pipes or wires is handing you the risk. Unpermitted work can show up later when you sell, refinance or file an insurance claim.
6. Watch the deposit and payment schedule
A reasonable payment schedule follows the work: a deposit to get on the calendar and order materials, then payments tied to milestones you can see, like rough-in passing inspection or tile done. Be careful with anyone who wants most of the money up front, pushes you to sign that day, or only takes cash.
7. Check real work and real references
Ask for photos of jobs they actually did, ideally shown from start to finish, and for a couple of recent customers you can call. Ask those customers whether the job finished close to schedule, how surprises were handled, and whether the crew kept the place clean. In buildings with shared walls, which is a lot of North Bergen, ask how the contractor handles neighbors, noise hours and dust.
Red flags worth walking away from
- No registration number, or one that doesn't come up when you look it up.
- No written contract, or a contract with no scope, dates or price.
- Pressure to skip permits "to save money."
- A big cash deposit before anything is scheduled.
- A price far below every other bid with no explanation of what's left out.
Hire a licensed, insured general contractor
Hoboken GC LLC is licensed and insured, NJ Home Improvement Contractor License #13VH13409900. We put the scope in writing, pull permits for work that needs them, and meet the inspectors. We are open 24/7 and serve North Bergen, Hoboken and all of Hudson County. You can reach us at hobokengc2023@gmail.com or on Instagram at @hoboken_gc_llc.
Planning a project in North Bergen?
Call us at (201) 815-4260 or request a free estimate at hobokengc.com. We will walk the job with you, answer every question on this list, and give you a clear written estimate before any work starts.