Blacksburg Construction Dispute Lawyers

Find the right Construction Dispute attorney in Blacksburg, VA

Construction Dispute Law in Virginia

Landowners and contractors in Blacksburg, Virginia commonly 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.

In the overwhelming majority of cases, however, these problems are resolvable, and do not lead to major disputes. Being rational, business-minded adults, landowners and construction contractors are normally able to resolve disputes amongst themselves. After all, both stand to gain if the project is completed, and the contractor is paid.

Even if someone else needs to get immersed to resolve a dispute, this does not automatically mean litigation is necessary. For example, the parties might attempt mediation, in which a neutral third party tries to help guide the parties to an agreement, but cannot render a binding decision himself. They might also agree to arbitration, during which a third party is able to render a binding decision. Arbitration is normally done through a private company, and may cost less than litigation, and is overseen by an arbitrator who is an expert in the relevant field.

Because of the large cost in time and money involved, litigation in Blacksburg, Virginia is regarded a last resort. However, in rare cases, it does become necessary.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Blacksburg, Virginia

Delays: Some minor delays in a construction project are all but guaranteed to occur. Normally, 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. Additionally, 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 normally 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 accountable 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 normally hire other, smaller contractors to do some of the work for them. This is normally 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. Basically, 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 Blacksburg, Virginia Attorney Help?

Disputes over construction delays or defects can be extremely taxing. Therefore, getting an accomplished Blacksburg, Virginia 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 Blacksburg

Blacksburg is a town located in the county of Montgomery in Virginia. It is best known for being the home to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, or simply, "Virginia Tech". Due to the presence of the university, Blacksburg is an ideal site for high tech industry development.

Another feature of Blacksburg is the Virginia Tech Corporate Research center, which houses many companies including Honeywell and the National Weather Service. Radford University is also located nearby. Blacksburg's population is estimated to be about 41,000, which reflects the suburbanization of the area.

Noteworthy points of interest in the town of Blacksburg include Lyric Theatre, Armory Art Gallery, Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Hahn Horticulture Garden. The town hosts several festivals and parades throughout the year. Some of the more popular events include The International Street Fair Parade held every spring, and "Steppin' Out", which is a summer street festival showcasing local food, fun, talent and crafts.

Blacksburg lawyers are usually accommodated by the Montgomery General District Court. Lawyers in Blacksburg, Virginia with more advanced claims can file their cases at the Montgomery County Circuit Court. Montgomery County also has an extensive public library system, with a branch conveniently located in Blacksburg.

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