Madison Construction Dispute Lawyers

Construction Dispute Law in Wisconsin

Construction contractors and landowners in Madison, Wisconsin sometimes end up in disagreements 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.

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.

And even if disputes can't be resolved so easily, the courts still don't necessarily have to get engaged. For example, a construction contract may require mediation before any further action is taken. Mediation is a process by which a third party tries to guide the parties to the dispute to a settlement. The mediator cannot, however, render any binding decision. Another avenue is arbitration. This is where the parties go to a private arbitration service, which can render a binding judgment (usually enforceable through contract law, as the parties agree in advance to abide by the arbitrator's decision). Arbitration has benefits over litigation, as the parties can have a say in choosing the arbitrator (allowing them to have their case arbitrated by an expert on construction disputes, for example).

Litigation of construction disputes in Madison, Wisconsin can be extremely time-consuming, stressful, and costly. Nevertheless, there are (relatively rare) occurrences where it is the only option.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Madison, Wisconsin

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.

Refusal to Pay: Contractors can be on the other side of legal disagreements, as well. Sometimes, the landowners who hired them refuse to pay. This is typically because the landowner believes that the contractor didn't perform under the terms of the contract, or that the work was unsatisfactory. If this is the case, it may ultimately be up to a court to decide who is right. If the contractor did, in fact, do poor work, the landowner will be excused, at least in part, from his duty to pay. If, on the other hand, the work was satisfactory, the court will order the landowner to pay the contract price immediately, and may award further damages if the refusal to pay was done in bad faith, or if it caused foreseeable economic harm to the contractor.

Subcontractor Disputes: With very considerable construction projects, general contractors don't always have the resources to do all the work themselves, so they hire other contractors to do some of the work for them. Nonetheless, it is the general contractor who is ultimately responsible to the owner for the satisfactory completion of the project. So, it is very critical to the general contractor that subcontractors do a good job. If the subcontractor causes a delay or other issue, and the owner sues the general contractor as a result, the general contractor can then go after the subcontractor to recover whatever it lost in the lawsuit.

Mechanic's Liens: If the contractor sues a land owner and wins, he will likely obtain a monetary judgment. If the owner declines to pay, the contractor needs some way to recover. This is where the mechanic's lien comes into play. It permits 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 Madison, Wisconsin Attorney Help?

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

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Life in Madison

Madison, Wisconsin is the capital of the state of Wisconsin. It is also the county seat of Dane County. It has a population of over 235,000 people, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin.

Madison is known for being a classic example of the "college town" - with a laid-back atmosphere, large numbers of restaurants and bars, andindependent retailers,most of which cater to the student demographic. The presence of University of Wisconsin, Madison also means that the population ofMadison, at least during the school year, tends to be fairly young, on average, giving the city a very vibrant and diverse feel.

The largest employers in Madison are the Wisconsin state government, as well as the university.These twosectors provide relatively stable employment, pay reasonably well, and tend to provide good benefits. Together, they makeup a solid economic base forMadison.

In the last decade, Forbes Magazine has consistently ranked Madisonas one of the best places to live in the United States. It is also ranked among the healthiest cities in the United States by various health magazines.

Thanks to its fairly vibrant economy, and unique culture, Madison, Wisconsin has a robust legal community. Madison, Wisconsin lawyers are diverse and well-educated, partially owing to the fact that UW Madison has a very well-regarded law school.A Madison, Wisconsin lawyer can probably help you with almost any legal issue you might face.

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Construction Dispute Law in Wisconsin

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Madison, Wisconsin