Springfield Construction Dispute Lawyers

Construction Dispute Law in Missouri

Owners of real estate in Springfield, Missouri frequently 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.

Typically, contractors and landowners can resolve minor disputes amongst themselves, without having to resort to litigation. Frequently, construction contracts contain built-in remedies for mistakes and delays that can be easily corrected, such as payments to the owner for every day the project is delayed.

Even if the parties can't easily resolve their disputes, and someone else needs to intervene, that somebody doesn't always need to be a judge or jury. Many construction disagreements call for mediation, during which a neutral third party helps the parties to the dispute negotiate a settlement. They might also go through arbitration, during which a third party renders a binding decision.

Litigation of construction disputes in Springfield, Missouri can be extremely time-consuming, stressful, and costly. Nevertheless, there are (relatively rare) occurrences where it is the only option.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Springfield, Missouri

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.

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 typically 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 considerably less than the contract 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 Liens: Sometimes, when a contractor wins in a case against the landowner who hired him or her, and obtains a court order for payment, the contractor will still refuse to pay. Since a money judgment isn't worth much without a way to enforce it, the laws of many states have evolved to permit what's known as a "mechanic's lien." As a last resort, if a landowner refuses to pay the contractor for work done on the property, the contractor can force a sale of the property, and keep the proceeds, up to the amount of money owed.

Can a Springfield, Missouri Attorney Help?

Construction disputes and disagreements can be very challenging to deal with alone. The assistance of a Springfield, Missouri real estate attorney can make the process of dealing with these disputes much quicker and easier.

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Life in Springfield

Springfield, Missouri is the third-largest city in the state of Missouri. It has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Springfield has a long and fascinating history. During the Civil War, Missouri was a border state, and its population was divided in its loyalty to the Union and the Confederacy. Both the Union and the Confederacy claimed Missouri, and its star was on the flags of both sides. It also had two separate governments, one loyal to the union, and one to the confederacy. Both purported to be the legitimate government of the entire state. There were many small skirmishes between rival towns and neighbors, essentially creating a war within a war. As a result, Springfield, MO was the site of many clashes during the war. Springfield, MO also gave rise to the "Wild West" era of American history. In 1865, there was a "quick draw" shootout in the town square. This was the only such shootout ever recorded in American history, even though they're now a staple of Western movies.

Modernly, Springfield is a thriving city, with an economy based on education, healthcare, manufacturing, and tourism. Kraft Foods and 3M, among other major corporations, have manufacturing facilities in Springfield, MO.

As a result, it goes without saying that there are many sophisticated and skilled attorneys in Springfield, MO. If you can think of a legal practice area, you can be almost certain that there's at least one (and probably more) Springfield, MO lawyer who practices it, and can help you with your legal problem.

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Springfield Construction Dispute Lawyers

Construction Dispute Law in Missouri

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Springfield, Missouri