Youngstown Construction Dispute Lawyers

Find the right Construction Dispute attorney in Youngstown, OH

Construction Dispute Law in Ohio

Owners of real estate in Youngstown, Ohio commonly contract with other parties ("contractors") for construction on the property they own. Such projects are likely to suffer at least a few minor setbacks, and any project also carries the risk of major setbacks, delays, or unexpected costs.

In the overwhelming majority of instances, however, these problems are resolvable, and do not lead to major disputes. Being rational, business-minded adults, landowners and construction contractors are normally able to resolve disputes amongst themselves. After all, both stand to gain if the project is completed, and the contractor is paid.

And even if disputes can't be resolved so easily, the courts still don't necessarily have to get immersed. 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 option is arbitration. This is where the parties go to a private arbitration service, which can render a binding judgment (typically enforceable through contract law, as the parties agree in advance to abide by the arbitrator's decision). Arbitration has advantages 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).

Construction Dispute litigation in Youngstown, Ohio is normally time-consuming and expensive. But it is sometimes necessary, normally as a last resort.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Youngstown, Ohio

Construction Delays: Delays in construction are frequent sticking points between contractors and landowners. These delays can sometimes lead to litigation, especially if the construction contract makes it clear that time is an important factor, or if the contract mandates a certain completion date. In such situations, a court will often award the landowner compensation for any monetary losses he or she suffered as a result of the delay.

Refusal to Pay: Disputes 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 sometimes 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. However, it is the general contractor who is ultimately responsible to the owner for the satisfactory completion of the project. So, it is very critical to the general contractor that subcontractors do a good job. If the subcontractor causes a delay or other problem, 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: If the contractor sues a land owner and wins, he will likely obtain a monetary judgment. If the owner refuses to pay, the contractor needs some way to recover. This is where the mechanic's lien comes into play. It authorizes a contractor to force the sale of the land or other real property that he just worked on, and use those proceeds to cover costs.

Can a Youngstown, Ohio Attorney Help?

Disputes over construction delays or defects can be extremely taxing. Therefore, getting an accomplished Youngstown, Ohio real estate attorney might mean the difference between success or failure in your business ventures.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Youngstown

Youngstown is a part of Mahoning County, Ohio. Some parts of it also fall in Trumbull County. It is near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cleveland. Specifically it is ten miles west of Pennsylvania, between New York City and Chicago on Interstate 80.

With such a central, great location, residents and local businesses have access to the strong legal force in New York City, Chicago, and Pennsylvania. All these areas are home to top-tier firms that train excellent, ivy-league educated attorneys. Therefore, residents and local businesses have access to a legal force that includes the best-trained attorneys in the United States.

Popular attractions include Powers Auditorium, Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, the Butler Institute of American Art, McDonough Museum of Art, Mill Creek Park, and the Ohio Historical Society.

Overall, Youngstown has a central location and provides its residents with a wonderful quality of life!

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