These stressful economic times have forced many people to tighten their budgets, cut down expenses, and find cheaper alternatives to goods and services. While there is nothing wrong with any of these practices, going about it the wrong way can ultimately cost you more than it should have to begin with. Predators are always on the lookout for unsuspecting homeowners that are unaware of the current laws and regulations that are there to protect them from deceptive practices. If you’ll like to see for yourself what I am talking about check MSNBC’s video expose “Home Wrecker” at http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-US&brand=msnbc&vid=c435f953-78e0-4716-a6d8-1a57f23b05ae you will be shocked to see just who you could be allowing to work on your property.
Every year, The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs receives thousands of complaints from consumers that have been taken advantage by unscrupulous contractors. Complaints range from failure to start or finish a project after taking a deposit, to missed deadlines and shoddy workmanship amongst many others. There is a way to minimize your exposure, protect yourself and weed out these so called “contractors”, and its called “The New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act”. This measure is designed to protect you, the consumer, from fraud, deception and misrepresentation. In addition to this, the “Contractor’s Registration Act” requires home improvement contractors to register with the state or they will not be issued municipal construction permits or be allowed to perform home improvement work in New Jersey.The contractor is required to file a disclosure statement with the Consumer Affairs director, stating whether he/she has been convicted of any crime.Any crime relating adversely to activities regulated by the Consumer Fraud Act will be grounds for denial of a Home Improvement Contractor license. A Home Improvement Contractor is an individual or company involved in many tasks which include but are not limited to renovating, installing, replacing, installing, constructing and demolishing residential or noncommercial properties. They include those who work on swimming pools, roofing, additions, patios, landscaping, painting and much more.
How can you protect yourself you ask? For starters be proactive, educate yourself on the task at hand and take the following steps to minimize your exposure:
Contact Consumer Affairs at 1-888-656-6225 to check that the contractor is registered and to see if there are any complaints filed against them.
Get written estimates from a few sources. This is where it gets tricky and you can become the victim of a deceptive “Low Baller”…. When comparing prices make sure the services and materials are comparable… if one of the bids is too low compared to the others, there must be a reason! Nobody works for nothing…therefore investigate before assuming you are getting a great deal.
Ask the contractor if they have Liability Insurance (as required by law), Worker’s Comp insurance and inquire if there will be subcontractors involved in the project. You as the homeowner is at the highest risk of losing the most if an accident happens and the contractor is not fully covered. Do not cut corners; protect your home and investment!
Ask for references. Speak to past clients; ask key questions such as job completion, unexpected costs, neatness and whether they would use the contractor again.
Ask about professional affiliations and confirm their status.
And most importantly…Do not pay for the entire project upfront. Typical payment arrangements are 1/3 deposit, 1/3 halfway through the job and the remaining third upon completion. While it’s NOT advised to pay in cash, if you do, make sure to obtain a detailed receipt with the date, all the company information, printed name and signature of the contractor.
Once you have secured the right contractor know the law and follow these steps:
Any projects over $500.00 require by law a written contract. The contract must include the business name, registration number, address, start date and completion date. In addition, the contractor must also provide you with a copy of his Certificate of Insurance, which should include all of the insurance company’s information for your review.
Request a detailed description of the project, name brands or quality of materials to be used. Also make sure all guarantees and/or warranties are included.
Ask for a lien waiver, which is a receipt stating that the workers or material suppliers will not ask you for money once you have paid the contractor.
If for any reason you wish to cancel the signed contract, you have up to midnight of the third business day after you receive the contract to do so. This must be done in writing, either personally delivered to the contractor or sent via registered or certified mail with a return receipt requested.
And lastly, make sure all applicable permits have been filed. Especially nowadays with the real estate and loan changes in place, a simple thing like this could obstruct the sale of your property in the future.
If you come across a problem with your project, always try to give the contractor a chance to resolve it. It could be a harmless oversight or a miscommunication issue. If you find the problem is not being resolved contact Consumer Affairs at 1-800-242-5846 and request a complaint form or file online at http://www.nj.gov/oag/ca/ocp/ocpform.htm
The following links will aid you in researching contractors:
Moral of the story…due your due diligence and shop the right way…do not assume the cheaper way is the best way to go. While there are many reputable companies out there that can offer better pricing than others, this is accomplished by their capacity at achieving efficiency, and leanness in their business structure and not because they are cutting costs and sacrificing the integrity of the project. An uninsured, unregistered contractor is not looking out for your best interests and could end up costing you much more money and heartache if the project goes awry. Times like this make people do desperate things, do not become the victim of a shady contractor.
Energy efficiency is a key issue in today’s economy.Federal data places New Jersey’s residential rates at the 9th highest in the nation. In addition to utility shut offs rising 15% in the last year alone, studies have shown electric rates have doubled since 2004.
A key benefit to Low Voltage systems is its energy efficacy and safety.LV operating expenses are approximately 1/3 less than line voltage.With LV systems there are an array of lamps, in different low wattage and beam spreads which allow for more precise and interesting lighting effects while consuming much less energy than line voltage systems.It is safer to operate, cable lines are easy to reposition, the fixtures are unobtrusive, and systems are designed for wet locations.
While a LV system might be a safer choice for a homeowner, it is still recommended to have it professionally installed.Key issues such as voltage drop, photometrics, and a landscape’s growth pattern are all aspects that should be considered when planning and executing a system’s layout.Working with a lighting designer will help organize and prioritize all the current and future plans of a home’s expansion.
