Guides | Conshy Contractor

Mechanics' liens on a Pennsylvania home

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A mechanics’ lien is a claim against your property, filed in court by a contractor or subcontractor who says it was not paid for labor or materials that went into the work. In Pennsylvania, the Mechanics’ Lien Law of 1963, as amended through 2014, sets the rules. The claim has to be for more than $500 and has to be filed with the county prothonotary, the clerk of the civil court, within six months after the claimant finished its work. If you live in a one- or two-unit house or a townhouse and have paid the full contract price to your general contractor, a subcontractor generally cannot file a lien against it.

The summary below follows the statute text published by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Liens involve court procedure and deadlines that turn on the facts of a job. If you receive a notice or find a lien on your property, talk to a lawyer.

Who can file

The law gives lien rights to two groups. A contractor is anyone who works under a contract with the owner, including a builder, a trade contractor hired directly, a supplier who sells to the owner, or an architect or engineer who also supervises the work. A subcontractor is anyone who works under a contract with the contractor, or with a subcontractor that has a direct contract with the contractor. The law excludes anyone further down the chain, anyone whose contract is with a supplier, and an architect or engineer hired by a contractor or subcontractor.

Every lien attaches to the improvement and the owner’s interest in the property, and the debt must be one the owner owes the contractor or the contractor owes a subcontractor. Under the law, the right to a lien exists even if the job is never finished, as long as that was not the claimant’s fault and the building was not destroyed by fire or another casualty.

Protection for owners who paid in full

A 2014 amendment added a protection for homeowners. A subcontractor has no right to a lien on residential property when all of these are true:

The owner or tenant has paid the full contract price to the contractor.
The property is, or is meant to be, the owner’s residence, or a tenant’s residence after the owner occupied it.
The building is a single townhouse or has one or two dwelling units.

The protection applies to subcontractors only. Your own contractor keeps its lien rights for any amount you still owe it.

Deadlines

Step	Deadline in the statute
Subcontractor’s formal written notice to the owner of intent to file	At least 30 days before the claim is filed
Claim filed with the prothonotary	Within six months after the claimant completes its work
Written notice of the filing served on the owner	Within one month after the claim is filed
Affidavit of service filed	Within 20 days after the notice is served
Lawsuit to obtain judgment on the claim	Within two years of filing, unless the owner extends the time in writing
Verdict or judgment	Within five years of filing, or the claim is lost

The subcontractor’s 30-day notice has to state who is claiming, who it contracted with, the amount, what labor or materials it furnished, the date it finished, and a description of the property. It can be mailed first class, registered or certified, or delivered in person, and if neither works it can be posted on the property. Treat any such notice as urgent. It tells you a claim may follow, and it gives you time to find out whether your contractor has paid the subcontractor.

For most work on an existing house, which the law calls alteration or repair, the lien takes effect on the date the claim is filed. For new construction or a substantial addition, it takes effect from the date work visibly began on the ground.

Lien waivers

For residential property, a contractor or subcontractor may give up the right to file a claim in a written instrument it signs. A contract between you and the contractor, or a separate document the contractor signs, that says no one will file a claim also binds subcontractors, but only if a subcontractor had actual notice of it before starting work, or the document was filed with the prothonotary within the deadlines the law sets. Those deadlines are before work begins on the ground, within ten days after the main contract is signed, or at least ten days before the subcontractor’s own contract.

A release signed by a claimant does not give up its right to file for labor or materials furnished later, unless the release says so. Ask your lawyer how a waiver should be worded for your job, and see the change orders and payments guide for tying waivers to each payment.

Limiting subcontractor claims to what you still owe

When subcontractors’ claims add up to more than the unpaid balance of your contract, the law lets you ask the court to limit each claim to its share of the balance. This applies when each subcontractor knew the contract price and payment terms before starting work, or when the contract was filed with the prothonotary as the law describes. A subcontractor can also rescind its own contract if your contract with the general contractor reduces its rights or delays your payment more than four months past completion, unless it was told of those terms in advance or they were filed.

