All home improvement projects in Connecticut must have a written contract, according to state law. The contract is required to be writing, including all changes and modifications. All contracts must include :
- The Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) Registration number.
- Four dates: the date the contract is signed, the date the work will begin, the date by which the work will be completed, and the date by which the homeowner may cancel the transaction.
- The entire agreement between the homeowner and the contractor regarding the work to be done and the price. The contract should include: The quality or brand of materials to be used, who is responsible for cleaning the worksite once work is complete, who will acquire any needed building permits from the town, and a schedule of payments.
- A Notice of the Customer’s Right to Cancel within three business days after signing the contract. This Notice lets consumers know that once they sign the contract, they have up to 3 days to cancel. The Notice must be attached to and made part of the contract, and must be in duplicate. The Notice in the contract must be near the customer’s signature and should include:
"You the buyer may cancel this transaction at any time prior to midnight on the third business day after the date of this transaction. See the attached notice of cancellation for an explanation of this right.”
NOTE: Saturday is a legal business day in Connecticut under the Home Solicitation Sales Act. By law, “business day” means any calendar day except Sunday or any of the following business holidays: New Year's Day, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Both the contractor and the customer must sign and date the contract. The contractor must give the customer a signed and dated copy of the contract.