Law Brief: Lien Times: Securing Mechanics Liens for Preconstruction Services
Benefits of a Stop Notice for Construction Contractors
Hot to Get Paid: Tips and Tricks for Construction Companies in DC, MD, and VA
Whether you’re a homeowner, contractor, or subcontractor working on a construction project in Massachusetts, it’s important to understand how mechanic’s liens work. This legal tool plays a key role in ensuring that those who...more
A lien, sometimes referred to as a security interest, is an interest in real or personal property that secures the payment of a debt or the performance of an obligation. The most common examples of liens are mortgages (deeds...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
Mechanic’s liens have long been a valuable tool for mechanics and materialmen in the Commonwealth to secure their rights to payment. Yet, despite mechanic’s liens having been in existence for well over a century, properly...more
Lien claims can pose serious challenges—and immense frustration—for any owner or developer of a private construction project, particularly for those wishing to refinance or sell the property. An owner with a finance...more
You control two entities with substantially similar names that are general partners. You accidentally name the wrong entity in a construction contract. What could the fallout be from such a minor mistake? As a recent...more
Welcome back to our DMV Construction Law Series, where we examine a different set of legal issues important to contractors each month. For our second installment, we briefly examine certain key parts of Washington, DC’s...more
For contractors and subcontractors, late payments can be an all-too-familiar part of the construction industry. Many assume the best of intentions—maybe the check is still in the mail? Maybe there was an emergency...more
A mechanic’s lien right is a powerful remedy to secure a contractor’s right to payment. Each jurisdiction’s mechanic’s lien statute is unique and most states strictly interpret/enforce the statutes. For multi-jurisdictional...more
Whether you are the owner or the general contractor, dealing with mechanic’s liens filed by subcontractors or suppliers can be frustrating and, in some cases, present the very real threat of having to pay twice for work or...more
The subcontractor's sworn statement is one of most effective tools that contractors can use to ensure that lower-tier subcontractors and suppliers receive adequate payment throughout the job, yet many contractors either fail...more
The right to file a mechanic’s lien is established by state statute, allowing those providing work, services, materials or equipment to a construction project with additional valuable security in the event of non-payment of...more
Many contractors and subcontractors have learned this the hard way: failure to comply with the filing and notice requirements for a mechanic’s lien can result in losing the lien and an effective way of ensuring payment for a...more
Mechanics’ Lien - • An In Rem lien (against real property). • For the payment of all debts due by an owner to a contractor (or by a contractor to his subcontractors) for Labor or Materials furnished....more
In 1791, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison proposed the first mechanics liens legislation in order to promote development in Washington. The Maryland Assembly (which governed Washington at that time) passed the...more
Mechanics’ liens grant contractors and subcontractors an interest in improvements made to real property to secure the payment obligations of owners to contractors, and of contractors to subcontractors. While these liens...more
In addition to an arid climate and plenty of sunshine, Arizona and Nevada have something more to offer contractors: a potentially advantageous position over lenders when a project goes bad. When a project derails and...more
In Maryland and elsewhere, a mechanic’s lien safeguards a contractor’s entitlement to payment on a private project. It is a statutory device that, if properly pursued, provides a contractor a security interest in the real...more