“Bid shopping” occurs when a general contractor discloses the bid price of one subcontractor (or suppliers) to its competitors in an attempt to obtain a lower bid than the one on which the general contractor based its bid to the owner. Put another way, bid shopping occurs when a general contractor uses the lowest bid […]
owners Archive
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 […]
Design-Assist vs. Design-Build
The terms, Design-Assist and Design-Build, are frequently used by the construction industry in recent years. While they sound similar, they could not mean more different things. Design Assist Under Design-Assist, the construction team, often including key subcontractors, is engaged by the owner to collaborate with the design professional during the design phase to improve constructability […]
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 […]
Ohio Supreme Court Rules that Construction Defects are Not Covered Under CGL Policy
The Ohio Supreme Court has again ruled that owners, contractors and subcontractors in Ohio have little protection from construction defects. The construction industry has long relied upon Commercial General Liability (“CGL”) policies to protect against personal injury or property damage losses, including those flowing from construction defects. Large premiums are paid every year to the […]