Residential Contractor Boot Camp
Construction Delays in the Time of Coronavirus: A Legal Perspective
A federal judge in Oklahoma last week ruled against an electrical subcontractor who quit work before finishing because it was allegedly unsafe to continue. The court found that the subcontractor was simply losing money, and...more
In Dobson v. Archibald, the Washington Supreme Court addressed and confirmed statutory analyses concerning the required contractor registration in Washington. 1 Wash. 3d 102, 523 P.3d 1190 (2023). Contractors and potential...more
Federal construction contracts often involve unforeseen delays. The key question is who is responsible for the resulting costs. A new decision from the ASBCA provides a blueprint for how contractors can maximize recovery...more
Owners can trigger an insurance policy without formally alleging a tort claim if the contractor's defective work could support a tort claim. The Oregon decision may allow property owners to assert only a breach of...more
A federal district court, applying New York law, has held that a “voluntary payments provision” precluded coverage for an insured’s post-tender costs to remediate its engineering errors because the insured admitted and...more
“Manifest disregard of the law” is no longer a valid basis to challenge arbitration awards, at least not in the federal courts of Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana. Rather, according to the Fifth Circuit’s decision in U.S....more
On April 16, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC), in Trustees of Boston University vs. Clough, Harbour & Associates LLP, held that contractual indemnification claims, arising from negligence, were not precluded by...more
“Ensuing loss” provisions have long been the subject of nuanced arguments in insurance litigation. The provisions, which sometimes afford coverage for a “covered loss” stemming from an expressly excluded peril, serve as...more
Executive Summary - The South Australian Court of Appeal (Court of Appeal) in Goyder Wind Farm 1 Pty Ltd v GE Renewable Energy Australia Pty Ltd & Ors has delivered a landmark judgment....more
Must damages be based on the cost of repair at the time of the breach? What is the time of breach? A recent Florida appellate case might have the answer to these questions. Bandklayder Development, LLC v. Sabga introduces key...more
In the fast-paced world of construction, delays and disruption can pose significant challenges to project success. In this Breaking Down the Walls series, Gary Brummer, a partner at Margie Strub Construction Law LLP, and...more
An Idaho court has confirmed an arbitration award for a general contractor who left a project and did not return after being told by the owner to “get the f*** off my site.” The case involves the construction of five...more
In a significant decision on April 17, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld significant penalties and attorney fees awarded to C.J. Hughes Construction Company, Inc. under the Pennsylvania Contractor...more
A mechanics’ lien is a powerful remedy that provides a contractor with a priority lien on a property and a fast means of being made whole if payment is not rendered at the completion of a job. In order to successfully obtain...more
A Texas court has rejected a pipeline contractor’s $25 million claim for additional costs based on broad release language include in an executed change order (see Wood Group, USA v. Targa NGL Pipeline Company, LLC, No....more
There is a reason why contractors need to review their contracts closely and the Washington Court of Appeals' decision in King County v Walsh Construction Company II LLC, No. 83787-7-1 (Wash. App. Ct. 2023) ("Walsh")...more
A claim that a contract for construction of a school violated public bidding requirements did not become moot after construction was completed because effective relief — in the form of disgorgement of public funds paid to the...more
Construction contracts often include a “no damage for delay” clause that denies a contractor the right to recover delay-related costs and limits the contractor’s remedy to an extension of time for noncontractor-caused delays...more
Case Provides Valuable Guidance for Public Agencies Wanting One Contractor for Two Phases - A contractor that had two separate contracts with a school district — one for preconstruction services and the other for...more