Make Sure You Hire MHIC Licensed Contractors

The State of Maryland regulates Home Improvement Contractors. The agency in charge of this is the Maryland Home Improvement Commission or MHIC.

It is a criminal offense to do home improvements without a license and there is no protection from the Guaranty Fund for the homeowner who uses an unlicensed contractor

From the Official Maryland MHIC website:

• Request references from prospective contractor-check them!
• If the contractor is providing lead paint abatement services, see if the contractor is accredited to do this work. Call 410-537-3825.
• Get a copy of the contractor’s current liability insurance certificate.
• Always get a written contract.
• Pay no more than 1/3 of the contract price as down payment.
• If a building permit is needed, ask to see it before work starts.

If the last contractor you hired did not do what they said they were going to do you may file a complaint with MHIC here.

To protect homeowners the MHIC has a Guarantee Fund to compensate for monetary losses which arise from poor workmanship or failure to perform the work specified in a contract, but this fund only applies to contracts with licensed contractors.
Certain home improvement work requires a building permit issued by your local Permit and Inspections Office. Failure to obtain necessary permits may result in your job being shut down by local building inspectors. Licensed contractors are familiar with these permits and obtain them regularly.

“The home improvement commission is getting fewer complaints about the use of unlicensed contractors than it used to,” said Sy Goldstein, MHIC Chairman. “In part, the association (MICA) has contributed to helping bring this about.”

Maryland Home Remodeling by BT Martin Contractors is a MHIC Licensed Contractor

Fresh Ideas For Painting the Exterior of Your Home
By Chelsi Woolz

• Highlight architectural details like windows, door, and unique trim with complementary and attractive colour combinations drawing on natural tones, like fresh pair and deep, cool topiary green.
• Add a touch of luxurious sophistication with a combination of the deep, warm chocolate of New Look Grounded and its paler counterpart, New Look Element.
• The pale, buttery cream of New Look Georgian combined with the subtle but persuasive blue green New Look Providence tone give the impression of sheer dignified class.
• Get in a Tuscan mood with the casual and relaxed elegance of warm, golden New Look Icon paired with the cool freshness of New Look Topiary.
• Cool, clear, contemporary lines are accented with the subtle yet striking combination of deep and moody New Look Provence, fresh New Look Metro, and the calming coolness of New Look Element.
• Give your home a personality makeover, with the garden inspired New Look Leaf, combined with the informal, beachy combination of sand tones like New Look Georgian and New Look Element, enhanced with the watery coolness of New Look Provence.
• Evoke the romantic mood of the traditional French provincial style when you use the warm yellow tones of New Look Icon complemented by the sky-blue clarity of New Look Provence.
• For a subtle but undeniably striking change, try highlighting trim in a shade closely linked to the rest of the home. A combination of warm neutrals, like New Look Georgian and New Look Element, are ideal for this look.
• To achieve a warm Mediterranean flair to your home’s exterior, try pairing a wall colour of neutral yet warm New Look Stillness with the oxidized copper accents of New Look Metro on trim and window surrounds.
• Make your home as inviting as a sylvan pond with a watery cool palette, that combines walls of silvery New Look Stillness with the calming forest shade of New Look Provence. Add New Look Metro’s hint of playful azure as the perfect colour to accent the front door.

Maryland Custom Painting Contractor serving Bethesda, Potomac and Howard County for 30 yrs. We are fully licensed and insured, with excellent references available upon request. Our team of quality-conscious professionals will address all of your home improvement concerns, treating your home and property with high regards.

We understand… the importance of completing the projects in a timely manner without interrupting your daily life.