How to Vet a Contractor (Before Your Dream Project Becomes a Legal Battle) Hi there! I’m Kelly Davis. I’ve been running a construction law firm in Lewisville since 2002, and I basically grew up in this industry. Translation: I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the “oh-dear-lord-what-were-they-thinking?” Now, I love that homeowners have ways to…
Homeowner’s Mistakes As a construction lawyer who has not only practiced construction law for over 20 years, but also has been in the homeowner’s position and have made my own mistakes, there is a very specific trend of top mistakes that are being repeated by homeowners (and even contractors) time and time again. I wanted…
Liening Homesteaded Properties in Texas Today I would like to discuss how liens placed on homesteaded properties in Texas have different requirements than liens placed on non-homesteaded properties. Since Texas is a state that really believes in a person’s rights to preserve their homestead, there are some additional requirements that often trap unwary contractors. While…
One of the most frustrating things can be learning that a lien has been filed on your home by a contractor, particularly one which is invalid or unenforceable. Your first thought is one of bewilderment as to why it was filed, maybe you paid the invoices (or didn’t) for the work performed. This article is…
Continuing and hoping to add to the last blog’s advice as to how to protect yourself when the market starts showing signs of distress, I really want to talk about waivers today. Waivers are such a commonplace event in the industry, I think it is easy to forget just how powerful they can be. In…
Many of you were likely around for the 2008 “crash.” I could have told you in early 2007 to hold on, it was coming. One thing that most people do not realize is that construction lawyers really have their ear to the ground and can very quickly know when the tides start turning. In 2007,…
Pretty much the time of year for a hail storm and roof replacements to begin. There’s so many horrible stories about contractors on the news, from your friends, on Facebook; there’s even completely dedicated Facebook sites directed at warning consumers of sham contractors. So how can you really know that you’ve got a good contractor?…
Let’s face it – no client enjoys receiving their attorney’s bill at the end of the month. We as attorneys love to joke by saying clients hate us until they need us – then they hate us again after the bill arrives. There is hope. You can lower your attorney’s fees bills by one simple…
Whether you are a homeowner or a contractor, Chapter 27 of the Texas Property Code, also known as the Residential Construction Liability Act (“RCLA”), applies to you if there is a dispute regarding alleged construction defects at your home or the home you built/performed construction work. Does not sound like something good, to have to…
