NJ General Contractor flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Home improvement registration

A credential issued by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs that authorizes a contractor to perform home improvement work; the number must appear on contracts and advertising.

Treble damages

A remedy under the Consumer Fraud Act that multiplies the consumer's actual damages by three, plus attorney's fees and costs, for unlawful home improvement practices.

Certificate of Formation

The document filed with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services to create a limited liability company or similar entity under state law.

Workers' compensation requirement

New Jersey law requires employers with one or more employees to carry workers' compensation insurance; sole proprietors and partners may elect coverage for themselves.

Three-business-day cancellation

The homeowner's right to cancel a home improvement contract until midnight of the third business day after signing, during which the contractor may not begin work.

Down payment limit

New Jersey home improvement regulations cap the deposit at one-third of the total contract price, with the balance payable as work progresses.

Construction lien period

A lien claimant must file a construction lien within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials and must file suit to foreclose within one year.

Written change order

A signed amendment to the contract describing added or deleted work and its price; unsigned verbal changes are unenforceable and create Consumer Fraud Act exposure.

Waste factor formula

Order quantity equals net quantity multiplied by one plus the waste percentage; typical waste is 5-10% for framing lumber and 10% for roofing shingles.

Board foot

A unit of lumber volume equal to a piece one inch thick, twelve inches wide, and twelve inches long; computed as thickness times width times length divided by twelve.

Cubic yards of concrete

The volume of concrete in cubic yards equals length times width times depth in feet divided by 27, with 5-10% added for over-excavation and spillage.

Critical path

The longest sequence of dependent activities through a project network; it determines the shortest possible project duration and has zero float.

Bid as offer

A contractor's bid is a legally binding offer that the owner may accept; an invitation to bid is merely a request and is not itself an offer.

Fall protection threshold

OSHA requires fall protection in construction at six feet above a lower level, at ten feet for scaffolding, and at any height over dangerous equipment.

Competent person

An individual capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards and authorized to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them, required for excavations and scaffolding.

Excavation protective system

Sloping, shoring, or shielding required for excavations five feet or deeper unless the excavation is entirely in stable rock.

Hazard communication

The OSHA requirement that employers maintain Safety Data Sheets, label chemical containers, and train employees on hazardous chemicals present at the worksite.

Frost depth

The depth to which soil freezes in winter; footings in New Jersey generally must bear below 30-36 inches depending on the county.

Water-cement ratio

The ratio of water to cementitious material in a concrete mix; a lower ratio increases strength and reduces permeability and shrinkage cracking.

Slump test

An ASTM C143 field test measuring concrete workability; typical residential foundation concrete has a slump of three to four inches.

Concrete cylinder testing

Standard cylinders are cured and tested at 7 and 28 days; 7-day strength typically reaches about 70-75% of the 28-day design strength.

Joist notching limit

Notches in the top or bottom of a floor joist cannot exceed one-sixth of the joist depth, and holes cannot exceed one-third of the depth.

Joist bearing minimum

Floor joists must bear at least 1.5 inches on wood or metal supports and at least 3 inches on masonry supports.

Rafter length formula

Rafter length equals the run divided by the cosine of the roof pitch angle; a 6/12 pitch corresponds to an angle of about 26.57 degrees.

Shear wall

A wall designed to resist lateral loads through sheathing and nailing, anchored to the foundation and continuous to the roof diaphragm.

Ice dam membrane

A self-adhering waterproofing membrane required along eaves, extending from the eave edge to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line.

Step flashing

L-shaped flashing installed at the sidewall-roof intersection in individual pieces woven with each shingle course to shed water away from the wall.

Roof ventilation ratio

Net free ventilating area should be at least 1/150 of the vented ceiling area, or 1/300 when a vapor retarder is installed and intake and exhaust are balanced.

Window flashing sequence

Sill pan first, then jamb flashing, then head flashing, so each layer sheds water outward over the layer below in shingle fashion.

Electrical working clearance

A clear space 30 inches wide, 36 inches deep, and 6.5 feet high in front of a panelboard; panels cannot be in clothes closets or bathrooms.

GFCI protection locations

Ground-fault circuit interrupter protection is required in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, outdoors, unfinished basements, and within six feet of sinks.

Permit application action

The construction official must act on a complete permit application within 20 business days; if not acted upon, the permit is deemed approved.