Old Bridge Construction Dispute Lawyers

Find the right Construction Dispute attorney in Old Bridge, NJ

Construction Dispute Law in New Jersey

Owners of real estate in Old Bridge, New Jersey 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.

Most often, landowners and construction contractors are able to resolve minor to moderate disputes 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 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 typically 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 process through which the parties agree to have their dispute resolved by a third party, which can render a binding decision. Arbitration can be faster and cheaper than litigation, and it has some other advantages, as well.

Litigating a construction dispute in Old Bridge, New Jersey is definitely not something that anybody likes doing. However, it is sometimes necessary, as a last resort.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Old Bridge, New Jersey

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: if the contractor finishes a project to specifications, and the owner of the property doesn't pay the contractor, the contractor will most likely file a lawsuit to recover the agreed-upon price. In such cases, the owner will typically argue that the contractor's work wasn't of acceptable quality. In these cases, the court must decide who first breached the contract. In these cases, it's the party who did not breach first who wins the lawsuit. If the court finds that the contractor breached the contract through sub-quality work product, the owner will not be responsible for payment (though he may have to pay for materials and labor), and if the court finds that the construction was acceptable, the owner has to pay, because he is the party in breach.

Subcontractors: Subcontractors are hired by general contractors to assist them in large construction projects, typically specialized tasks like installing plumbing. However, no matter how much of the work is performed by subcontractors, the general contractor (the one that the client actually hired to do the project) is liable to the landowner as if it were doing all the work itself. This basically means that, if a subcontractor messes up, the general contractor is the one who gets sued. But all is not lost in such a situation. If the general contractor has to compensate the owner because of the mistakes of a subcontractor, it can sue the subcontractor for whatever it had to pay to the landowner.

Mechanic's Lien: If the contractor wins in a lawsuit 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 Old Bridge, New Jersey Attorney Help?

Construction disputes can be time-consuming and costly. Hiring a knowledgeable Old Bridge, New Jersey real estate attorney can make it much easier to deal with such disputes, and help you avoid litigation, or prevail if litigation becomes necessary.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Old Bridge

Old Bridge, New Jersey is a township in Middlesex County. As of a 2007 estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau, its population is about 66,000.

Old Bridge can trace its origins to when the English wrested control of the area from the Dutch in 1664. In the 1680s, the current boundaries of Middlesex County were laid out by the legislative body with jurisdiction at the time. The area went through several name changes over the centuries, and finally appears to have settled on the official name of Township of Old Bridge, in 1975.

Until the 1950s, Old Bridge was largely an agricultural community, and population and economic growth were slow. However, during the post-WWII economic boom, there was a burst of construction activity, and most of the farm land gave way to residential developments.

Modernly, Old Bridge, New Jersey is home to a population that is relatively well-off, economically speaking. Only about 4% of the population of Old Bridge lives below the poverty line, which is much lower than the national average.

If you live in Old Bridge, New Jersey, chances are good that you'll be able to find a lawyer if you need one. Old Bridge, New Jersey lawyers are very diverse and competent. An Old Bridge, New Jersey attorney can probably handle just about any legal issue you might have.

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