Questions homeowners ask
Straight answers about consultations, contracts, permits and how a project runs. Questions about a specific service are answered on that service’s page.
Getting started
How do I start?
Prepare a consultation request on this website and send it to us, or call or text (718) 866-3350. Tell us what you’re planning and when suits you, and we’ll arrange a time with you.
Do you need to see the space before giving a price?
For most projects, yes. Photos and a phone or video call help us understand the job, but final scope and pricing depend on measurements and site conditions, so a written proposal usually follows a visit.
What should I have ready?
A rough idea of what you’d like to change and photos of anything you like. If you live in a co-op or condo, your building’s alteration rules help too. Plans and measurements are useful but not required.
Which areas do you serve?
All five boroughs of New York City: Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. We don’t work in Nassau, Suffolk or Westchester. See areas we serve.
Permits and paperwork
Are you licensed?
Yes. Grandstone Group LLC holds NYC DCWP Home Improvement Contractor License No. 2137359-DCWP, issued by the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. The license covers home improvement work; plumbing, gas and electrical work is performed by professionals licensed for that work, as New York City requires. You can verify the license with the city (opens in a new tab).
Will I get a written contract?
Yes. New York City requires a written contract for home improvement work, and ours spells out the work, materials, schedule and payments. You have three business days to cancel after signing, and work doesn’t start before that period ends. See how a project works.
Who handles permits?
If a job needs a Department of Buildings permit or Landmarks Preservation Commission approval, we tell you in writing before you sign and explain who files it.
I live in a co-op or condo. Can you work in my building?
Usually, yes. Most buildings require an alteration agreement, a certificate of insurance and set work hours. Tell us about your building’s rules at the consultation and we’ll plan around them.
During the project
How do payments and deposits work?
The payment schedule is written into the contract and tied to stages of the work. Under New York law, money paid before a job is finished must be held in a separate account or protected by a bond.
What if the plan changes partway through?
Any change to the work, price or schedule is written up as a change order and signed by both of us before that work goes ahead.
Do you offer financing?
No. Home improvement contractors in New York City can’t arrange financing, so we don’t offer it.
Tell us about your project
Request a consultation or call (718) 866-3350. We’ll talk through what you have in mind and what the space needs.