Mckinney Construction Dispute Lawyers

Find the right Construction Dispute attorney in Mckinney, TX

Construction Dispute Law in Texas

Landowners and contractors in Mckinney, Texas commonly 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.

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.

Even if a third party gets involved, it does not always need to be a court. Private mediators can help the parties reach a settlement, or a private arbitrator who is an expert on construction litigation can render a binding decision, if mediation and negotiation fail and the parties can't resolve their dispute.

Construction Dispute litigation in Mckinney, Texas 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 Mckinney, Texas

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: Contractors can be on the other side of legal disputes, as well. Sometimes, the landowners who hired them refuse to pay. This is normally because the landowner believes that the contractor didn't perform under the terms of the contract, or that the work was unsatisfactory. If this is the case, it may ultimately be up to a court to decide who is right. If the contractor did, in fact, do poor work, the landowner will be excused, at least in part, from his duty to pay. If, on the other hand, the work was satisfactory, the court will order the landowner to pay the contract price immediately, and may award additional damages if the refusal to pay was done in bad faith, or if it caused foreseeable economic harm to the contractor.

Subcontractor Disputes: In large projects, contractors often can't handle every aspect of the construction, so they hire other (normally smaller) contractors to do some specialized work for them, such as plumbing, electrical installations, and the like. The general contractor, however, 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. However, the contractor can then go after the subcontractor to recover whatever he had to pay.

Mechanic's Lien: When a contractor wins a lawsuit against a client for nonpayment of the contract price, and the client still refuses 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. Basically, 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 proceeds to the contractor, to secure payment.

Can a Mckinney, Texas Attorney Help?

If you have a construction dispute, you should first try to resolve it amicably with the other party. If this fails, it is almost always necessary to hire a Mckinney, Texas construction disputes attorney, who can advise you on the next steps in the process.

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Life in Mckinney

McKinney is located in Collin County, Texas. It has a population similar to Plano, Texas. McKinney is home to around 131,100 people.

An interesting fact is that in 2007 McKinney is ranked as the second fastest growing city. CNN Money Magazine included it in its list of "Best Places to Live in the U.S."

Top employers include McKinney Independent School District, Wal-Mart, Lattimore Materials, Blockbuster Entertainment Group, Medical Center of McKinney, Torchmark Corporation, and Encore Wire. The legal industry also has a presence in McKinney because many well-established and experienced lawyers have made a home in McKinney. Therefore, residents and businesses have competent attorneys to handle their legal issues.

Overall, this is a great city to visit or live in!

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