If a lien is filed

The statute gives the owner several tools:

After a subcontractor finishes, you or the contractor can file a rule in court requiring it to file any claim within 30 days or lose the right.
You can file preliminary objections to a claim that does not conform to the law or covers exempt property.
You can have the lien discharged from the property by depositing the amount of the claim with the court while the dispute is decided.
If you sell the house in good faith for value before a claim for alterations or repairs is filed, the statute says the lien is wholly lost.

A lien can also come up as a threat during a payment dispute. In an August 14, 2026 announcement of a lawsuit against a paving contractor, the Attorney General’s office said a Dauphin County homeowner paid $32,000 on a $16,000 contract because he feared a lien on his property. The office’s complaint alleges that terms were added to his contract without his knowledge. A contractor’s claim still has to meet the statute’s requirements, and a lawyer can tell you whether one does.

How to check for a lien

Mechanics’ lien claims are filed with the prothonotary of the county where the property sits. In Montgomery County, the Prothonotary’s office says its online Civil Viewer can search for civil suits and liens by the name of a person or business. Viewing docket entries or filings online requires payment by card. Copies made at the office cost 25 cents a page, and docket printouts cost $1.75 a page, according to the office.

Change orders and payment schedules on a home remodel

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Under Pennsylvania’s Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, a contractor may not depart from the plans or specifications in any material way without a written change order that you and the contractor both sign and date, with the price change for each departure. On a contract over $5,000, the deposit is capped at one-third of the price, plus the cost of any special-order materials the contract designates. The law leaves the rest of the payment schedule to you and the contractor, and the Attorney General’s office suggests paying in steps as the work progresses, with the final payment at completion.

What the law says about changes

The contract itself has to include a description of the work, the materials and a set of specifications that cannot be changed without a written change order signed by the owner and the contractor. The act’s list of prohibited practices also bars a contractor from deviating from or disregarding the plans or specifications in any material respect without a written change order, dated and signed by both, that contains the price change for each deviation.

Time-and-materials contracts, where you pay actual labor at an hourly rate and actual materials plus a fee, have a cap built in. The contract must state the contractor’s written initial estimate in dollars and say that the cost may not exceed that estimate by more than 10%. Any cost beyond the estimate plus 10% needs a written change order signed by both of you. The Attorney General’s office says these terms were added by an amendment signed on October 22, 2014.

A change can also need the municipality’s approval. Plymouth Township’s residential code package says changes to approved plans must be submitted for approval before the changed work is done. If a change moves a wall, adds a fixture or alters the structure, ask the contractor whether the permit has to be revised.

What to put in a change order

The act sets the minimum: written, dated, signed by both of you, and stating the price change for each deviation. A change order is easier to rely on later when it also states:

What changes, in the same terms the original specifications use.
The new contract total, so the running price stays clear.
Any change to the completion date.
Whether the change needs a revised permit or an extra inspection.

Keep every signed change order with the contract. Do not approve a change by text or phone call and leave the paperwork for later.

The Attorney General’s office described one case in an August 14, 2026 announcement of a lawsuit against a Lackawanna County paving contractor. According to the complaint, a senior citizen in Dauphin County was quoted $16,000 to pave a driveway and paid an $8,000 down payment. After the work, the contractor tried to collect twice the contract amount, and the homeowner learned that terms had been added to the contract without his knowledge or consent. The office says he paid $32,000 because he feared a lien on his property. These are allegations in a complaint filed in the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas, and the announcement says the complaint is pending court approval.

Deposits

On money paid up front, the act says:

No contractor may demand or accept any payment before the contract is signed.
On a contract over $5,000, the deposit may not exceed one-third of the contract price, or one-third plus the cost of special-order materials designated in the contract.
The contract must list the down payment and the cost of special-order materials separately.

The act defines special-order materials as items ordered from the factory or distributor for your job that the contractor cannot return for a refund or credit. The Attorney General’s office says a down payment of one-third, or one-third plus special-order materials, is generally appropriate.

Payment schedule

The Attorney General’s office says the law does not address how the balance should be paid, and suggests that the homeowner and contractor negotiate payments in steps as the work progresses, with a final payment on completion.

