Contractor files $3 Million Lien in North Carolina
If you think your company is in the hole, your heart must really go out to John S. Clark Construction in Winston-Salem, NC, who on June 23, 2009, filed a $3.1 million lien against a condominium developer.
This is a good reminder that liens can be as small or as big as the project’s debt to a company, from $1 to $3.1 million.
Just be sure to avoid making common mistakes, send your notices and file on time.
Express Lien has experience filing liens that are more than $1,000,000, and can help get your company’s lien on country or parish records. Use the Construction Lien Blog and the online lien filing tools that comes free with your account to help understand the lien laws and requirements in your state.
Click here, and learn more about how we can help you Lien Smarter…and Get Paid.
Construction Outlook Grim through 2010 – Staying Ahead of Accounts Receivables To Retain Its Importance
Ken Simonson, the chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, doesn’t have good news for the construction industry as the challenging year 2009 drags into its 3rd Quarter.
According to Simonson, the commercial construction industry forecast remains grim “at least through 2010.”
For contractors, suppliers, and other construction professionals throughout the nation, this means that good record-keeping and collection practices remain important.
Almost one year ago, Wolfe Law Group posted an article on its Construction Law Monitor after Ken Simonson reported that 2009 would present economic challenges to contractors.
Now more than ever, the article stated, contractors should consider the benefits of a construction or mechanics lien. The article went on to state:
As soon as the construction project comes to a halt or payment is late, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers should rush to file its construction / mechanics lien to protect its interest in the property. Construction liens are available in virtually every state, and works to transform the project job site as a sort of “collateral” to the contractor for its payment.
The time available to file a construction lien is not indefinite, and the legal requirements should be followed to the letter. However, when filed correctly, a construction lien can help your company recover payment for its project.
Although the stimulus spending will be cause for some optimism in the construction industry, it appears economic struggles will stick around into 2010. And the recommendations of Wolfe Law Group in 2009 are repeated today.
If your company is awaiting payment, file your lien with Express Lien today. Lien Smarter…Get Paid.
Good and Bad News Regarding California Public Construction Projects
Last month, we reported problems in California where the government’s spending freeze affected thousands of public construction projects, and an enormous amount of contractors and laborers. Today, the San Francisco Chronicle has mixed news regarding this problem – as California is pumping money to salvage some of these projects, but more money is still needed.
The article states that 276 of the problem projects will be allowed to continue work (for now), because “shutting them down would cost more than it would take to complete the jobs.”
But the problem is far from over, as the article goes on to warn:
But state officials warned that if the governor and the Legislature are unable to find a solution to California’s $42 billion budget deficit by the end of this month, the remainder of the work could end.
A full list of the affected projects can be read here:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/images/081217pmib_impact.pdf
If you and your company are working on a public project affected by this spending freeze, you will want to file a Stop Notice to preserve your rights to Get Paid for work performed.
GA Firm Recommends Using A Lien Filing Service
Penessa & Associates, LLC, a Georgia law firm that practices construction law, recommends on its website that contractors, suppliers and other construction professionals use a lien filing service to file liens.
Here’s what they say here:
The best advice that we believe that we can give a Georgia contractor on filing a lien in Georgia is to hire a professional lien filing service.
Georgia lien law is based on statute and one must follow the rules of the Georgia lien law statute to the letter for the Georgia lien to be valid.
It has been the experience of this law firm that liens can be filed most cost-effectively and correctly through the use of a lien filing service. Contractors who do not have requisite experience can miss a key requirment in Georgia lien law and the lien can be filed with mistake that goes unnoticed until after the time has passed to file a valid Georgia construction lien. A professional lien service charges much less than what a construction lawyer will charge for this very important service.
Express Lien is a professional lien filing service that files liens in Georgia, and across the country. We’re bonded and insured, and we’re a licensed legal document preparation company in Los Angelos County. For more information on Express Lien and why we’re best situated to help your company, click here.
Will the 2009 Economy Create More Mechanic Lien Filings?
At the Construction Lien Blog, we’ve written about the current state of the economy in America, and how this has affected the construction industry from coast-to-coast.
