Russ Zimmer

@RussZimmer

BRICK – Thousands of homes damaged by superstorm Sandy need to be elevated and right now there are only a couple dozen companies approved to do that type of work in New Jersey.

As of last week, there were 24 contractors that were approved to do home elevations in the state, according to the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, which is running the registration program. “Numerous additional applications” are currently being reviewed, according to a division spokesman.

That’s an improvement over this time last month when only 14 companies had even applied, but the 24 registered companies still represent just a fraction of the 147 contractors that the state reached out to when it was encouraging them to sign up ahead of the October 1 deadline.

With only about 1 percent of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) program's 8,800 homes completely finished, there’s already long line of homeowners who will require the attention of a qualified contractor in the coming months.

“I think the numbers tell you right there,” replied Kimberle Ely, when asked if she was nervous about finding a qualified company to raise her home in Brick. “There’s thousands of homes that need to be lifted, that could take years and years.”

Homeowners like Ely, who recently signed her RREM grant award, have to juggle that labyrinthian program with other time-sensitive tasks such as scheduling utility disconnection or finding and leasing a rental home for when the elevation takes place. Ely also needs to synchronize a busy contractor’s availability within that window.

“I think most of us don’t know what we’re doing, and we just kind of stumble through,” Ely said with a laugh.

What can happen

Consumer affairs spokesman Neal Buccino said the legislation was intended to enhance public safety “while also ensuring that post-Sandy rebuilding would continue without delay.” They are unaware of any hiccups caused by the new law.

In July 2013, three workers were injured when a home in the process of being elevated collapsed in Little Egg Harbor.

The OSHA investigation of that incident — obtained by the Asbury Park Press via a Freedom of Information Act request — reveals a company that used a lot of guesswork on, didn’t have a safety procedure in place and was dropped by its insurance company less than two months later.

It appeared that not enough sheetrock was removed from the house, which also had several floor joists that may have been compromised by Sandy’s floodwaters, before it was elevated.

“Only up eight feet for like two minutes then later fell,” read the notes from an OSHA interview with ECO-Friendly Builders owner Hal Ramone Desylva. “Heard a crack. Crack (sound) was from wood structure.”

ECO-Friendly, which had a mailing address outside of Wichita, Kansas, was initially fined $8,000 for three violations of workplace laws. It’s unclear what was actually paid.

The rules

As of October 1, all contractors engaged in lifting homes in New Jersey needed to:

• have either an owner, employee or consultant with at least five years of demonstrable experience in home elevation;

• get at least $1 million in additional insurance specific to damages and losses that can arise from this type of work;

• register with the consumer affairs division.

To avoid causing any delays in home elevations, any project already in writing as of October 1 can proceed regardless if the contractor is registered or not.

The rules, and the accompany fines of up to $20,000 per violation, were supposed to dissuade fly-by-night contractors from taking money from New Jerseyans to do a job they don’t have the experience, training or equipment to successfully complete.

These rules could end up requiring additional insurance and bonding requirements when they reach their final form. The legislation that created the registration and other requirements calls for the current statute to sunset in May. Earlier this month, the consumer affairs division posted proposed language that is open for public comment until Jan. 2.

Russ Zimmer: 732-557-5748, razimmer@app.com

Looking to hire a home-elevation contractor?

The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs recommends that you:

• contact the consumer affairs division at 888-656-6225 to determine if the contractor is registered or the subject of any complaints

• obtain a copy of the contractor’s insurance policies and contact the insurer to make sure the coverage is active

• call your homeowner’s insurance provider and ask about any limits or conditions on your policy related to home elevation

• ask the contractor to provide you with the contact information for a few of their prior customers, and then call those people to find out what their experience was

• contractors are required by law to provide a detailed contract that specifies the scope of the project, cost, time frame and other information — ask for it.