One way to set the steps is to tie them to inspections, since an inspector’s sign-off is a record you do not have to judge yourself. Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.64, the code official inspects permitted work at set stages, including foundation, plumbing, mechanical and electrical, framing and wallboard, and a final inspection. The table shows how a schedule could follow those stages. It is an example with round numbers, not a legal standard or a recommendation for any project.

Example: $60,000 kitchen remodel	Payment	When it is due
Deposit at signing	$15,000	Contract signed; this is below the $20,000 one-third cap
Rough-in	$15,000	Plumbing, electrical and mechanical rough-in inspections passed
Walls closed	$12,000	Framing and wallboard inspections passed
Cabinets and counters	$12,000	Cabinets and countertops installed
Final	$6,000	Final inspection passed and the agreed list of remaining items finished
Total	$60,000

Lien waivers with each payment

Under Pennsylvania’s Mechanics’ Lien Law, a contractor or subcontractor who is not paid can file a claim against the property. For residential property, the law lets a contractor or subcontractor give up that right in a written instrument it signs. You can ask for a signed waiver covering the work paid for each time you make a payment, from the contractor and from the major subcontractors and suppliers. Have a lawyer review the waiver form before you rely on it. The mechanics’ liens guide covers who can file, the deadlines and the protection the law gives an owner who has paid in full.

When payments and work fall out of step

If more than 45 days have passed since the start date in the contract and no substantial part of the work has been done, the act lets you request a refund in writing by certified mail, and the contractor must return the money within ten days. A contractor who abandons a job without justification violates the act, and the act counts your failure to pay as required under the contract as justification. Keep your payments matched to the work, and keep receipts.

For a dispute over a payment or a change order, contact the Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection or a lawyer. The contractor hiring guide has the complaint details.

What remodeling costs and how to read a contractor's quote

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Bureau of Labor Statistics index for goods used in home repair and remodeling stood at 336.7 in August 2026, its highest value in a series that starts in 1986. That was 7.7% above August 2025 and 52.1% above January 2019. This guide explains what the index measures and what it leaves out, then how to read a contractor’s quote line by line, including the permit fees in it.

The materials index

The Producer Price Index, or PPI, measures the prices that U.S. producers receive for what they sell, before any retail markup. BLS builds a set of input indexes from it for each type of construction. The one for residential maintenance and repair tracks the average change in prices of the domestic goods that home repair and remodeling consume, weighted by how much of each the industry buys. BLS says these input indexes exclude capital investment and labor.

Prices of goods for home repair and remodeling reached a record in August 2026

Producer Price Index, net inputs to residential maintenance and repair, goods, index June 1986 = 100, not seasonally adjusted

May through August 2026 can still be revised. Source: fred.stlouisfed.org

The index at selected months
Month	Index (June 1986 = 100)	Change to August 2026 (%)
January 2019	221.4	52.1%
June 2022, the earlier high	314.4	7.1%
August 2025	312.5	7.7%
July 2026	333.2	1.1%
August 2026	336.7

Source: fred.stlouisfed.org

The index rose from late 2020 to a high of 314.4 in June 2022 and stayed below that level through December 2025. It then rose in seven of the first eight months of 2026, and August 2026 was 7.1% above the 2022 high.

Producer price data are usually published between the 9th and the 16th of the month after the month they cover, according to BLS. Its price adjustment guide says the not seasonally adjusted figures can be revised for up to four months after first publication, and the version published four months later is final. As of October 3, 2026, the values for May through August 2026 can still change. The next release is scheduled for October 15, 2026.

What the index leaves out

The index measures what producers charge, which is less than what a contractor pays a supplier and less than the installed price you pay. It covers goods only. Labor, overhead and the contractor’s profit are outside it. It is also a national figure, with no breakdown for southeastern Pennsylvania.

Labor has its own source. In BLS’s Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, the median hourly wage for carpenters in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metropolitan area was $29.70. The median is the middle value: half of carpenters in the area earned more and half earned less. That is a wage, before the employer’s payroll taxes, insurance and the contractor’s markup.

