Meriden Construction Dispute Lawyers

Construction Dispute Law in Connecticut

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

Most often, the owners of land and contractors can end disagreements before they get too serious, thus eliminating the need for litigation. Most contracts governing construction projects have built-in remedies for the most common problems, normally requiring the party that causes a delay or other problem to pay the other party a set fee.

Even if disagreements can't be resolved amongst the parties to the contract, they don't need to take their dispute into the court system. For instance, construction contracts normally call for mediation or arbitration before any disputes are resolved by the courts. Mediation is a process by which a third party serves as a sort of intermediary in settlement negotiations between the parties to the contract. The mediator can help keep negotiations on track, and suggest possible solutions the parties might not have thought of. The mediator can't issue a binding decision, however. Arbitration is a procedure through which the parties agree to have their dispute resolved by a third party, which can render a binding decision. Arbitration can be quicker and cheaper than litigation, and it has some other advantages, as well.

Because of the large cost in time and money involved, litigation in Meriden, Connecticut is regarded a last resort. However, in rare cases, it does become necessary.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Meriden, Connecticut

Delays: If the contractor is culpable in a major delay in a construction project (a delay of weeks or months, for example), a lawsuit could result. If the contract particularly states that completion by a particular date is very important, or the builder has a good reason to know this, a court will often award the owner compensation for any economic harm caused by a delay.

Refusal to Pay: Disagreements can also arise from a client's refusal or inability to hold up his end of the deal. Sometimes, once a project is complete, or nearly so, a landowner will express an unwillingness to pay the contractor for his services. There might be a variety of reasons for this - sudden loss of money, or dissatisfaction with the quality of the work are a few examples. It's rare that a client will refuse to pay a contractor simply because they don't feel like it (and if that is the reason, they'll normally come up with a better one to argue in court). In these cases, a court will occasionally have to decide if the client is obligated to pay the full price. If the work was, indeed, not up to the standards laid out in the contract, the contractor is not entitled to the full price, but is still entitled to the actual value of the work, even if it's substantially less than the contract price.

Subcontractor Disputes: With very massive construction projects, general contractors don't always have the resources to do all the work themselves, so they hire other contractors to do some of the work for them. Nonetheless, it is the general contractor who is ultimately responsible to the owner for the satisfactory completion of the project. So, it is very crucial to the general contractor that subcontractors do a good job. If the subcontractor causes a delay or other issue, and the owner sues the general contractor as a result, the general contractor can then go after the subcontractor to recover whatever it lost in the lawsuit.

Mechanic's Liens: Sometimes, when a contractor wins in a case against the landowner who hired him or her, and obtains a court order for payment, the contractor will still refuse to pay. Since a money judgment isn't worth much without a way to enforce it, the laws of many states have evolved to authorize what's known as a "mechanic's lien." As a last resort, if a landowner refuses to pay the contractor for work done on the property, the contractor can force a sale of the property, and keep the proceeds, up to the amount of money owed.

Can a Meriden, Connecticut Attorney Help?

Construction disputes and disagreements can be very hard to deal with alone. The assistance of a Meriden, Connecticut real estate attorney can make the process of dealing with these disputes much quicker and easier.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

(where you need legal help)

Can't find a category?

Life in Meriden

Meriden, Connecticut is a city in New Haven County. It currently has a population of about 60,000 people.

Meriden, which was originally part of Wallingford, became a separate city in 1727, and was incorporated in 1867. During the Industrial Revolution, Meriden earned the nickname "The Silver City," because it was a major center for the manufacture of silver products. The Parker Brothers gun company was founded in Meriden, and the manufacture of firearms during the Civil War and Spanish-American war was a major source of factory jobs in the area. The gun companywas not affiliated with the toy and game company of the same name.

Like many cities whose economies were based on manufacturing, Meriden has fallen on hard economic times in recent decades, with the closing of many of the factories that drove its economy. However, as with most of these cities, Meriden's economy is gradually recovering and diversifying.

Meriden, Connecticut lawyers are ready to handle virtually any case that a resident of the area is likely to face. If you have any legal issue, you shouldn't hesitate to call a Meriden, Connecticut lawyer.

Find a Lawyer

that specializes in your area of need

Real Estate Attorneys

in other Connecticut cities and towns

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Nicholas M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Golden, CO

Carl M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Seattle, WA

David A.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Walnut Creek, CA

Choose Your Legal Category:

Choose Your Legal Category:

LegalMatch Resources

Construction Dispute Law in Connecticut

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Meriden, Connecticut