Mansfield Construction Dispute Lawyers

Construction Dispute Law in Ohio

Owners of real estate in Mansfield, Ohio 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 overwhelming majority of instances, however, these problems are resolvable, and do not lead to major disputes. Being rational, business-minded adults, landowners and construction contractors are usually able to resolve disputes amongst themselves. After all, both stand to gain if the project is completed, and the contractor is paid.

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 disputes 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 Mansfield, Ohio can be extremely time-consuming, stressful, and costly. Nevertheless, there are (relatively rare) occasions where it is the only option.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Mansfield, Ohio

Delays: Some minor delays in a construction project are all but guaranteed to occur. Usually, 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. Furthermore, 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.

Refusal to Pay: Contractors can be on the other side of legal disputes, as well. Sometimes, the landowners who hired them refuse to pay. This is usually because the landowner believes that the contractor didn't perform under the terms of the contract, or that the work was unsatisfactory. If this is the case, it may ultimately be up to a court to decide who is right. If the contractor did, in fact, do poor work, the landowner will be excused, at least in part, from his duty to pay. If, on the other hand, the work was satisfactory, the court will order the landowner to pay the contract price immediately, and may award additional damages if the refusal to pay was done in bad faith, or if it caused foreseeable economic harm to the contractor.

Subcontractor Disputes: With very large construction projects, general contractors don't always have the resources to do all the work themselves, so they hire other contractors to do some of the work for them. However, it is the general contractor who is ultimately responsible to the owner for the satisfactory completion of the project. So, it is very critical to the general contractor that subcontractors do a good job. If the subcontractor causes a delay or other problem, and the owner sues the general contractor as a result, the general contractor can then go after the subcontractor to recover whatever it lost in the lawsuit.

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 Mansfield, Ohio Attorney Help?

Construction disputes can be time-consuming and costly. Hiring a good Mansfield, Ohio 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!

(where you need legal help)

Can't find a category?

Life in Mansfield

Mansfield, Ohio is a city in Richland County, for which it also serves as the county seat. Mansfield has a population of just under 50,000 people. Mansfield has adopted the official nickname "The Fun Center of Ohio."

Mansfield was originally settled in 1808, it was incorporated in 1828, and chartered as a city in 1857. Mansfield began to experience significant economic growth in the mid-1800s, when the railroads arrived, making available to the areaa much wider variety of goods and services.

While Mansfield was once a thriving industrial center, but like many cities in the Rust Belt, it saw a major economic decline in the 1970s. While there are still some manufacturers in Mansfield who provide a major economic boost to the city, the city has understandably been undertaking to diversify its economy, to lessen its dependence on any single economic sector.

To that end, Mansfield has promoted itself as a filming location for the movie industry. Its historic buildings, and presence of some abandoned structures, enable it to stand in for settings all over the world.

If you live in Mansfield, Ohio, and need a lawyer, it's likely that you'll be able to find the right Mansfield, Ohio attorney to meet your legal needs.

Find a Lawyer

that specializes in your area of need

Real Estate Attorneys

in other Ohio cities and towns

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Nicholas M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Golden, CO

Carl M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Seattle, WA

David A.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Walnut Creek, CA

Choose Your Legal Category:

Choose Your Legal Category:

LegalMatch Resources

Construction Dispute Law in Ohio

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Mansfield, Ohio