How to read a quote

The public sources in this guide cover material prices, wages and permit fees, and none of them gives a typical price for a kitchen, bath or addition in the area. The comparison that counts is between written quotes for your own project. Pennsylvania’s Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act shapes what a quote has to show once it becomes a contract. The contract must state the total sales price, or the terms of a time-and-materials arrangement with a written cost estimate. It must describe the work and the materials, with specifications, which the act defines to include plans, drawings, lists of materials and stated allowances. And it must list the down payment and the cost of any special-order materials separately. The contractor hiring guide lists every required term.

When you compare two quotes, line them up on these points:

Scope. Check that each quote covers the same rooms, demolition, repairs to hidden damage, finishes and cleanup.
Allowances. An allowance is a placeholder amount for items you have not chosen yet, such as tile or light fixtures. If you pick something that costs more, you pay the difference. Compare the allowance amounts, since a low allowance makes a quote look cheaper.
Materials and labor. Ask for them as separate lines, or at least for the main material quantities. A single lump sum hides which part changed between two quotes.
Permits. Ask whose name goes on the permit and whether the fee is in the price. The permits guide lists each municipality’s office.
Special-order items. The act defines special-order materials as items made for your job that the contractor cannot return for credit, and it lets the deposit include their cost when the contract designates them.
How long the price holds. Ask the date the quote expires and whether any line can change before you sign.

Permit fees in a quote

Permit fees differ by municipality and by how each one measures the job. The table works through the building permit fee on a $40,000 remodeling contract, using each municipality’s published schedule. It is an example with a round number, not a quote for any project, and electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are separate.

Example: building permit on a $40,000 job	Conshohocken Borough	Plymouth Township
How the fee is set	$50 for the first $1,000, plus $10 for each additional $1,000	$416.20 for the first $25,000, plus $10.10 for each additional $1,000, plus 20%, plus a $4.50 state fee
Calculation	$50 + 39 × $10	($416.20 + 15 × $10.10) × 1.2 + $4.50
Building permit fee	$440.00	$685.74

Plymouth’s schedule comes from its residential code package revised in April 2022. Ask the township for its current schedule before you rely on it. West Conshohocken posts a fee schedule dated January 2026, and Whitemarsh’s application asks for fees at submission; check with each office.

Price escalation clauses

Some contractors propose a clause that raises the price if material costs rise before the work is done. BLS publishes a guide for contracts that tie a price to a PPI. Its method divides the index for the adjustment month by the index for the base month and multiplies the base price by the result. The guide says a contract should name the index, refer to the base and adjustment months rather than to index values, and say on what date the calculation is made, since recent months are revised. If a clause like this is in your contract, have a lawyer review it.

The outlook for remodeling

The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard publishes a quarterly forecast of national spending on improvements and repairs to owner-occupied homes, called the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity. Its July 23, 2026 release projected that annual spending would continue losing momentum through mid-2027. The forecast is national and does not cover rental homes.

The price of a roof replacement, including the asphalt roofing index, is covered at Conshy Roofers.

Building permits and inspections in Conshohocken and the nearby townships

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code, the statewide building code, requires a permit before most work that changes a house’s structure, exits, wiring, plumbing, gas or mechanical systems. Conshohocken Borough, West Conshohocken Borough, Plymouth Township and Whitemarsh Township each enforce that code through their own office, so the permit comes from the municipality where the house sits. The state’s exemptions also give way to some local ordinances, so a job the state rules exempt can still need a local permit. Call the office before work starts.

Who to call

The Department of Labor and Industry lists all four municipalities as “opt-in,” meaning they chose to enforce the code themselves. Its list notes that each one carried over amendments to the code from an ordinance in effect before July 1, 1999, and the department says it keeps no record of what those amendments say. The offices below are the ones each municipality names on its own website, checked on October 3, 2026.

Office	Address and phone	Posted hours
Conshohocken Borough, Licenses & Inspections	Borough Hall, 400 Fayette Street, Suite 200; 610-828-1092	Weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Borough Hall)
West Conshohocken Borough, Code Enforcement	Borough Hall, 112 Ford Street; 610-828-9747, ext. 3	Weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Plymouth Township, Code Enforcement Department	Township Building, 700 Belvoir Road, Plymouth Meeting; 610-277-4103	Weekdays, 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Whitemarsh Township, Building & Permits	616 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill; 610-825-3535	Weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

What the state code exempts

The permit rule for houses is in 34 Pa. Code § 403.62. An owner or the owner’s authorized agent has to apply to the building code official and get a permit before building, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving or demolishing a house, or before installing or changing an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system the code covers.

