Construction disputes usually come down to three things: what the contract actually required, what was built, and who is owed money for it. Homeowners face unfinished or defective work and contractors who have left the site. Contractors and trades face owners who stop paying, or a general contractor who has been paid and has not passed the money down.
Where money is owed for the work itself, a builders lien is usually in play, and its deadlines run in days rather than months. We deal with that side of a construction dispute on our builders liens page; here the question is the work: what the contract required, what was delivered, and what the difference is worth.
We act on both sides, and we start by working out whether the money at stake justifies the fight.
What we help with
- Builders liens: registering, responding to and removing them
- Deficiency, delay and cost overrun claims
- Unpaid invoices for contractors, trades and suppliers
- Holdback and payment disputes under the Builders Lien Act
- Residential renovation and new build disputes
- Claims involving licensed builders and home warranty coverage
How it usually works
- 01
Check the deadline first
Lien and holdback periods run in days, not months. If a lien is in play, that question is answered before anything else.
- 02
Price the dispute
We compare the contract, the change orders and the work actually done, and weigh the likely recovery against the cost of pursuing it.
- 03
Resolve or file
Many construction disputes settle once the legal position is set out properly. Where they do not, we file in the right court and push the claim forward.
Related services
- Builders LiensFiling, defending and removing claims of lien under the Builders Lien Act, and holdback disputes.
- Contract DisputesClaims for breach of contract between individuals, contractors and businesses.
- Property DisputesDeals that fall apart, deposits in dispute, and disagreements between co-owners or neighbours.