Avondale Construction Dispute Lawyers

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 Avondale, Arizona, 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, 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 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 avenue 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 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 construction disputes in Avondale, Arizona can be extremely time-consuming, stressful, and costly. Nevertheless, there are (relatively rare) times where it is the only option.

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

Delays: Some minor delays in a construction project are all but guaranteed to occur. Normally, if contracts require a specific completion date, the contractor will give itself longer than the project would take under ideal circumstances, to account for possible delays. Additionally, construction contracts usually attempt to insure against delays, such as imposing fees on contractors if the project is delayed beyond a certain point. If no such clause is included in a contract, a court will usually award the client damages that could have been reasonably anticipated at the time the contract was entered into.

Owner's Refusal to Pay: If the contractor completes the project, and the owner refuses to pay the agreed-upon price, the contractor will normally file a lawsuit to recover what is owed. Of course, the owner will normally claim that there is a good reason for not paying, arguing that the contractor didn't conform to the project's specifications, or that the quality of construction was unacceptably poor. In such a case, the court will have to decide if the contractor actually breached the contract by doing shoddy work, which could, at least in part, excuse the owner's duty to pay.

Subcontractors: With big construction projects, contractors normally hire other, smaller contractors to do some of the work for them. This is normally 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 Liens: If the contractor sues a land owner and wins, he will likely obtain a monetary judgment. If the owner declines 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 Avondale, Arizona Attorney Help?

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

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Life in Avondale

Avondale is very near Phoenix, Arizona, located in Maricopa County. It is very well noted for being home to the Phoenix International Raceway, a fun and famous auto-racing facility!

Being near Phoenix, Avondale residents have access to some very well-known law firms of all sizes. Phoenix is home to many large, mid-size, and small law firms that are home to many competent attorneys. Many of these attorneys have been educated at the top-tier University of Arizona Law School. Therefore, many lawyers working in Phoenix have a connection to Arizona and its residents. Avondale citizens can therefore enjoy personalized legal service from attorneys who care about their home.

Some famous residents of Avonda include Craig Mabbitt, Nick Harris, Clancy Pendergast, Raymond Shuey, and Everson Griffen.

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Construction Dispute Law in Arizona

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