East Providence Construction Dispute Lawyers

Find the right Construction Dispute attorney in East Providence, RI

Construction Dispute Law in Rhode Island

Landowners and contractors in East Providence, Rhode Island frequently contract with each other for major construction projects. With any large construction projects, some small delays or problems are all but inevitable, but they don't usually derail the project or lead to major disputes between the parties.

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.

Even if someone else needs to get engaged to resolve a dispute, this does not automatically mean litigation is necessary. For example, the parties might attempt mediation, in which a neutral third party tries to help guide the parties to an agreement, but cannot render a binding decision himself. They might also agree to arbitration, during which a third party is able to render a binding decision. Arbitration is typically done through a private company, and may cost less than litigation, and is overseen by an arbitrator who is an expert in the relevant field.

Litigation of an East Providence, Rhode Island 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 East Providence, Rhode Island

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: Contractors can also be the victims in construction disagreements. Sometimes, the person who hired them will refuse to pay the agreed-upon fee, or withhold a portion of it. This, without more, certainly constitutes breach of contract. However, in such cases, the owner will rarely go to court and say "I just didn't feel like paying, so I didn't." Alternatively, they will claim that they had a very good reason to withhold all or part of the payment, such as unsatisfactory work by the contractor. In these situations, the court has to determine if the owner has a valid reason for not paying. If it concludes that he or she does not, it will order the owner to pay the agreed-upon price.

Subcontractor Disputes: In large projects, contractors often can't handle every aspect of the construction, so they hire other (typically smaller) contractors to do some specialized work for them, such as plumbing, electrical installations, and the like. The general contractor, nonetheless, is responsible to the owner for anything that goes wrong. If a subcontractor messes up, and the owner sues the contractor, the contractor will have to pay. Nonetheless, the contractor can then go after the subcontractor to recover whatever he had to pay.

Mechanic's Lien: If the contractor wins in a case against the land owner, and the court orders the owner to pay the contractor for services rendered, the contractor needs a way to secure payment, if the owner refuses. In some cases, a mechanic's lien permits the contractor to force the sale of the land, and any improvements to it, in order to secure payment for the services it provided.

Can a East Providence, Rhode Island Attorney Help?

Disputes over construction delays or defects can be extremely taxing. Therefore, getting an efficient East Providence, Rhode Island 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 East Providence

East Providence, Rhode Island is a city of approximately 50,000 in Providence County. It is the 5th largest city in the state of Rhode Island.

East Providence is considered a major suburb of Providence. Although it is a relatively small city by national standards, it is fairly large Rhode Island standards, and it has dozens of sites and buildings in the National Register of Historic Places. Because of its many historical sites, it is fairly popular among tourists visiting the New England region.

East Providence, Rhode Island also boasts a large number of parks for outdoor recreation.

It has been designated an "enterprise zone" by the state of Rhode Island. In an effort to promote economic growth in particular need of it, the state has a program to incentivize the establishment of businesses in designated enterprise zones, such as East Providence. For example, such as tax credits for hiring new employees, and continuing to increase the number of employees each year. Some permit fees are also waived, and the process of acquiring business permits is streamlined.

If you live in East Providence, and find yourself in need of legal representation, an East Providence, Rhode Island attorney can help.

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