A Florida contractor can do everything that seems important. The contractor can sign a written agreement, perform the work, document the completion, obtain the owner’s acknowledgment of the balance, timely record a claim of lien, and still face a serious challenge to the lien. The problem may have started before the first day of work. It may be sitting in the contractor’s standard contract. Florida Statute § 713.015 requires a specific construction lien warning in certain dir

A contractor may have an excellent collection case on Monday morning and substantially damage it before lunch The contract is signed. The work was performed. The invoices are supported. The customer has not paid. Then the contractor receives an irritating email disputing the bill and immediately fires back a response. That response may become one of the most important exhibits in the case. In my firm’s construction and commercial collection matters, I frequently review email

A two-minute ownership check can eliminate an unnecessary fight if you later need to enforce a construction lien Before visiting a prospective customer, there is one small step that can make a major difference later: Confirm who owns the property Do not simply assume that the person who called you, met with you, or discussed the project is also the legal owner. Check the county records before the appointment. Then prepare your contract so that the actual owner of the property

In Florida, contractors and service providers can spend thousands chasing payment from delinquent clients—only to find out that winning the case doesn’t mean they get their attorney’s fees back. Florida follows the American Rule, which means each side pays its own legal fees unless a statute or the contract clearly says otherwise. If you want real leverage in collections, your contract must expressly and enforceably allow recovery of attorney’s fees. Attorney’s Fees Must Be G

Not all unpaid invoices start with bad customers. Sometimes they begin with unclear expectations, missing paperwork, or timing mistakes that confuse customers and quietly drain a contractor’s leverage long before anyone realizes there’s a problem. When payment slows down, goodwill alone doesn’t protect anyone. Good Intentions, Delayed Dollars Florida law gives contractors a number of powerful payment protections, both on public and private projects. On public jobs, local gove

Ever finished a job, handed over the work, and had the client disappear without paying? Or had a dispute drag on for months in court? If so, your contract might be to blame. When it comes to getting paid, your service contract can be your best buddy—or it can sit there uselessly while you chase checks as an unsecured creditor. Here’s what you absolutely need in your contracts: 1. Clarity = Enforceability For a contract to be enforceable, there needs to be a clear “meeting of