When Does Your Construction Company Need A Lawyer?

If you own a construction company, you might wonder if you should hire a construction lawyer in the event something goes wrong legally. While a lawyer isn't always needed in such situations, it's a good idea to at least have an attorney on retainer in the event something goes awry and you need to go to court. Also, a construction lawyer can be used in other ways that don't have to do with suing a negligent client.

When does your construction company need a lawyer? Here are just a few examples of why it's a good idea to keep one on retainer.

Help With Drafting Contracts

When you work in construction, you will need to make pitches and proposals to clients and place bids on jobs. Once you have the job, you will need to come up with a contract that is beneficial to both your company and the client. These contracts can become quite complicated, especially for a large project.

A construction lawyer can help you negotiate contract terms that are beneficial to you and the client with fair compensation and a reasonable timeframe for completion. The lawyer can help draft the contract and make sure it is legally sound and binding. They can ensure everything that should be included in the contract is there.

Help With Obtaining Payments

It can sometimes be a chore to get paid by clients, even with carefully outlined contract terms. Instead of trying to get payment on your own, you can hire a construction lawyer to help obtain your payments from clients.

These payments could include payments for labor costs, material costs, and equipment usage costs. If the client doesn't pay on time and in full, a construction lawyer can obtain a lien on the property that you have completed which can pause the construction and also the possession of the building until payment is made in full.

They can also take civil action in court against any client who hasn't made payments or who hasn't paid in full.

Help With Proposals

You may have the expertise in construction but all proposals should be considered with a legal eye. A construction lawyer can help you put together a legally sound proposal for the client. If you weren't awarded a proposal or a bid, a lawyer can help with interpreting the reasons why and potentially changing the proposal to better suit the client's needs.

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