The regulation exempts some work, as long as it does not break another law or ordinance:

Fences up to 6 feet high.
Retaining walls up to 4 feet high, unless the wall supports a surcharge, an added load on the ground behind it.
Sidewalks and driveways no more than 30 inches above the ground and not over a basement.
Uncovered decks with a floor no more than 30 inches above grade.
Prefabricated pools less than 24 inches deep, playground equipment, and wall-mounted awnings that project no more than 54 inches.
Ordinary repairs.

The regulation says what an ordinary repair is not. Cutting into a load-bearing wall, removing or cutting a beam or other structural support, changing a required exit, and adding or relocating any water, sewer, drain, gas or vent piping, wiring or mechanical equipment all need a permit.

The code’s scope section, § 403.1, adds more exemptions for houses: sheds, detached garages, carports and greenhouses under 1,000 square feet next to a detached single-family house; alterations that change neither structure nor exits; repairs; and vinyl or aluminum siding on an existing house. Each of those carries the same condition, that a municipality with a qualifying local ordinance can still require a permit. That is why the local office has the final word.

An emergency repair or replacement of equipment, such as a failed water heater, can go ahead without a permit if the application reaches the building code official within 3 business days.

Conshohocken Borough

The borough’s Licenses & Inspections division enforces borough ordinances and state and federal building codes. It issues permits for repairs, replacements, additions and new installations such as boilers and roofs, as well as use and occupancy permits.

The borough’s building permit application packet covers building, electrical, plumbing, sewer and mechanical work on one form. It asks whether there is a written contract between the owner and the contractor, and if there is, a copy has to be attached. It asks for each contractor’s borough license number. In capital letters, it says the permit must be approved, issued and posted on the job site before work begins. The fees listed in the packet for residential work include:

Permit	Residential fee in the borough’s packet
Building	$50 minimum for work up to $1,000, plus $10 for each additional $1,000 or part of $1,000
Electrical	$75 minimum plus 2% of the cost of the work, rounded up to the next $100
Plumbing	$50 for the first 3 fixtures, $25 for each additional fixture; water heater $50
Mechanical	$50 for a boiler or furnace up to 250,000 Btu; $50 for an air conditioner or heat pump
Sewer	$100 for a new or replacement building sewer

West Conshohocken Borough

The borough’s Forms & Permits page posts a building permit application, a contractor registration form updated in May 2026, a fee schedule posted in January 2026, a zoning application, a residential use and occupancy application and a form for appealing code decisions. The fees and requirements in those documents could not be verified. Call the code enforcement office for the current fees and requirements.

Plymouth Township

Plymouth’s Code Enforcement Department handles building, zoning, housing and property maintenance, and it inspects every construction project. It asks for 48 hours’ notice for inspections, and the building inspector meets by appointment only.

The township’s residential code package, revised in April 2022, lists the work it treats as ordinary repair. That list includes painting, flooring, cabinets and countertops; replacing a window or door in the same opening without changing its size or framing; replacing siding; replacing up to 25% of a roof’s area within 12 months; and replacing a toilet, sink or faucet in the same location. The package says any work not on its list needs a permit. Sheds and detached garages under 1,000 square feet still need a zoning permit.

The package says fees for residential alterations, additions and repairs are based on the contract price, and a copy of the signed contract must come with every permit application. The total fee is the plan review and inspection fee, plus a 20% administrative charge, plus a $4.50 state fee. Residential plan review takes 15 working days from a complete submission, according to the package. It also lists codes from 2017 and 2018 editions, while the state moved to the 2021 International Residential Code on January 1, 2026, so ask the township whether the 2022 package is still current.

Whitemarsh Township

Whitemarsh uses one combined building and zoning permit application, last updated in May 2025. The township’s form center says applications cannot be submitted online and must be delivered in person at the Township Building or mailed with payment. The checklist at the front of the application asks for the fees, an insurance certificate, one paper set of plans and one electronic set, a site plan, foundation, architectural and structural details, energy calculations, and any zoning decisions. It says applications missing required information will not be accepted. The zoning officer and the building official both sign off.

