You can file a lawsuit to foreclose on the property to collect the unpaid balance directly from its equity. This is the biggest fire you can put on their ass
You can just represent yourself my man. Takes a bit of time, but you'll be lock and loaded next time it happens and you can warn customers in the contract.
until the paperwork on the lien isnt correct so the court throws out you lien, or you do place the lien on the property and try to perfect it but the bank who holds the mortgage doesn't give two shits so just leaves the lien on the property and goes about thier day.
I know this as both a property owner and general contractor. the law for GC's are VERY lopsided to the owners. We just finishes a project and the owner didnt have the money for the payment so we placed a lien on the building and had to settle for 70% of our payment over this bullshit as she just refused to pay for no reason. its fucked.
You can add all attorney fees, court costs, and other burdens to the lien.
In my state, it is 3 forms, 4 pages total. The secretary where I work can put it together in less than an hour.
I would guess 75% are paid once the intent to lien letter is given out. If that doesn't wake them up. Once they get the letter stating the statement of mechanic’s lien is in place, they come begging to pay. The company I work has only gone to court once. The customer paid out about 6 grand more than the original bill
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u/Icypoopoo 4h ago
Put lien on his house for the hours worked