Security at home is a key issue especially during these economically stressful times
A properly illuminated home is a great burglar deterrent.Research shows the process of breaking and entering takes about 60 seconds and that property crime makes up more than ¾ of all crime in the US. In 2007, FBI reports estimated close to 10 million property crimes offenses with 60% of the occurrences happening at night.It is because of all these facts that insurance agencies and law officials alike recommend all areas surrounding the home being well light to discourage robbery attempts.
The trend of outdoor entertaining and the extension of people’s home into their outdoor living areas is more than a fad, it’s here to stay.More and more people are spending time at home rather than vacationing, so naturally enhancing an outdoor living area with lighting is a necessity for both security and safety reasons. A home is considered to be a sanctuary and like so; people need to feel safe and secure at night while spending time in their outdoor spaces.
Low voltage lighting systems are an investment worth making towards burglary prevention. LV lighting systems offer low levels of even illumination, unlike the glaring lights of line voltage systems that shine a bright light and cast large shadows in the surrounding areas.Properly planning and laying out the system will ensure to address important security areas, such as front walkways, back doorways, ground level windows and dark driveway areas.Illuminating a home’s façade and surrounding landscape not only accents a properties’ features and but also addresses all these security issues.
A new device called Zone Control, from Advanced Bridging Technologies, allows you the freedom to wirelessly control multiple zones of your low voltage landscape lighting from up to 500 feet away.Unlike the old methods that forced you to install a second transformer, the Zone Control converts a single or multi-tap transformer into a multi-zone control center.It allows the consumer to control all the zones at the same time or up to 3 individual zones separately. This way lighting can remain on in certain areas while being turned off in adjoining zones.
Zone Control is compatible with all major landscape lighting transformers; it comes equipped with a 10 year backup battery and built-in real-time clock that adjusts for daylight savings.It is easy to install and also offers additional energy savings to the consumer by further reducing light hours of operation.This product is a wonderful addition to low voltage landscape lighting systems worth checking out!
In an age where energy conservation is of utmost importance, it is our responsibility as professionals to make conscious choices to best conserve our world’s resources.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, making improvements to lighting is one of the fastest ways to cut energy bills. They estimate the average household dedicates 11% of its energy budget to lighting, while the average commercial building dedicates 20%-30%. By utilizing the new lighting technologies available today, consumers could reduce their lighting energy use by 50% to 75%. Additional energy savings could be achieved with the use of lighting control systems, thus reducing the amount of time lights are on but not being used. As well as waste disposal and maintenance costs could be greatly reduced by selecting the proper low voltage lamps and transformers.
The many benefits low voltage lighting offers in energy savings for residential and commercial environments are numerous. Click here to read some more on this topic.
Lower Energy Cost and Better Illumination than 120-Volt Lighting.
Summary: Low voltage landscape lighting differs from standard 120-volt lighting in many important ways.
Better efficacy (light output per energy consumed)
Greater selection of low wattage lamps More controlled light spread and direction
Better control via timers and photocells
Better safety and security through using low levels of light over the entire property
Less light trespass
Better aesthetics through artistic design
Light Efficacy
When discussing energy consumption in lighting, the term ‘light efficacy’ is often used. This refers to the amount of light (lumens) produced by a unit of energy (watt). ‘Lumens per watt’ is, therefore, the value used to compare how different light sources consume energy.
Of the types of light sources used in outdoor residential lighting, standard 120-volt incandescent lighting has a very low efficacy (about 10 lumens/watt) while 12-volt tungsten halogen lamps have about a 50% greater efficacy (about 15 lumens/watt).
This represents an energy savings of one-third based on the better efficacy of low voltage lamps.
Greater Selection of Low Wattage Lamps:
Typical 120-volt outdoor security lighting uses PAR-type flood lamps rated at between 100 and 250 watts. Even lamps used at entry ways and lamp posts are typically between 40 and 60 watts. Compare this to low voltage lighting, where the most effective lamps are between 10 and 35 watts. The availability of these highly efficient low wattage lamps gives the lighting designer great flexibility in design while maintaining energy efficiency.
More Controlled Light Spread and Direction:
While 120-volt fixtures are typically designed to flood light in all directions, low voltage fixtures are designed for precise control of the light beam. Instead of wasting light energy, the designer directs the light where it is needed.
Better Control via Timers and Photocells:
All low voltage landscape lighting systems are designed to be controlled by timers and photocells. These units can be set to operate lighting fixtures for the precise amount of time needed, rather than operating all night.
Better Safety and Security:
Typical 120-volt flood lighting creates pools of extremely bright light while leaving other areas in complete darkness. Low voltage lighting operates on a better principle - the selective low level illumination of various areas throughout the property. This eliminates shadowed areas where prowlers may lurk.
Less Light Trespass:
Because the illumination from 120-volt lighting is so poorly controlled, this light can shine into neighboring properties (light trespass). Beyond being an annoyance, many communities have adopted ordinances against this. Low voltage lighting fixtures are designed to precisely control the spread of light.
Better Aesthetics:
Perhaps the most compelling reason for switching to low voltage lighting is for its potential to truly transform the homeowner’s nighttime experience.
A talented lighting designer selectively reveals the natural beauty of the landscape and creates beauty through patterns of shadow and light. This is only possible through the use of low voltage lighting.
In an age where energy conservation is of utmost importance, it is our responsibility as professionals to make conscious choices to best conserve our world’s resources.