By Bennett's Concrete and Excavation, Norwich, NY. Updated October 2026.
Licensing in New York: what to know
New York State does not license home improvement contractors. The Department of State's consumer protection division says so directly, and adds that some counties and local municipalities do. It names New York City, Buffalo, and Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties as places that require a license.
Most of Central New York isn't on that list, so a local contractor without a home improvement license isn't a red flag here. Still, rules can change and some towns have their own, so check with your town or county. What matters more is everything below.
Get more than one estimate
The Department of State suggests getting at least three estimates that include detailed information about materials and services. The point isn't to pick the lowest number. It's to see who describes the job clearly. If one estimate includes base stone, reinforcement and joints and another doesn't mention them, they aren't pricing the same job. Our guide to what an estimate should include has a checklist.
Questions to ask
- Who does the work: your own crew, or subcontractors?
- Who does the excavation and base, and how deep will the stone be?
- How thick will the concrete be, and what reinforcement will you use?
- Where will the control joints go?
- How will water drain off the finished surface?
- Who calls 811 and who handles permits?
- How should I care for it the first month and the first winter?
- When can you realistically start, and what could delay it?
Good contractors like these questions. The answers tell you how they think about the parts you can't see. Write the answers down, or ask for them in the estimate, so you can compare contractors on the same points. If someone can't explain how water will leave the finished surface, that tells you something too.
Look at real work
The Department of State says to always contact references, speak directly with former customers and ask to see examples of prior work. Ask for jobs that are a few years old, not just last month's. Time and winters show how a job was built. Look for cracks outside the joints, sunken sections, puddles and scaling. Ask the owner if the crew showed up when they said and cleaned up after. You can see our own jobs on the projects page.
Insurance
New York's home improvement contract law, General Business Law Section 771, requires the contract to disclose, before work begins, any property or casualty insurance policy covering the work, including the insurer's address and phone number. Ask for proof of insurance up front, and make sure it covers the kind of work being done. A crew with heavy equipment on your property should be insured for it.
Red flags
- Asking for the full price up front. The Department of State advises against it and recommends payments tied to stages of the job.
- No written contract. New York requires home improvement contracts to be in writing.
- Vague scope. "Pour driveway" with no thickness, base or finish described.
- Pressure to sign today. A good contractor will give you time to compare.
- Changes that stay verbal. The Department of State says to get any changes in writing.
Fit matters too
Pick someone who does your kind of work regularly. A contractor who does both excavation and concrete controls the base and the pour, which removes a hand-off between crews. That's how we work: our own mini excavator, track loader and dump truck for the dirt and stone, and power screeds and trowels for the concrete. If you'd like us to look at your project, use the contact page or call or text (607) 244-5118.