However, there is recent conversation in the media and out in the blog-o-sphere that the economy’s impact on construction has increased the amount of mechanic’s liens filed by contractors.
The Pacific Business News source in St. Louis, for example, has a story on a construction attorney in Missouri who says that he filed twice as many liens in 2008 as he did in 2007.
A similar article appears in the Virginia Lawyers Weekly, which reports that construction litigation in general is increasing in the current economy, with increased claims for construction delays, defects and problems with collections.
It seems that the business journals are full of stories about construction projects being slammed with liens, like the story here and here.
As the new year approaches, what will we see in the construction industry that is predicted to remain pretty stagnet?
One thing is for sure, regardless of whether lien filings increase, decrease or stay the same, with the current credit crunch and economic woes, it’s more important than ever to file liens on claims you do have, and to do it timely and properly.
Be Careful When Using Free Legal Forms
Gerard Simington with “FindAnAttorneyForMe.com” published an informative article that warns businesses about using free legal forms found on the internet.
The Internet has placed legal information and legal forms at our fingertips – and its easy to forget sometimes that the law is a very complicated subject, and legal forms are no exception. While a legal form may seem simple on its face, the blanks can carry significant legal consequences.
It’s always great to hire an attorney to draft legal documents from scratch, or to “tweak” legal forms to fit your particular need. The costs associated with legal counsel, however, are simply sometimes out of your business’ reach.
Legal Document preparation services like Express Lien are perfect for these situations. Our staffs of professionals are familiar with the forms that relate to your construction project, and we can help you draft & file your forms properly and avoid costly mistakes.
California Freezes Funds for Public Projects
The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that with the state nearly broke, California has frozen nearly $4 billion worth of loans for public building projects. The unprecedented move is expected to halt construction all over the state – and inevitably, leave contractors, subcontractors and suppliers bickering with one another about outstanding payments and work.
With an estimated more than 200,000 works affected by the funding freeze, it’s likely that even California laborers will find themselves with claims for unpaid wages.
If you and your company are working on a public project affected by this spending freeze, you will want to file a Stop Notice to preserve your rights to Get Paid for work performed.
A full list of affected projects is available here: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/images/081217pmib_impact.pdf
Credit Meltdown Squeezing Contractors – Lien To Protect Your Rights
The Associated General Contractors organization just published an article titled “Credit Meltdown Market Squeezes Contractors,” reporting how the recent economic problems in the U.S. are greatly effecting those in the construction industry.
The article discusses the upheaval on Wall Street, and how its stopping construction projects all over the country. You can read the article at the AGC website at this address: http://tinyurl.com/534o4h
Now more than ever contractors should consider the benefits of a construction or mechanics lien.
Lien rights do not last forever, and with the uncertainty of the U.S. economy and credit flow within the construction industry, its important for your construction company to protect your investment into a project.
Construction liens are available in virtually every state, and works to transform the project job site as a sort of “collateral” to the contractor for its payment.
Express Lien, Inc. is now filing liens across the country. Filing a mechanics lien costs only $295.00 – a flat fee that includes the preparation and filing of the lien, storage of the documents on our secure servers, and sending copies of the filings to all interested parties.
Express Lien also files lien cancellations, notices of intent to lien, and preliminary notices.
Ready to Get Started? Click Here.
Order your lien by phone, fax or online.
Is Seattle Recession-Proof? Good News for WA Contractors
Wolfe Law Group, construction attorneys in Washington and Louisiana, posted an interesting article about the construction market in Seattle, WA and the strength of Seattle’s economy as a whole on its construction law blog. The text is reproduced below:
In the midst of the “doom and gloom” economy predictions in the U.S., there seems to be some hope for the Seattle construction market.
Recent reports have been optimistic about the nonresidential sector of Seattle’s construction industry and about the Seattle economy in general.
Forbes Magazine has gone as far as to call Seattle one of America’s Ten “Recession-Proof Cities,” and specifically cited the growth of the city’s manufacturing industry, calling it the strongest statistical showing in the nation.
The Seattle Times jumped into the conversation this week as well, in an article about the “Tale of Two Construction Sectors.” The article discusses the a struggling home building market in the Puget Sound area, but a very robust nonresidential market. Read the article by clicking here.
