contractors Archive

We Can’t Agree on a Change Order … Now What?

Change Orders are as common to construction as lawsuits are to lawyers. But the process for dealing with them, when there is no agreement, can vary widely. And yet, the first thing you should do when encountering a change is almost always the same – READ THE CONTRACT. Now that you have the contract in […]

Ruling in Favor of an Unpaid Subcontractor, the Ninth District Court of Appeals Finds Not All Pay-if-Paid Clauses Are the Same

In Ohio Fabricators, Inc. v. Aster Elements, Inc., 2019-Ohio-3978, Ohio’s Ninth District Court of Appeals recently refused to uphold a purported pay-if-paid clause despite the fact the clause included the phrase “condition precedent.” In the past, the use of the term “condition precedent” normally signified the payment terms were “pay-if-paid,” which required the general contractor to […]

Subcontractors + Suppliers Score a Mechanic’s Lien Rights Victory in Ohio Appellate Court

On August 14, 2019, the Court of Appeals, Ninth Judicial District (Summit County) handed Ohio subcontractors and suppliers a victory on mechanic’s lien rights by reversing and remanding a trial court decision where the lower court had held that a subcontractor’s notice of furnishing was invalid because it was served before the sub had performed any labor or […]

ConsensusDocs Adopts Master Subcontract + Project Work Order Forms

Contractors and Subcontractors who regularly work together frequently favor a Master Subcontract Agreement that sets forth the basic legal terms of the relationship regardless of Project, and an individual Project Work Order setting forth the scope and price on every discrete job. This saves time and hassle wrangling about subcontract language on a project-by-project basis. […]

Do I Need a Bond on My Next Project?

Many owner-developers choose to forego requiring a Performance and Payment Bond from their contractors in the hope of shaving another 1%-2% from the project cost. However, current market conditions suggest that owners rethink that decision. The current industry environment consists of busy contractors competing for a limited labor pool, and struggling to meet ambitious project […]