Getting Paid
Liens, notices, demand letters, and knowing when to stop work.
The work is the easy part. Getting paid for it is where contractors get burned. The good news is you have more leverage than you think, but most of it runs on deadlines. A mechanic's lien is the strongest tool you have, and in many states it can be lost in as little as a week or two if you miss a notice. Learn the steps before you need them.
The mechanic's lien
A lien attaches to the property itself, which is why it works. But the deadlines are short and vary by state, so check yours the day the job starts, not the day the money stops.
When the GC won't pay
Pay-if-paid and pay-when-paid clauses decide whether the general contractor can hold your money until the owner pays. They are not the same thing, and some states limit them.
Public jobs and bonds
You cannot lien a government building. On federal work the Miller Act gives you a bond claim instead, with a 90-day notice window and a one-year deadline to sue.
Push before you sue
A firm demand letter settles most disputes without a courtroom. If it does not, small claims is cheap and usually needs no lawyer.