A 10-week-long sting operation conducted by the state Department of Consumer Protection in Waterbury has caught 115 home improvement contractors who either failed to register with the department or violated other state statutes.

“We want to make sure we get the message out [to contractors and consumers],” said DCP Commissioner Edwin R. Rodriguez.

Of the 115 contractors who were caught, 78 had not registered with the department, making them eligible for criminal prosecution and up to one year in jail, according to Rodriguez. The remaining 37 contractors violated other state statutes, such as the Home Improvement Act or the Home Sales Solicitation Act, and it is likely most will be fined, although the DCP is looking at the violations on a case-by-case basis.

The DCP’s trade practices investigators set up the undercover house – which was provided by the state Department of Transportation – in March at 1020 West Main St. in Waterbury. Investigators invited contractors who advertised their services to bid on projects including painting, kitchen remodeling, siding, roof and window installation and landscaping.

The DCP defines a home improvement contractor as anyone who performs improvements on residential property in Connecticut when an individual job costs more than $200 and when the cash price of all work performed in one year is more than $1,000. All home improvement contractors – including roofers, addition and remodeling contractors, driveway pavers and those who install fences, siding, insulation, windows, masonry and underground fuel storage tanks – must be registered with the DCP.

“Registration actually provides valuable protection for homeowners,” Rodriguez said in a prepared statement. “Our agency administers the Home Improvement Guaranty Fund that can provide victimized consumers with restitution, but only if they used a registered contractor. Because registration is quick and easy, there’s no reason for a contractor to avoid the law, and no reason for a homeowner to work with someone who is not registered.”

The Home Builders Association of Connecticut had not heard of the sting at press time – which came hours after the announcement of the sting – but Executive Vice President Bill Ethier said the association supports the stings, which are conducted about once a year.

“We support strong enforcement,” he said.

The Waterbury sting was the sixth in as many years, Rodriguez said. In 2001, the DCP caught 27 contractors in a Wilton sting. They caught 60 in West Haven in 2002, 71 in Bristol in 2003, 143 (many from out of state) in Enfield in 2004 and 100 (many from Rhode Island) in Montville in 2005.

Of the 115 contractors caught in the most recent sting, three were from Massachusetts and one was from New York. The rest came from 30 cities and towns across Connecticut, Rodriguez said.

‘A Huge Problem’

The purpose of the stings – which can take place once or twice a year, but usually are conducted in the spring, when homeowners are seeking to make improvements – is twofold, Rodriguez said. They are intended to protect the integrity of the marketplace and to protect consumers and keep them aware of the importance of hiring registered contractors.

According to Connecticut law, a consumer who suffers construction damage or problems because of work done by a registered contractor can qualify for the Home Improvement Guaranty Fund, which can return up to $15,000 in restitution per contract.

“The law requires home improvement contractors to register and follow certain procedures for a reason – to protect homeowners,” Rodriguez said in a prepared statement. “We are not trying to prevent people from making a living; we’re just making sure that they’re making an honest living. This includes complying with state laws that assure consumers a level of financial protection. Contractors who ignore the law are unfairly competing with those who take the time to register and abide by the law, and that is also a concern. But our main purpose in this enforcement is to protect the integrity of the marketplace and safeguard consumers from contractors who would exploit them for financial gain.”

Home improvement contractors can find forms on the DCP’s Web site, www.ct.gov/dcp. Registration costs $160 or less, depending on the time of year.

“Home improvement complaints rank as the top consumer complaint in Connecticut and elsewhere across the country,” Rodriguez said in a prepared statement. “While home improvements themselves can be expensive, any problems that arise often cost consumers thousands more to fix. Unfortunately, there have been many cases where a homeowner is left with a huge problem and has no financial means of getting it repaired.”