Edmonds Construction Dispute Lawyers

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Construction Dispute Law in Washington

Construction contractors and landowners in Edmonds, Washington sometimes end up in disputes when a project that the landowner contracted for doesn't go exactly to plan. Truth be told, in any significant construction project, a few minor disputes are almost guaranteed.

Usually, contractors and landowners can resolve minor disputes amongst themselves, without having to resort to litigation. Often, 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 someone else needs to get involved 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 usually 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.

Construction Dispute litigation in Edmonds, Washington 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 Edmonds, Washington

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: Contractors can also be the victims in construction disputes. Sometimes, the person who hired them will refuse to pay the agreed-upon fee, or withhold a portion of it. This, without more, certainly constitutes breach of contract. However, in such cases, the owner will rarely go to court and say "I just didn't feel like paying, so I didn't." Instead, they will claim that they had a very good reason to withhold all or part of the payment, such as unsatisfactory work by the contractor. In these cases, the court has to determine if the owner has a valid reason for not paying. If it concludes that he or she does not, it will order the owner to pay the agreed-upon price.

Subcontractors: Subcontractors are hired by general contractors to assist them in large construction projects, usually specialized tasks like installing plumbing. However, no matter how much of the work is performed by subcontractors, the general contractor (the one that the client actually hired to do the project) is liable to the landowner as if it were doing all the work itself. This basically means that, if a subcontractor messes up, the general contractor is the one who gets sued. But all is not lost in such a situation. If the general contractor has to compensate the owner because of the mistakes of a subcontractor, it can sue the subcontractor for whatever it had to pay to the landowner.

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 Edmonds, Washington Attorney Help?

Construction disputes and disagreements can be very difficult to deal with alone. The assistance of an Edmonds, Washington real estate attorney can make the process of dealing with these disputes much quicker and easier.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Edmonds

Edmonds, Washington is a city in Snohomish County. It has a population of slightly over 40,000 people.

It is the oldest incorporated city in Snohomish County, Washington, having been founded in 1899 by a logger named George Brackett. It's not clear who or what the city of Edmonds, Washington is named after, but it is likely either then-U.S. Senator from Vermont George Franklin Edmunds, or nearby Point Edmund (later re-named to Point Edwards).

By 1900, regular ferry boat service to Seattle was available. Edmonds, Washington is an important regional center for the arts. It fetaures a well-known, privately-funded drama club, called the Driftwood Players. They do 4-5 major productions per season, interspersed with several more one-night plays.

It also has hosted a major art festival since 1957, which focuses on the visual arts such as painting and illustration, and collaborates with local schools, featuring several galleries exclusively displaying the artwork of local students, to help promote arts education. Edmonds, Washington also hosts a jazz festival every Memorial Day weekend, with professional, famous jazz performers playing, as well as music students from nearby schools.

Given its diverse, eclectic population and culture, it's no surprise that Edmonds, Washington has a diverse and well-rounded legal community. If you're facing a legal issue, and live in the area, it's almost certain that an Edmonds, Washington lawyer can help.

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