Reading Construction Dispute Lawyers

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Construction Dispute Law in Pennsylvania

Landowners and contractors in Reading, Pennsylvania 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.

Most often, landowners and construction contractors are able to resolve minor to moderate disagreements 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 a third party gets incorporated, it does not always need to be a court. Private mediators can assist 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.

Litigating a construction dispute in Reading, Pennsylvania 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 Reading, Pennsylvania

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

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: With big construction projects, contractors typically hire other, smaller contractors to do some of the work for them. This is typically work of a specialized nature, which the general contractor isn't equipped to handle (such as plumbing or electrical wiring). The general contractor is the one who is responsible for the satisfactory completion of the project. If a subcontractor makes a mistake, or causes a delay, the general contractor is ultimately liable to the person who hired them. Nonetheless, if they are sued for the mistakes of a subcontractor, and lose, they can then sue the subcontractor to recover their losses.

Mechanic's Lien: When a contractor wins a case against a client for nonpayment of the contract price, and the client still declines to pay, there is a problem: a monetary judgment means next to nothing if it can't be enforced. To solve this problem, the mechanic's lien has been developed. Typically, if a landowner refuses to pay a contractor, even in the face of a court order, the court can force a sale of the property that the contractor worked on, along with all the improvements on it, and then give the funds to the contractor, to secure payment.

Can a Reading, Pennsylvania Attorney Help?

If you have a construction dispute, you should first try to resolve it amicably with the other party. If this fails, it is almost always crucial to hire a Reading, Pennsylvania construction disputes attorney, who can advise you on the next steps in the process.

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Life in Reading

Reading is located in southeast Pennsylvania. Specifically it is in Berks County. Per the 2010 census, it has a population of 88,082 people. Similarly populated cities include Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Erie.

A very popular spot for visitors is the Reading Public Museum. The reason why this is such a popular attraction is because it is an art, science and history museum in one! Therefore, visitors can escape into many worlds by visiting this one site. Another popular site is the Reading Pagoda, which is located on top of Mount Penn. The view from this area is supposedly breathtaking.

Top employers include Boscov's, Wal-Mart, Carpenter Technology Corporation, Berks County, East Penn Manufacturing Co., The Reading Hospital and Medical Center, St. Joseph Medical Center, and Reading School District. Reading is also home to many attorneys who practice law in various areas. These attorneys provide excellent legal guidance to employers, small businesses and local residents.

Overall, Reading is a charming place to visit and wonderful place to call home.

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