How We Charge
New Jersey law lets a contractor add a credit card surcharge to your bill. We don't. The card price is the cash price, because we absorb the processing cost instead of passing it to you. Below: what the State actually permits, and what we do inside it.
The card price is the cash price
We take the processing cost on our side rather than adding it to your invoice. Whatever the written quote says is what you pay, whether you settle it by card, check or bank transfer. There is no separate line for a convenience fee, a card fee or a processing fee, because we do not add one.
New Jersey would let us charge it
That is what makes this a choice rather than a formality. Since August 2023 a New Jersey seller may lawfully surcharge a credit card up to the actual cost of processing it, provided the amount is disclosed before you incur any charge. Plenty of contractors in this state do exactly that, entirely legally. Ask the other quotes you are holding whether their number changes when you reach for a card.
The number in the quote is the number in the contract
Above $500, New Jersey requires the written contract to carry the total price including finance charges, and requires any change to those terms to be in writing as well. We work to the written figure. If scope genuinely changes mid-job — rotten decking under a roof, a frame that will not take a stock unit — that becomes a written change order you approve before anyone continues, not a surprise at the end.
What New Jersey law says about paying a contractor
Can a contractor charge you a credit card fee in New Jersey?
Yes, within limits. Since 18 August 2023, P.L. 2023 c.146 (N.J.S.A. 56:8-156.1 and 56:8-156.2) allows a New Jersey seller to add a credit card surcharge, but caps it at the actual cost the seller pays to process that payment — a merchant charged 3 percent may pass on 3 percent and no more. The seller also has to tell you the amount before you incur any charge, and a percentage is an acceptable way to state it. Both halves are enforceable under the Consumer Fraud Act.
Does Precision charge a credit card surcharge?
No. The card price is the cash price. We absorb the processing cost rather than passing it through, so paying by card costs you exactly what paying by check costs you. New Jersey would let us charge it; we've chosen not to.
How much deposit can a New Jersey contractor ask for?
New Jersey sets no percentage cap on home improvement deposits — a fact worth knowing, because it means any cap a contractor quotes is self-imposed rather than legal. Ours is 10 to 30 percent on cash projects, with the balance on completion. The full detail is on our financing page.
Can a contractor make you pay in full before the work is finished?
No. N.J.A.C. 13:45A-16.2(a)(6)v makes it an unlawful practice for a contractor to ask you to sign a certificate of completion, or to make final payment, before the home improvement is actually finished under the contract. A demand for the full amount up front is not merely unusual — it is prohibited.
Does the price have to be in writing?
Yes, above $500. N.J.A.C. 13:45A-16.2(a)(12) and N.J.S.A. 56:8-151 require any home improvement contract over $500 to be in writing and signed, carrying the contractor's legal name, business address and registration number, a description of the work, the start and completion dates, and the total price including finance charges. Changes to those terms have to be in writing too.
Can you cancel after signing?
Yes, within three business days. You may cancel a signed home improvement contract for any reason before midnight of the third business day after you receive your copy. Put it in writing and either hand it to the contractor or send it registered or certified mail, return receipt requested.
Statutes cited so you can check them rather than take our word for it: P.L. 2023 c.146 (N.J.S.A. 56:8-156.1, 56:8-156.2) on card surcharges; N.J.S.A. 56:8-151 and N.J.A.C. 13:45A-16.2 on written contracts, final payment and cancellation. This is a plain-language summary of how we bill, not legal advice.
Or spread it over months
We work with Hearth, which shops several lenders on a single application. See your personalized options in minutes — checking does not affect your credit score, and there is no commitment.
- Loan amounts up to $250,000
- Funding in as little as 1–3 days
- No prepayment penalties
- No home equity required
Financing is provided by Hearth's lending partners, not by Precision Windows & Roofing. Rates and terms depend on your credit and the lender making the offer, and all financing is subject to credit approval.
Get it in writing
Written quote, the total price on it, and no fee added when you pay. Our NJHIC registration, insurance and workmanship warranty are all listed and verifiable on our credentials page, and deposit terms are on our financing page.
(201) 275-9185