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Don’t
Get Nailed…Hire a Registered Contractor
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All
Rhode Island swimming pool retailers are required to be
registered with the State of Rhode Island Contractors’
Registration and Licensing Board if they are installing
and/or advertising pool installations. When you purchase
a pool from Pool & Patio Center our contractors install
your swimming pool so that your building permit is secured
under OUR State of Rhode Island Contractors’ Registration
and Licensing Board registration number. How does this benefit
and protect you? It protects you by making US fully responsible
for the proper installation of your new swimming pool.
PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT AND INSIST THAT THE RETAIL
STORE PROVIDE YOU WITH THEIR LICENSE NUMBER AND NOT THEIR
INSTALLER’S LICENSE NUMBER. After all, if
they don’t want to be responsible for their installer’s
work, why should you? Also, the contractors’ registration
board can ONLY help consumers if the contractor is registered.
Make sure your pool retailer is registered!
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CONTRACTOR
REGISTRATION |
Rhode
Island state law requires anyone who is in the business
of home construction, alterations, remodeling, or repair
to a residential structure to be registered with the state.
This includes partnerships, corporations, and self employed
individuals, whether working by the hour, week, job, or
“cost plus”, whether by a written contract or
oral agreement. The law also applies to anyone advertising,
bidding, or otherwise offering or arranging to do or have
such work performed including painting, roofing, floor covering,
framing, finish carpentry, and many more building specialties.
Violations of the law can result in penalties of up to $10,000.00
per offense as well as criminal prosecution for non-compliance
of final orders issued by the board. |
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Does the contract have the contractor’s registration
number listed? |
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What are the terms of cancellation? |
| Contracts
entered into must contain a notice of rescission as stipulated
in all pertinent R.I. consumer protection laws, pursuant
to RIGL 5-65-3 (h) (iii). If signed outside of the place
of business, Rhode Island General Law 6-28-4, clearly states
that no agreement of the buyer in a door-to-door sale shall
be effective unless it is signed and dated by the buyer
and unless it contains the following in ten (10)
point bold face type or larger directly above the
space reserved in the agreement for the signature of the
buyer: Notice to buyer: (1) Do not sign this agreement if
any of the spaces intended for the agreed terms to the extent
of then available information are left blank. (2) You are
entitled to a copy of this agreement at the time you sign
it. (3) You may at any time pay off the full unpaid balance
due under this agreement, and in so doing you may be entitled
to receive a partial rebate of the finance and insurance
charges. (4) The seller has no right to unlawfully enter
your premises or commit any breach of the peace to repossess
goods purchased under this agreement. (5) You may cancel
this agreement if it has not been signed at the main office
or a branch office of the seller, provided you notify the
seller at his or her main office or branch office shown
in the agreement by registered or certified mail, which
shall be posted not later than midnight of the third calendar
day after the day on which the buyer signs the agreement,
excluding Sunday and any holiday on which regular mail deliveries
are not made. (see the RIGL 6-28 for more information
regarding this law) |
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Insurance! |
| The
Rhode Island Contractors’ Registration law requires
contractors to maintain a minimum of $500,000.00 in liability
insurance. In addition, contractors with employees are required
to maintain workers’ compensation insurance. Insist
that a current certificate of the company’s insurance
policy be sent directly to you from their insurance carrier
/ agent with your name and address on it listing you as
a certificate holder before any work begins. |
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What are the payment terms? |
| Payments
should be made pursuant to the terms of the written contract.
Consider and question the amount of the deposit which can
vary depending on type of work. (i.e. Special orders, etc.)
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What is the time frame? |
Provide
start date, finish date? Maybe a reward or penalty clause
should be included if time is of the essence. |
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Is there an arbitration clause in the contract? |
| Who
is paying for that service? Read the fine print and make
sure you know the terms. |
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Permits |
Is
this included in your contract, or are you taking care of
it? This is for your safety! |
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Contracts |
All
contracts exceeding $1,000.00 in value must be in writing. |
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Disclaimer |
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The above information is provided by the board pursuant
to 5-65-3 and does not encompass all the recent amendments
to the general law, for additional information please contact
the Board or visit our website. |
Contractors’
Registration and Licensing Board
One Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908-5859
(401) 222-1270
TDD (401) 222-6334
Fax (401) 222-1940
www.crb.ri.gov |
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