Albany Construction Dispute Lawyers

Find the right Construction Dispute attorney in Albany, NY

Construction Dispute Law in New York

Owners of real estate in Albany, New York often 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.

In the majority of cases, it's possible for landowners and contractors to resolve disputes amicably. There are many ways to do this, such as a simple verbal agreement to lower the contract price due to a mistake made by the contractor, for example, or an agreement to a slight price increase in the event of unforeseen obstacles beyond the control of either party.

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.

Litigation of an Albany, New York construction dispute is never something that anyone wants to do. Nonetheless, there are sometimes no other options.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Albany, New York

Construction Delays: Delays in construction are common 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.

Owner's Refusal to Pay: If the contractor completes the project, and the owner refuses to pay the agreed-upon price, the contractor will usually file a lawsuit to recover what is owed. Of course, the owner will usually 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 determine 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: Subcontractors are hired by general contractors to assist them in large construction projects, usually 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 Liens: If the contractor sues a land owner and wins, he will likely obtain a monetary judgment. If the owner refuses to pay, the contractor needs some way to recover. This is where the mechanic's lien comes into play. It allows 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 Albany, New York Attorney Help?

Construction disputes can be time-consuming and costly. Hiring a good Albany, New York 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 Albany

Albany is the capital city of New York State, and the county seat of Albany County. Albany, New Yorkis a medium-sized city, boasting a population of just under 100,000 people.

In 1908, Albany, New York opened one of the first commercial airports in the world, which served as a precursor to the Albany International Airport, which officially opened in 1920, and has been in continuous use since them.

Also, Albany, New York has a rich arts scene, with several renowned artists calling it home, along with some successful galleries. At the beginning of the spring season, Albany hosts an annual tulip festival, a popular regional event.

Albany is also a diverse city, with residents from a wide range of backgrounds. Albany's thriving artistic community, at least in part, owes its existence to this diversity.

New York is home to several nationally-renowned law schools, including New York University, and Columbia University,as well as some less-known law schools, which are very well-respected locally. Because of this, there is no shortage of Albany, New York lawyers.

Whatever legal problem you might have, it's likely that you can find a competent Albany, New York lawyer, at a fair price.

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