Goodyear Construction Dispute Lawyers

Find the right Construction Dispute attorney in Goodyear, AZ

Construction Dispute Law in Arizona

When a property owner and a general contractor contract for a construction project to take place on some property in Goodyear, Arizona, whether it's a house, some landscaping, or a remodeling project, there is always a gamble that something can go wrong. In fact, at least a very minor setback may be more likely than not.

Most often, landowners and construction contractors are able to resolve minor to moderate disagreements between themselves, and litigation is rarely necessary. Nobody likes litigation, so, to this end, most construction contracts have built-in remedies in case something goes wrong, like set price reductions if construction is delayed.

And even if disputes can't be resolved so easily, the courts still don't necessarily have to get engaged. For example, a construction contract may require mediation before any further action is taken. Mediation is a process by which a third party tries to guide the parties to the dispute to a settlement. The mediator cannot, however, render any binding decision. Another avenue is arbitration. This is where the parties go to a private arbitration service, which can render a binding judgment (usually enforceable through contract law, as the parties agree in advance to abide by the arbitrator's decision). Arbitration has benefits over litigation, as the parties can have a say in choosing the arbitrator (allowing them to have their case arbitrated by an expert on construction disputes, for example).

Litigation of a Goodyear, Arizona construction dispute is never something that anyone wants to do. Nonetheless, there are sometimes no other avenues.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Goodyear, Arizona

Major Delays: If the contractor or a subcontractor is at fault in causing a considerable delay to a project (several months, for example), this may lead to a lawsuit. If the contract stated that time was of the essence for some reason (maybe the project was a new store that the owner hoped to open before the holiday shopping season, for example), a court can typically award the owner any damages that were caused by the delay.

Owner's refusal to pay: if the contractor finishes a project to specifications, and the owner of the property doesn't pay the contractor, the contractor will most likely file a lawsuit to recover the agreed-upon price. In such cases, the owner will typically argue that the contractor's work wasn't of acceptable quality. In these cases, the court must decide who first breached the contract. In these cases, it's the party who did not breach first who wins the lawsuit. If the court finds that the contractor breached the contract through sub-quality work product, the owner will not be responsible for payment (though he may have to pay for materials and labor), and if the court finds that the construction was acceptable, the owner has to pay, because he is the party in breach.

Subcontractors: With big construction projects, contractors typically hire other, smaller contractors to do some of the work for them. This is typically work of a specialized nature, which the general contractor isn't equipped to handle (such as plumbing or electrical wiring). The general contractor is the one who is responsible for the satisfactory completion of the project. If a subcontractor makes a mistake, or causes a delay, the general contractor is ultimately liable to the person who hired them. Nonetheless, if they are sued for the mistakes of a subcontractor, and lose, they can then sue the subcontractor to recover their losses.

Mechanic's Lien: When a contractor wins a case against a client for nonpayment of the contract price, and the client still declines to pay, there is a problem: a monetary judgment means next to nothing if it can't be enforced. To solve this problem, the mechanic's lien has been developed. Typically, if a landowner refuses to pay a contractor, even in the face of a court order, the court can force a sale of the property that the contractor worked on, along with all the improvements on it, and then give the funds to the contractor, to secure payment.

Can a Goodyear, Arizona Attorney Help?

If you are involved in a dispute over a construction project, you should try to avoid litigation, and settle the matter as amicably as possible. However, litigation is sometimes imperative, and a Goodyear, Arizona construction disputes attorney can be of great help.

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Life in Goodyear

In 1917, Goodyear Tire and Rubbery Company bought 16,000 acres of land to cultivate cotton for tire threads. This land came to be known as Goodyear. Goodyear is home to approximately 65,275 people and is located in Maricopa County, Arizona.

Besides the famous tire company, Goodyear is also known because the Cleveland Indians baseball team moved their spring training facility to Goodyear from Florida. Goodyear then funded a spring training complex, worth million, for the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds. The ballpark seats about 10,000 people and is one of the popular attractions to see.

Goodyear is home to many small to mid-size law firms with many capable attorneys able to handle any and all legal inquiries. Therefore, Goodyear residents can stay assured that their legal needs will be well-handled by the legal force in Goodyear, Arizona.

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