Torrington Construction Dispute Lawyers

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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 Torrington, Connecticut, whether it's a house, some landscaping, or a remodeling project, there is always a chance 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, usually 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 usually 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 Torrington, Connecticut is regarded a last resort. However, in rare cases, it does become necessary.

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

Delays in Construction: Delays are often points of contention between contractors and landowners. Contracts sometimes have clauses which explicitly state that the project needs to be completed by a certain date, or penalties will be imposed on the contractor (reduced payments, for example). However, if the contract doesn't contain such built-in remedies, or one party refuses to abide by them, litigation may be necessary. If a contractor causes a delay that it could have prevented, it will usually be liable to the landowner for any harm resulting from it.

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 usually 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 significantly less than the contract price.

Subcontractor Disputes: In large projects, contractors often can't handle every aspect of the construction, so they hire other (usually 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 Liens: A mechanic's lien is a way for a contractor to secure payment if a landowner declines to pay. In such cases, if the contractor sues and wins, he or she can sometimes impose a mechanic's lien on the property he or she just worked on. This allows the contractor to force a sale of the property to cover the judgment. It is usually used when other attempts to secure payment fail.

Can a Torrington, Connecticut 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 imperative to hire a Torrington, Connecticut construction disputes attorney, who can advise you on the next steps in the process.

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Life in Torrington

Torrington is a city in Connecticut with a population of about 36,000 people. It is the largest city in the County of Litchfield. Located along the Naugatuck River, Torrington was formerly a mill town like other cities in the area.

One of Torrington's main features is its dedication to the arts and culture. The city is home to the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts, which is a ballet and performance organization. Many productions are held at the Warner Theatre, which is a performing arts venue with a capacity of 1,700.

In recent Torrington news, the city is planning a comprehensive redevelopment of its downtown Main Street area. The project includes plans to restore the historic Coe Memorial Park and its beautiful gardens. Additionally, Torrington plans to expand its retail district in order to attract more merchants, residential sites, and business offices. The development project has already completed some new additions to the city such as the Torrington Fair shopping complex, which showcases a variety of stores and restaurants.

Torrington Lawyers usually spend most of their time at the Litchfield Judicial District Superior Court. Lawyers in Torrington, Connecticut are also playing a major role in the city's renovation projects.

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