Inspections

Under 34 Pa. Code § 403.64, the code official inspects all permitted work. The permit holder has to call when the work is ready and give the inspector access. The regulation names foundation, plumbing, mechanical and electrical, frame and masonry, wallboard and final inspections. Plymouth’s package adds footing and concrete inspections before a pour, sheathing, insulation and deck framing, and it says changes to approved plans must be submitted for approval before the changed work is done.

Who pulls the permit

The regulation lets the owner or an authorized agent apply, and most contractors apply for their clients. Put in the contract who applies for each permit, who pays the fees and who schedules inspections. Pennsylvania’s home improvement law lets you void a contract that asks you to waive building code requirements, as the contractor hiring guide explains.

Roofing permits, including Conshohocken’s re-roofing addendum, are covered at Conshy Roofers. Window permits are covered at Conshy Windows.

What Pennsylvania law requires when you hire a contractor

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Pennsylvania’s Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act covers most remodeling, repair and addition work on a house in Conshohocken and the nearby townships. It requires the contractor to register with the Attorney General, puts thirteen required terms in every contract, caps the deposit on jobs over $5,000 at one-third of the price, and gives you three business days after you sign to cancel. The law took effect on July 1, 2009, and is codified at 73 P.S. § 517.1 and following sections.

Which jobs the law covers

The act applies to work on a private residence when the total price agreed with the contractor is more than $500. A private residence means a single-family house, a building with no more than two units, or a single unit in a larger building, which includes condominiums and co-op units. Covered work includes repair, remodeling, demolition and renovation, along with roofs, siding, flooring, painting, windows, waterproofing and central heating and air conditioning.

Building a new house is not a home improvement under the act. Neither is work an owner does on the owner’s own home without pay.

Who has to register

Anyone who owns or runs a home improvement business, or offers to do home improvement work, has to register with the Bureau of Consumer Protection in the Office of Attorney General. The statute excludes a person whose home improvement work totaled less than $5,000 in the previous tax year, and home improvement retailers with a net worth of more than $50 million.

The Attorney General’s office says subcontractors who do home improvements must register even if they never sign a contract with a homeowner, and that out-of-state contractors working in Pennsylvania must register too. Registrations are valid for two years.

To register, a contractor has to show liability insurance of at least $50,000 for personal injury and $50,000 for property damage, and disclose past fraud or theft convictions, bankruptcies and recent home improvement judgments.

How to check a registration

The registration number appears as “PA” followed by digits, such as PA123456, according to the Attorney General’s office. The contractor has to print it on every advertisement, contract, estimate and proposal.

Look the contractor up in the Attorney General’s contractor search by registration number, business name, owner’s name or county. The search shows only active registrations, along with each one’s expiration date. You can also call the toll-free line at 1-888-520-6680.

The Attorney General’s office says registration is not an endorsement of a contractor’s honesty or work, and it advises checking references and getting more than one bid.

What the contract must contain

A home improvement contract is not valid or enforceable against the owner unless it does all of the following:

Is in writing, legible, and shows the performing contractor’s registration number.
Is signed by the owner and by the contractor or the contractor’s salesperson.
Contains the entire agreement, with copies of all required notices attached.
Shows the date of the transaction.
Gives the contractor’s name, address and phone number. A post office box alone does not count as an address.
Gives approximate start and completion dates.
Describes the work, the materials, and a set of specifications that cannot change without a written change order signed by both of you.
States the total sales price, or sets out a time-and-materials arrangement with a written initial estimate.
Lists the down payment and any amount for special-order materials, each on its own line.
Names every subcontractor known at signing, with addresses and phone numbers.
Promises to keep the $50,000 liability and $50,000 property damage coverage, and states the amount of coverage in force at signing.
Includes the Attorney General’s toll-free number.
Includes a notice of your right to cancel.

The contractor has to give you a completed copy, with all notices, at no charge when you sign.

