Check on Building Permits. Call the Building Department in your village or town to find out what permits are needed. As the owner, you are responsible for either getting the permits or seeing that the contractor gets them.

Look Over the Design. Try to visualize the finished improvement. Are you satisfied with materials the contractor specified? Is every option included?

DEAL ONLY WITH A LICENSED CONTRACTOR

An unlicensed contractor may not have liability insurance and his business practices may be questionable. The license also protects you against "fly-by-nights" who take your money and disappear.

If you incur a problem while dealing with a licensed contractor, the Office of Consumer Affairs will mediate the dispute on your behalf. In some cases, you MAY be entitled to compensation under Nassau County's Restitution Fund. This Fund is used to compensate homeowners who have obtained final legal judgments or final awards in arbitration against a LICENSED contractor and have been unable to collect. Consumers must FIRST file a complaint with the Office of Consumer Affairs prior to legal action.

It is against the law to operate a home improvement business in Nassau County without a license. Call the Office of Consumer Affairs at 516-571-2600 to find out if a contractor is licensed and to check the firm's complaint history.

GET IT ALL IN WRITING — THE CONTRACT SHOULD INCLUDE:

• LICENSE. The Nassau County Home Improvement license number.
  
  
• DATES. Starting date and completion date. By law, the job must be finished within 30 days of promised completion date.
  
  
• WORK. Detailed description of work to be done.
  
  
• MATERIALS. Contract should specify quantity, quality, brands and model numbers. If you want particular fixtures, appliances or materials, shop for them yourself and specify what you want.
  
  
• GUARANTEES. This should include labor and materials, and should specify who backs them up and for how long. Labor warranty should be six months to a year or more.
  
  
• PAYMENT SCHEDULE. Should state that payments will be made as specific work is completed. Make last payment only after satisfactory completion of job.
  
  
• DISPOSAL. A "broom clean" clause making contractor responsible for cleaning up and removing all debris.

WATCH THE WORK . . .

• Try to be home while work is in progress. Examine fixtures and materials before installation. Inspect each day's work. Point out unsatisfactory work to contractor – and contractor only. Do not give directions to employees or subcontractors. All changes should be in writing.
  
  
• Agree on a price for any changes or extra work not specified in the original contract. Write into original contract and have both parties initial the changes.
  
  
• Do not sign a completion certificate or give final payment until the work is finished to your satisfaction and you are notified that all subcontractors have been paid. Unscrupulous operators sometimes try to get the completion certificate signed earlier, which leaves you without legal rights if the work is never finished.
  
  
• Get all the written guarantees and warranties and keep them in a safe place. Get separate warranties and instructions for appliances. If you are having insulation or energy-saving devices installed, specify that the guarantee should cover at least one winter so you can determine their effectiveness.