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- Showers & Glass DoorsWalk-in showers, benches and glass doors
- Niches & Accent TileShower niches, mosaics and borders
- Kitchen RemodelingBacksplashes, floors and full kitchens
- Tile FloorsKitchens, baths, entries and patterns
- Custom Tile WorkPatterns, borders and one-off details
- PaintingWalls, ceilings, trim and doors
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- Full RemodelsEvery room, start to finish
- Outdoor PatiosStone and tile patios
What a Massachusetts home improvement contract must say.
The written contract, the deposit limit, the permits, cancellation and arbitration, from the law itself.
Updated November 2026. The sources are at the end of the page.
The short answer
In writing, with the details, and no more than a third up front.
In Massachusetts, any home improvement job over $1,000 on an owner occupied home of one to four units needs a written contract under M.G.L. c.142A. It must name both parties and the contractor's registration number, give the start and completion dates, describe the work and materials, state the total price and a payment schedule, and carry "Do not sign this contract if there are any blank spaces" above the signatures.
The deposit cannot be more than one third of the price, or the cost of special order materials if that is higher. Final payment is due only when the work is done to the satisfaction of both sides.
Who the law covers
Owner occupied homes of one to four units.
Chapter 142A protects the owner of an existing home that they live in, with one to four dwelling units, when they hire a contractor for residential work. Contractors doing that work must be registered, and must put their registration number in their contract and their ads.
Our registration is HIC #655031.
What the contract must include
The list in section 2.
For a job over $1,000 the contract must be in writing and include:
- the complete agreement and the date it was signed;
- the full names and addresses of the owner and the contractor (no P.O. boxes), and the contractor's registration number;
- the date the work starts and the date it is substantially complete;
- a detailed description of the work and the materials;
- the total price and a payment schedule in dollar amounts;
- the signatures of all parties, with "Do not sign this contract if there are any blank spaces" in bold, 10 point or larger, directly above them;
- the notices the law requires, including your cancellation rights where they apply and any warranties.
Money
The deposit and the final payment.
The money paid before work starts cannot be more than one third of the total price, or the actual cost of special order or custom made materials that must be ordered in advance, whichever is greater. A custom vanity or cabinets are the usual reason a deposit is higher than a third.
The contractor cannot demand the final payment until the work is completed to the satisfaction of both parties.
Permits
The contract has to name them.
The contractor must tell you which permits the job needs and that getting them is the contractor's job. It must also tell you that a homeowner who pulls their own permit is not covered by the Guaranty Fund.
If something goes wrong
Arbitration and the Guaranty Fund.
A contract may offer arbitration through a service approved by the state, but only if it is clearly disclosed and signed and dated separately.
The state's Guaranty Fund can repay an owner's actual loss, up to $25,000 per claim, when a registered contractor does not pay a court judgment or an arbitration award. It requires a written contract with a contractor who was registered when you signed, and that you did not pull the permit yourself.
Questions
What homeowners ask about contracts.
Does a small job need a written contract in Massachusetts?
Under M.G.L. c.142A, a written contract is required for residential contracting over $1,000 on an owner occupied home of one to four units.
How much can a contractor ask for up front in Massachusetts?
No more than one third of the total price, or the actual cost of special order or custom materials that must be ordered in advance, whichever is greater.
Can I cancel a home improvement contract in Massachusetts?
The contract must tell you about the three day cancellation rights Massachusetts consumer law gives you where they apply. Read that notice before you sign.
What does "Do not sign this contract if there are any blank spaces" mean?
The law requires that line in bold above the signatures, so nothing can be filled in after you sign.
What is the Massachusetts Guaranty Fund?
A state fund that can repay a homeowner's actual loss, up to $25,000 per claim, when a registered contractor does not pay a court judgment or arbitration award. It does not cover a job where the owner pulled their own permit.
Is Becker General Services registered?
Yes. Our Massachusetts home improvement contractor registration is HIC #655031, and it is on our contracts.
Sources
Where these answers come from.
Official pages first. Rules change: check the source, or ask us at the quote visit.
- M.G.L. c.142A, section 2: requirements of home improvement contracts
- M.G.L. c.142A, section 1: definitions (owner, residential contracting)
- M.G.L. c.142A, section 3: arbitration
- M.G.L. c.142A, section 5: the Guaranty Fund
- 201 CMR 14.21: Guaranty Fund payments
- M.G.L. c.142A, section 17: prohibited acts, including working or advertising without registration
Last checked November 2026.
Keep going
Keep reading.
Costs, the service itself and the other guides.
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Let’s build it.
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Projects
Start to finish.
01 SaugusAn attic turned into a living floorAn open attic became a bright floor with a full bathroom, a window seat and a new oak stair.
02 SalemA whole house in Salem, made newThree floors, two bathrooms, a new kitchen, new stairs and oak floors everywhere. One crew, one schedule, one number to call.
03 Manchester-by-the-SeaA walk-in shower in Manchester-by-the-SeaAn old tub alcove taken to the studs and built back as a walk-in shower with a glass door, a mosaic floor and two niches.
