Tulsa Construction Dispute Lawyers

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Construction Dispute Law in Oklahoma

Landowners and contractors in Tulsa, Oklahoma frequently contract with each other for major construction projects. With any large construction projects, some small delays or problems are all but inevitable, but they don't usually derail the project or lead to major disputes between the parties.

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.

Litigating a construction dispute in Tulsa, Oklahoma is definitely not something that anybody likes doing. Nonetheless, it is sometimes necessary, as a last resort.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Construction Delays: Delays in construction are prevalent 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 typically file a lawsuit to recover what is owed. Of course, the owner will typically 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 decide if the contractor actually breached the contract by doing shoddy work, which could, at least in part, excuse the owner's duty to pay.

Subcontractor Disputes: When a construction company is contracted to complete a large project, there is typically a great deal of specialized work to be done which they aren't equipped to handle. As a result, they hire other contractors, who, in this arrangement, are subcontractors, to do some of the work. Nonetheless, the general contractor (the one that the landowner hired to do the work) is still accountable for the completion of the project - if a subcontractor causes a problem, the general contractor is on the hook for it. This sometimes leads to landowners suing general contractors for the mistakes of subcontractors. If the general contractor loses, and has to pay the client, the general contractor can then sue the subcontractor for whatever amount of money it 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 permits 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 Tulsa, Oklahoma Attorney Help?

Disputes over construction delays or defects can be extremely taxing. Therefore, getting an efficient Tulsa, Oklahoma real estate attorney might mean the difference between success or failure in your business ventures.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Tulsa

Tulsa has been diversifying it's oil industry controlled economy. In doing so, Tulsa has become the second largest city in the State of Oklahoma and a major center for high tech, finance, aerospace, and telecommunications technology development and manufacturing. Tulsa acts as the most important manufacturing hub in Oklahoma and produces nearly 60% of the goods exported from Oklahoma. Financial institutions like BOK Financial Corporation are headquartered in Tulsa alongside business like QuikTrip, Dollar-Thrifty car rental, Hilti, and gas related companies like Sem Group, Synthroleum, and Excel Energy. Attesting to how well the city is doing, the housing trends show a 6% increase in rent last year. So what else does Tulsa have to offer?

The University of Tulsa, Oral Roberts University, Rogers State University, and Tulsa Community College each accept students seeking higher educations. The University of Tulsa was ranked among the best doctoral universities in the United States by U.S. News World Report and one of the top masters institutions by the Princeton Review. The Cancer Treatment Centers of America have their Southwest Regional cancer treatment facility in Tulsa which is located at the Southwest Regional Medical Center. It's one of the largest cancer treatment hospitals in the nation.

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