Toms River Home Improvement Contractor Among 40 Cited For Consumer Violations: AG

TOMS RIVER, NJ -- A Toms River man has been cited by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs for allegedly failing to register as a home improvement contractor, state officials announced Monday.

David Adamson of Toms River was among 40 contractors named as being issued notices of violation during the fourth quarter of 2015, Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said. The division is seeking $481,477 in consumer restitution and civil penalties from the 40 named companies, according to a news release from Hoffman’s office. The full list of contractors cited is below.

The Division of Consumer Affairs issued violation notices to 223 contractors in 2015, seeking more than $2.56 million in consumer restitution and penalties. 

“Through our yearlong enforcement efforts we have been able to return significant amounts of restitution to consumers allegedly cheated by contractors who took money for jobs that were left undone, or completed unsatisfactorily,” said Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman.

The 40 contractors cited have been ordered to pay $321,477 in restitution to consumers in amounts ranging from $360 to $50,000, for allegedly performing shoddy work, failing to complete work that consumers had paid for in advance, failing to refund deposits, or other issues.

Civil penalties against the contractors total $160,000 and range from $1,250 to $7,000, Hoffman’s office said.

The contractors were cited for alleged violations of New Jersey’s Contractor’s Registration Act, such as failure to provide consumers with detailed, written contracts for home improvement projects costing more than $500.

Adamson was one of 22 contractors who were also cited for operating without being registered, as is required under state law, Hoffman’s office said.

Certain contractors on the list have cooperated with the Division of Consumer Affairs by agreeing to Consent Orders for the payment of penalties and to resolve the consumer complaints by paying restitution or by resolving the complaint through the Division’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Unit ADR for Binding Arbitration, and, in the case of several unregistered contractors, by applying for registration, the news release said. It did not identify which contractors had done so.

Each year, “Home Improvements” has topped the list of complaints that consumers have filed with the Division of Consumer Affairs. In 2015, the Division received 1,386 formal consumer complaints about home improvement contractors, up from the 1,253 received in 2014.

For home improvement projects costing more than $500, the contractor must provide the consumer with a written contract with specific, detailed information including the project’s agreed-upon price; the starting and ending dates; the scope of work; the contractor’s business name, address, and registration number; and other required information.

Each of the contractors receiving a Notice of Violation has the opportunity to contest the assertion that he or she has violated the law, or the opportunity to correct the violation by desisting from any practices in violation of the law, paying a civil penalty and/or consumer restitution where required, and submitting an application for registration, if not registered. Each contractor also may contest the Division’s assessment of consumer restitution.

Violators of the Contractors’ Registration Act are subject to civil penalties of up to $10,000 for the first violation, and up to $20,000 for subsequent violations.

Tips for Consumers, When Hiring a Contractor

Learn about any contractor before deciding to hire them. It is ideal to work with a contractor who is recommended by people you know. It also is advisable to ask the contractor for references and speak with those references about the contractor’s work.

Contact the Division of Consumer Affairs to learn if the contractor is duly registered to perform home improvement work in New Jersey, and learn whether the contractor has been the subject of consumer complaints and/or legal action by the Division, or to learn more about contractors who have been cited by the Division. You can call the Division at 800-242-5846 or use the Division’s website, NJConsumerAffairs.gov.

Before hiring the contractor, demand a copy of the contractor’s liability insurance policy and contact the insurer to learn whether the policy is valid.

Obtain a written contract. Contracts for home improvement projects costing $500 or more must be in writing. They must include the legal name, business address, and registration number of the contractor as well as a start date, completion date, description of the work to be done, and the total price.

Make sure all warranties and guarantees are in writing, and that the contract states the name brands or quality/grades of the materials to be used. Ensure that all applicable construction permits are obtained by the contractor, from the appropriate municipality.

Remember that it is customary not to pay for the entire project in advance.

Additional tips can be found in the Division’s Consumer Brief on “Hiring Home Improvement Contractors,” available in English at and in Español.

Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of marketplace abuse, can file a complaint with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website or by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll free within New Jersey) or 973-504-6200.

REGISTERED CONTRACTORS CITED:

• Patch N Save Roofing Cherry Hill, Registered
• Baby Boy Mann t/a ABC’s Contracting Williamstown, Registered
• Forchetti Pools & Spas, Inc. d/b/a A-1 Pools & Spas New Hope, PA Registered
• Barresse Enterprises Limited Liability Company Hackettstown, Registered
• John Eustice t/a Eustice Carpentry Green Brook, Registered
• Domenic Angello t/a Affordable Fence Somers Point, Registered
• Goldenhands Handyman, L.L.C. Galloway, Registered
• John Derezze d/b/a JCM Services Hightstown, Registered
• Floor Express LLC Eatontown, Registered
• Fred Allen Builders Clayton, Registered
• Saturnino Lebron III d/b/a Nino’s Construction Westampton, Registered
• Nu Look Home Design, Inc. Glen Burnie, MD Registered
• Wonderful Flooring LLC Newark, Registered
• Anthony Peterson t/a Pro-Max Paving Jackson, Registered
• Kevlar Builders & Developers LLC / All City Construction Egg Harbor Township, Registered
• ICMS Enterprises Inc. d/b/a I/CMS Sparta, Registered
• Shawn Engelhart t/a Home Alterations Andover, Registered
• Amalfi Development Incorporated Newark, Registered

CONTRACTORS CITED AS BEING UNREGISTERED:

• Complete Home Maintenance Maple Shade, Unregistered
• Stephan Elbaz t/a Interior Motif Hoboken, Unregistered
• Five Star Floor and Cleaning Corporation, Inc West New York, Unregistered
• Master Real Home Improvement Limited Liability Company Perth Amboy, Unregistered
• Stephen Binn t/a Eagle Carpentry Middletown, Unregistered
• Easy Way Construction Limited Liability Company Cinnaminson, Unregistered
• Hometown Services Group LLC Williamstown, Unregistered
• Barry Construction Co. Bordentown, Unregistered
• Burga Construction, LLC Randolph, Unregistered
• George Lucidi t/a Lucidi Construction Woodbury, Unregistered
• Jeff Miller d/b/a Madison Contracting & Home Improvement Parlin, Unregistered
• Raymond Higbee Ventnor City, Unregistered
• David Adamson Toms River, Unregistered
• John Purcell d/b/a Yellow Stone Construction Somerset, Unregistered
• Daniel Gallucci d/b/a Total Exterior Home Remodeling Glendora, Unregistered
• ALKM LLC Lawrenceville, Unregistered
• James Gorman Marmora, Unregistered
• Ricardo Lopez t/a Richard Painting Morristown, Unregistered
• Warran Evans t/a Construction Concepts Jersey City, Unregistered
• Whitney Construction Limited Liability Company Clark, Unregistered
• Ken Hofler Mason Contractor Phillipsburg, Unregistered
• James Muff t/a Eddie’s General Contracting Magnolia, Unregistered