Planning Home Renovations and Remodeling | G&L and Sons

How to Choose the Right Home Renovation Contractor in Montclair and Northern NJ: Expert Tips

Written by David Caputo | Mar. 26, 2025

If you’re considering home improvement in Montclair, NJ, or northern NJ, you need to learn how to choose the right home renovation contractor. This can be challenging, especially if it is your first time following through with home remodeling in Montclair, NJ, or northern NJ. 

Fortunately, that’s where we come in. At G&L and Sons Renovations, we know how to choose the right home renovation contractor because we are experts in this field. In this latest blog, we’ve shared expert tips and insights into picking a home renovator that will do right for you and your home renovation project. Let’s dive in!

How Do You Choose the Right Home Renovation Contractor in Montclair and Northern NJ?

When evaluating a home renovation contractor in NJ, you must remember a few tips. Below, we’ve shared our expert tips to help you choose the right home renovation contractor in Montclair and Northern NJ for your remodel project:

Make Sure They Follow The Rules

Professional home remodelers who don’t follow the rules are not worth considering. A contractor in Montclair or Northern NJ should be able to prove to you that they meet the New Jersey minimum licensing requirements to operate. 

If they cannot prove this to you by showing you their license number, it’s a huge risk. Not only might you waste money, but your remodel might be breaking the law, and there could be serious repercussions. 

So, be sure to learn the rules where you live and then make sure the contractor you hire is compliant. In addition, if your project is specialized, you should also be sure that the contractor has a general license to build what you need. For example, masonry and roofing often require special licensing.  

Judge Them On How They Appear

The old adage is ‘never judge a book by its cover,’ but this way of thinking deserves no place in your mind when you're looking for a home renovation contractor in Montclair or Northern NJ. 

After all, when you’re paying a significant amount of money for whole home remodeling, modern home renovations, kitchen remodeling, Montclair, or any other type of renovation project, you should enjoy a high-caliber renovation company that cares about its appearance. 
So, if a company drives a dirty car with dents or has scruffy, unkempt workers, it could be a red flag that it is not the best at what it does.  

In addition, appearance also means exploring answers to key questions, such as whether the company responds to you in a timely manner. Do they listen to your concerns or cut you off mid-conversation? Are they always looking at their phones, or are they disrespectful in any way in your presence? 

The answers to these questions can help you weed out the good home renovation contractors from the bad, so pay special attention to how the company presents itself. 

Ask Them about their Insurance

Sometimes, an insurance certificate is not a state requirement, but even if this is the case, if you want to renovate your home, it's a good idea to hire a contractor with insurance. The builder’s insurance protects the homeowner—you—in the event that something goes wrong during your renovation in Montclair or Northern NJ. 

So, you need to ask a contractor about their insurance and don’t assume they carry it because they have a good reputation. You can even go so far as to request a copy of their builder's insurance certificate and check the policy dates to ensure you’re not deceived. 

Don’t Fall for Low Bids

We know low bids can be tempting, but you should try not to fall for them. Although you might think you’ll be saving money, accepting a low bid could cost you more in many instances. A low bid could reflect a misunderstanding of a renovation project and indicate a contractor's experience and the level of work they will perform. Spoiler alert: it's likely to be awful. 

However, on the flip side, high bids don’t automatically mean contractors know what they are doing. That’s why it's important to find a contractor like G&L and Sons Renovations, which is known for its fair pricing and detailed quotations.

Who Are the Best Home Renovation Contractors in Montclair, NJ?

We may be biased in our thinking, but we believe we’re one of the best home renovation contractors in Montclair and northern NJ. Our family-run business with local roots has provided decades of expertise to homeowners who have wanted custom remodeling in Montclair and northern NJ. 

So, if you’re looking for the best home renovation in Montclair, you might want to consider us. We can help with your design-build needs, whether you’re after a new addition, kitchen or bathroom remodel, or a whole home renovation. 


Transform Your Home with G&L and Sons Renovations – Montclair and Northern NJ Contractors That Care

Now you know more about choosing the right contractor for your home renovation project in Montclair and Northern NJ. However, these are only a few of the best tips. We have plenty more information on this topic, and there are many other things you should check, such as contractor reviews, reputation, experience, and more. 

We have a blog you can check out that details a more in-depth look into the questions you should ask a contractor. We recommend reading it before you decide on one. Should you want to explore our services more, you can contact us here

Our Northern NJ and Montclair NJ remodeling experts at G&L and Sons Renovations would be more than happy to help you renovate your home. 

 

Here are some other blog posts that might interest you:

Kitchen renovations

Planning a kitchen remodel

Choosing a remodel contractor

To recap, plan your project carefully and take the time to explore what matters most to you.

If you live in our northern NJ area and are ready to create the project of your dreams we'd love to hear from you.