California Construction Contracts
Construction in California comes with many risks.
Most new contractors don’t know the best ways to reduce those risks. The Law Office of Matthew Shayefar can give you the tools to reduce your risks and increase your likelihood of getting paid in full.
Failing to follow any one of numerous California regulations on contractors could lead to significant claims against your business, subject you to disciplinary proceedings, and payment disputes with your customers, all of which makes it more difficult to get paid for your hard work.
Don’t risk it! Get the contracts you need and get paid.
Contact Matthew
Law Office of Matthew Shayefar, PC
750 N San Vicente Blvd, 800 West
West Hollywood, California 90069
(323) 948-8101
matt@shayefar.com
What You Need
Mechanic’s Liens
As a contractor, one of your strongest tools to make sure you get paid is a Mechanic’s Lien. However, these are countless ways in which you can lose your Mechanic’s Lien rights if you don’t follow California laws. We can advise you on how to best satisfy these requirements and, if necessary, file suit to collect on what you are owed.
Home Improvement Contracts
A written contract is required for all home improvement contracts between a contractor and a home owner for construction on their house. California imposes extremely specific regulations on the form and substance of a “Home Improvement Contract,” with over 40 exacting requirements, including font sizes, the amount of a down payment, and cancellation rights and notices. Failure to comply with any of these requirements can subject a contractor to discipline and risk payment disputes with customers.
General Contractor Contracts
When you’re not doing a home improvement job, you should still make sure you have a contract in place to protect you as much as possible and make sure you give little room for your client to not pay you. If you’re being engaged as a direct or general contractor on a project, don’t leave room for questions or ambiguity - have in place a full construction contract and get paid.
Subcontractor Contracts
Whether you are a subcontractor or hiring a subcontractor, a good contract can be the difference between a profitable job and being held liable for someone else’s shoddy work. A good subcontractor contract covers topics like change order procedures, lien rights, limits of liability, and indemnification. Don’t hire a sub and don’t take on a job without one!