Clarksville Construction Dispute Lawyers

Find the right Construction Dispute attorney in Clarksville, TN

Construction Dispute Law in Tennessee

Landowners and contractors in Clarksville, Tennessee often 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, the owners of land and contractors can end disputes before they get too serious, thus eliminating the need for litigation. Most contracts governing construction projects have built-in remedies for the most common problems, usually requiring the party that causes a delay or other problem to pay the other party a set fee.

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.

Construction Dispute litigation in Clarksville, Tennessee is usually time-consuming and expensive. But it is sometimes necessary, usually as a last resort.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Clarksville, Tennessee

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.

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: With big construction projects, contractors usually hire other, smaller contractors to do some of the work for them. This is usually 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. However, 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 lawsuit against a client for nonpayment of the contract price, and the client still refuses 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. Essentially, 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 proceeds to the contractor, to secure payment.

Can a Clarksville, Tennessee Attorney Help?

If you are involved in a dispute over a construction project, you should try to avoid litigation, and settle the matter as amicably as possible. However, litigation is sometimes essential, and a Clarksville, Tennessee construction disputes attorney can be of great help.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Clarksville

Clarksville, Tennessee is a city located in, and serving as the county seat of, Montgomery County. It has a population of over 132,000 people.

Clarksville was founded in 1785, making it the oldest incorporated city in Tennessee. However, human habitation of the area that now includes Clarksville, Tennessee dates back at least 11,000 years.

Modernly, Clarksville, Tennessee's economy is dominated by industry. Major industrial employers in Clarksville, Tennessee include American Standard, the Trane company (Clarksville's largest employer - a manufacturer of industrial ventilation equipment), and many others. In addition to employing a large number of blue-collar workers, these (and other) corporations also have many administrative employees, including accountants and Clarksville, Tennessee lawyers.

Because of the presence of large corporations, as well as a population of blue-collar workers, the lawyers of Clarksville, Tennessee are capable of handling a wide range of cases. So, if you need an attorney, chances are there's a lawyer in Clarksville, Tennessee who can help.

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Nicholas M.
Nicholas M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Golden, CO

Carl M.
Carl M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Seattle, WA

David A.
David A.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Walnut Creek, CA