A recent Cuyahoga County Common Pleas ruling brings into question if, and when, the law prohibiting local residency requirements will go into effect. Earlier this summer, the Ohio legislature passed, and Governor Kasich signed, the law (HB 180) that prohibited public entities from insisting on residency requirements when procuring its construction services. HB 180 was […]
contractors Archive
Ohio Eliminates Residency Requirement on Public Construction Projects
This spring, the 131st General Assembly passed House Bill 180 to prohibit public authorities from imposing local hiring requirements on public projects. The Bill repeals two sections of the Ohio Revised Code (§ 153.13 and § 5525.26) that required contractors on public construction projects to hire a portion of their workforce from the local municipality and […]
What are the Chances My Public Project Will Complete on Time?
Contractors bidding public work in Ohio are encouraged to bid what is represented in the bid documents, including any milestones, completion dates or default “bid schedule.” As Ben Franklin was quoted as saying: “Time is Money.” That adage is particularly true on construction projects. Rare is the job that stays profitable if it is delayed […]
How Long Should You Have to Wait for Your Retainage?
Contractors routinely complain about retainage being withheld for extended periods of time, well beyond the project’s substantial completion date. This problem seems to be getting worse every year. Contractors on public work in Ohio should understand that, regardless of what the contract says, public owners are to pay escrowed retainage funds, together with accumulated interest, […]
5 Things I Learned in 2015
While I have been practicing construction law for 33 years, I subscribe to the theory that One is never too old to learn.” Here is my personal list of lessons learned in 2015: 1. Lawyers Need To Spend More Time On Damages. On a traditional complicated construction claim it is not unusual to spend 90% […]