May is National Home Remodeling Month. It is estimated Americans will spend nearly $233 billion on home remodeling this year. The Ventura County Contractor's Association can provide references for licensed contractors and assist homeowners in selecting the right contractor for the job.

The Ventura County Contractors Association (VCCA) continues to educate consumers and will host a consumer booth at the Simi Valley Home Show. The Rancho Santa Susana Recreation Center will host the Home Show again this year. It is located at 5005-C Los Angeles Avenue off Highway 118 in Simi Valley from 10 am to 6 pm Saturday June 9 and from 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday June 10.

How many bids should you obtain on your kitchen, spa or bath project? Is the contractor licensed? Do they have references? These are a few of the questions and answers the VCCA, the county's oldest construction industry association will provide homeowners.

"People want to know how to find and use a local contractor," says Garry Oswald, president of the Ventura County Contractors Association, "And we can provide a lot of good information on how to hire one." In addition to providing state sponsored information brochures, the nearly 600 member association will be recruiting new members at the show.

It's important to entrust your home to someone you can count on for your remodeling needs. With such high demand there is danger of unlicensed contractors trying to take on your project, despite the financial danger they could place you in. The VCCA assists in thwarting these activities by providing a clearing house for licensed, insured, bonded and reputable contractors.

The most important step in your remodeling project is to find a reliable, qualified contractor, so be prepared to do some research.Consumers should be patient when searching for a contractor since reputable companies may be booked for several weeks in advance, but are worth the wait. The VCCA recommends homeowners keep in mind the following guidelines when choosing a contractor:

· Determine whether you need a general contractor or a specialty contractor. General contractors oversee jobs that require more than one type of work on a building, i.e. if your kitchen remodeling job requires plumbing, electrical and carpentry a general contractor should be hired.

· Check the contractor's license. Any contractor performing a job over $500 must be licensed by the Contractors State License Board. Ask for additional ID to make sure the names match.

· Ask for a list of references, including past clients and building materials suppliers, to see if the contractor is reliable and has a good reputation. Contact your local better business bureau (VCCA) to determine financial stability and research any complaints against the contractor.

· Make sure the contractor has workers' compensation and liability coverage. Ask for a copy of the certificate of insurance.

May is National Home Remodeling Month
On May 9, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) announced its 2007 industry forecast of remodeling, stating Americans will spend nearly $233 billion on home remodeling this year. This figure represents a 1.9 percent increase from the record $228 billion spent in 2006, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

"Remodeling continues to show strength despite the housing slowdown," said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Mike Nagel, CGR, CAPS, a home remodeler from Chicago. "With more than 120 million homes in the United States plus $11 trillion in owner equity, the demand for remodeling will be there now and in the future." Remodeling currently accounts for more than 40 percent of the home construction industry by dollar volume.

"Quite simply, we're adding more homes each year than we're tearing down, and these will eventually require remodeling," said NAHB Chief Economist David Seiders. "Compared to other components of the housing industry, remodeling remains one of the few areas to show growth, at least in nominal terms."

Driving the remodeling market are the size and characteristics of the housing stock. With an average age of 33 years and rising, older homes require more remodeling - both in terms of upgrading features to compete with new construction as well as maintaining their physical quality. Though remodeling is somewhat cyclical with new construction, homeowners cannot put off a major repair like a leaky roof as they can discretionary upgrades, and that stabilizes the industry during slower housing markets.

The Ventura County Contractors Association is a non-profit membership association of qualified general contractors, subcontractors, building material suppliers and many other leading construction industry businesses. For a list of certified professionals visit the Ventura County Contractors Association's website at www.vccainc.com.

Offices are at 1830 Lockwood Street, Suite 110, Oxnard, CA 93036. For more information, call (805) 981-8088.