A time-and-materials contract, where you pay actual labor at an hourly rate plus materials and a fee, has extra rules. The contractor must give you a written cost estimate before work starts. The contract has to state that estimate in dollars, say that the cost may not run more than 10% above it, state the total possible cost including that 10%, and say that any increase beyond it needs a written change order signed by both of you. The change orders guide covers the rest.

Clauses that let you void the contract

The act lets the owner void a home improvement contract that contains any of these: a hold harmless clause, a waiver of health, safety or building code requirements, a confession of judgment, a waiver of a jury trial, a clause that awards the contractor its attorney fees, a waiver of any right under the act, or a clause in which the owner agrees not to bring claims arising from the contract. Automatic renewal clauses are also on the list unless the contract meets the act’s notice rules.

An arbitration clause has to be in capital letters and 12-point bold type, on a separate page with its own signature line for each of you, and it must say whether the decision is binding. Otherwise a court can void it if either side asks before arbitration starts.

Deposits

On a contract over $5,000, the contractor may not take a deposit larger than one-third of the contract price. When the contract designates special-order materials, the cap is one-third of the price plus the cost of those materials. The act defines special-order materials as items made or processed for your job that the contractor cannot return for credit. Separately, no contractor may demand or accept any payment before the contract is signed.

The three-day right to cancel

You may cancel a home improvement contract within three business days of signing it, without penalty, no matter where you signed. The Attorney General’s office says the contract has to include the cancellation notice exactly as the law words it, and that if you were never told of this right, the whole contract may be voidable even after the three days pass.

The wording comes from section 7 of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, which calls for a detachable “Notice of Cancellation” form in duplicate. Under that section, the cancellation period does not begin until you have been told of the right and given the forms, and a seller who receives a valid cancellation must refund your payments within ten business days.

There is one exception. When you call a contractor about a genuine emergency at your home, the contractor may ask you to sign an emergency work authorization, printed on a card at least 4 by 6 inches, along with a written estimate. Signing it gives up the three-day cancellation right for that work.

When work never starts

The act bars a contractor from keeping your money when the job does not begin. If no substantial part of the work has been done and more than 45 days have passed since the start date in the contract, you can ask for a refund in writing by certified mail. The contractor then has ten days to return the money.

Abandoning a job without justification is also prohibited. Taking an advance payment, failing to do the work by the date in the contract and keeping the money, with intent to defraud, is the crime of home improvement fraud. It is a third-degree felony when the payment kept is more than $2,000, and one grade higher when the victim is 60 or older.

Local registration in Conshohocken

Conshohocken Borough keeps its own registration form for residential contractors. It lists a $90 fee, waived for contractors registered with the Attorney General, which matches the state law barring local registration fees for registered contractors. The permits guide covers what each municipality asks for.

Where to complain

Every violation of the act also counts as a violation of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. The Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection takes complaints through an online form and offers mediation. Report an unregistered contractor at 1-888-520-6680 or HIC@attorneygeneral.gov. For a dispute over money or a contract you have already signed, talk to a lawyer.

Hiring a roofer has its own permit and insurance questions, which Conshy Roofers covers. Window replacement is covered at Conshy Windows.

Guides | Conshy Contractor

Mechanics' liens on a Pennsylvania home

Who can file

Protection for owners who paid in full

Deadlines

Lien waivers

Limiting subcontractor claims to what you still owe

If a lien is filed

How to check for a lien

Change orders and payment schedules on a home remodel

What the law says about changes

What to put in a change order

What happens when terms change without consent

Deposits

Payment schedule

Lien waivers with each payment

When payments and work fall out of step

What remodeling costs and how to read a contractor's quote

The materials index

What the index leaves out

How to read a quote

Permit fees in a quote

Price escalation clauses

The outlook for remodeling

Building permits and inspections in Conshohocken and the nearby townships

Who to call

What the state code exempts

Conshohocken Borough

West Conshohocken Borough

Plymouth Township

Whitemarsh Township

Inspections

Who pulls the permit

What Pennsylvania law requires when you hire a contractor

Which jobs the law covers

Who has to register

How to check a registration

What the contract must contain

Clauses that let you void the contract

Deposits

The three-day right to cancel

When work never starts

Local registration in Conshohocken

Where to complain