Plain-English help for getting paid
Deadlines, notices and what to do when a customer won't pay. Written for GCs, subs and suppliers, not lawyers.
Texas Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
Notice of claim, lien affidavit, homestead and retainage deadlines after the 2022 law change, with examples.
Read the guide →Missed Your Lien Deadline? You Can Still Get Paid
Missing the lien deadline ends your claim on the property, not the debt. Here's what you can still do.
Read the guide →Filed a Lien and Still Not Paid? What to Do Next
A recorded lien doesn't always produce a check. Your next moves, and the enforcement deadline you can't miss.
Read the guide →The GC Says They Haven't Been Paid. Now What?
What pay-if-paid clauses really mean, and how to protect your lien rights while the GC stalls.
Read the guide →How Construction Collections Works, and What It Costs
The step-by-step process, typical timeline, contingency fees, and when collections beats a lien.
Read the guide →Texas Homestead Liens: What Contractors Need to Know
The written contract, county filing and notice language you need before you can lien a Texas homestead.
Read the guide →Texas Retainage Claims: How to Protect Your Retainage
The 30-day retainage notice, when to file the lien affidavit, and how the owner's 10% statutory retainage protects you.
Read the guide →Georgia Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
90 days to file, 2 business days to mail the owner, 365 days to start a lien action, and the Notice to Contractor trap.
Read the guide →Kansas Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
GCs get 4 months, subs and suppliers get 3. Plus the residential warning statement and when a 5-month extension applies.
Read the guide →Kentucky Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
6 months to file, the 75/120-day notice of intent for subs and suppliers, and the 7-day owner mailing that dissolves liens.
Read the guide →Louisiana Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
Why subs sometimes get 30 days and sometimes 60, the notice of contract, supplier notices of nonpayment and the 1-year suit deadline.
Read the guide →Michigan Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
The 20-day Notice of Furnishing, 90 days to record, 15 days to serve the owner and 1 year to foreclose.
Read the guide →Minnesota Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
Prelien notice rules for GCs and subs, 120 days to file and serve, and 1 year to foreclose.
Read the guide →Mississippi Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
30-day notice for lower tiers, 90 days to file, 2 business days to mail, 180 days to sue, and the language every lien must include.
Read the guide →Missouri Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
The GC's notice to owner, subs' 10-day notice of intent, 6 months to file and 6 months to sue.
Read the guide →Montana Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
The 20-day Notice of Right to Claim a Lien (and recording it), 90 days to file and 2 years to foreclose.
Read the guide →Ohio Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
21-day Notice of Furnishing, 75 days to file (60 on homes), 30 days to serve the owner, and the Notice to Commence Suit.
Read the guide →Oklahoma Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
Pre-lien notice within 75 days, 4 months for GCs, 90 days for subs and suppliers, and 1 year to foreclose.
Read the guide →Pennsylvania Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
6 months to file, the 30-day formal notice for subs, serving the owner within 1 month, and the 2-year enforcement deadline.
Read the guide →South Carolina Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
90 days to serve and file, and why the 6-month suit deadline runs from your last work, not the filing date.
Read the guide →South Dakota Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
Mail the owner before filing, 120 days to file, and the 30-day deadline after an owner's demand to sue.
Read the guide →Vermont Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
180 days to record, 180 days to sue and attach the property, and the owner notice subs must give.
Read the guide →Virginia Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
The 90-day filing rule, the 150-day lookback that voids liens, Mechanics' Lien Agent notices on homes, and 6 months to sue.
Read the guide →Washington Mechanics Lien Deadlines: A Plain-English Guide for Contractors
The 60-day Notice to Owner lookback, 90 days to record, 14 days to serve and 8 months to foreclose.
Read the guide →Owed money on a job?
Liens from $199. Collections on contingency, no collection, no charge.
