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Questions/Answers, Articles & Form Info

Articles and answers to questions about certified payroll reporting:

• In-depth information about Certified Payroll Reporting
• F700-065-000 Washington Certified Payroll Report
• Learn exactly how to fill in the WH-347/348 Certified Payroll Report Forms
• Certified Payroll Wage Warning
• Prevailing Wage Compliance
• Military Base Requirements
• New Jersey Payroll Certification & Fringe Benefits
  

Articles and answers to questions about changes in the scope of work during ongoing projects

• Do not do extra work on a project without a signed change order
  
• He refused to pay the change orders - and got away with it
  

Please do not *EVER* rely on a 'one-size-fits-all' contract for your construction company!

All construction projects are unique - there will never be two that progress in exactly the same manner.

This is the same for all contractors. They're unique and you'll never find two that operate the same way.

Unique projects and unique contractors require unique contracts that conform to their state's requirements.

It used to be crazy expensive to hire an attorney to draft contracts so most companies just use the same contract for project after project, subcontractor after subcontractor.

And truth be told it is still crazy expensive to hire an attorney. The difference is that now you don't have to.

There's a program titled Construction Contract Writer that creates your contracts for you, as many as you need and/or want - without ever worrying about crazy legal fees again and for that matter no longer worrying that your contracts meet the needs of the project.

When you put your contract out there for signature you need to know that it's legal and binding and that there's nothing that can get you in trouble with the license board/law.

Your contract must have its T's crossed and its I's dotted

States have individualized requirements as to what is, and is not, allowed in contracts for construction.

• There are requirements for the size of the font, whether or not the text is bold, and so on.
  
  
• There are requirements as to what has to be included as an attachment
  
  
• There are requirements as to what has to be included directly in the contract

The list goes on. Please take a look at Construction Contract Writer before hiring an attorney and before relying on a 'one-size-fits-all' template.

Articles and answers to questions about contract requirements

• Gotchas to watch out for in contracts
  
• Overtime clauses
• Clauses regarding change orders / changes in the work
  
• Payment terms in contracts - Part 1
• Payment terms in contracts - Part 2
  
• Payment terms in contracts - Part 3
• The contract between the Owner and the Direct Contractor affects the Subcontractors on the project
  
• Make sure the version of the plans and specs that you used when bidding the project are included in the contract
• Obtaining business licenses in every city that you do work in
  
• Don't rely on the statement "Oh don't worry, we don't enforce that clause"
• General conditions of the contract
• Certificate of Completion
  

Articles and answers to questions about employment

• Pre-employment: background searches for potential employees
  
• Construction work at schools: Student accuses construction worker of rape
  
• Employees can be a danger to you, your business, and your family - criminal check
• Communicate easily with Spanish speaking employees with these construction-specific English to Spanish/Spanish to English dictionaries of common jobsite words, phrases, and conversations - there's APPS too!
  
• What is Sexual Harassment? (Published in the "Construction Business Owner" magazine)
  
• Avoiding Sexual Harassment Lawsuits
• Compliance With Your State's Sexual Harassment Laws
• Institute a Sexual Harassment Training and Education Program
• Set Up an Official Complaint Procedure & Make It Part of the Contract
• Love Contracts & Pornographic Spam Email for Your Employees
• Questions and Suggestions About Sexual Harassment Discrimination

This is an in-depth eBook about how to get paid when dealing with difficult customers. It's written toward restoration contractors but the insights are very helpful for all construction contractors no matter the trade.

I was lucky enough to be invited to contribute to this book with a couple of my own articles! You might think that would make me biased but I gotta say that this book truly does have terrific articles, suggestions, and wonderful guidance on getting paid (and I'd still say the same even if I wasn't in the book). ;o)

Click through to see a list of the wonderful contributors to this book. Also here's a link to the IAQRadio segment on the book.

Articles and answers to questions about construction invoices and project billing

• Preparing a Construction Invoice: The Ultimate Guide
• NEW ARTICLE Construction Invoice Factoring
  

Articles and answers to questions about joint check agreements

• Learn how a joint check agreement could help you grow your business
  

Articles and answers to questions about waiving and releasing lien rights

• Brief article about the #1 lien waiver/release form
  
• Before signing an unconditional final lien waiver form, READ THIS!
• Fraudulent lien waiver/release forms
  
• Protecting and waiving/releasing your lien rights (forms)
  
• The *release through* date
  
• Credit card payments could cost you your payment *and* lien rights
  

Articles and answers to questions about mechanic's liens

• Why you need to send a Notice to Owner before filing a mechanic's lien
• Strategies for Filing for a Mechanic's Lien Extension
• Missing the 20-day deadline means you've lost your lien rights
• You lose your mechanic's lien rights if the reputed owner ends up not being the true owner
• You lose your mechanic's lien rights if the dollar amount on your preliminary notice does not match exactly the dollar amount(s) of your invoice(s)
• The value of a mechanic's lien is equal to the contract balance owed to the claimant at the end of the project
• Attorney's fees and interest may be added to the amount stated on a mechanic's lien and/or the amount of the judgment entered on the mechanic's lien
• Mechanic's liens must be recorded within 30 days after a notice of completion is recorded
• You should record a mechanic's as soon as equipment, materials, or services are first provided for the project
• Overstate the amount owed and lose your mechanic's lien suit
• A mechanic's lien claimant has 90 days to file suit or he loses
• Mechanic's lien judgments vs. other types of judgments
• Charging interest on a mechanic's lien
• Changing the dollar amount on a mechanic's lien that's been recorded
• Construction liens on equipment rentals in Wisconsin
• Designers and California mechanic's liens
• Construction lien on equipment rentals in California
• Extending mechanic's lien deadlines
• Filing a mechanic's lien against a tenant
• When it's well past the 20 days to prelim
• How long to wait before filing a California mechanic's lien
• The job is done, contractor forgot to include the prerequisite lien information, now the customer won't pay
• Very brief information about mechanic's lien forms
• Unlicensed contractor are not allowed to file liens on property/ies
  
• Very basic information about mechanic's liens
  
• Links to mechanic's lien forms for all 50 states
  
• Outdated, needs to be updated, article about 'notice of intent to file' liens
  
• Prejudgment Attachment: A Strategic Alternative to Awaiting Trial
• Top 10 mechanic's lien misconceptions
  
• The right to file construction liens in Wisconsin
  
• Contractor in Wisconsin filed a lien after doing a poor job
  
• How to perfect a Wisconsin construction lien
  
• Description of a Wisconsin construction lien
  
• Wisconsin construction lien law statutes
  
• Wisconsin how to file for nonpayment
  
• 3 easy steps to file a mechanic's lien in California
• An architect's client won't pay the final bill
• The owner paid the contractor but the contractor won't pay the supplier so the supplier files a lien
  

Articles and answers to questions about notices of completion

• It's a good thing for contractors when an owner files a notice of completion

California Legal Notice of Non-Responsibility

Articles and answers to questions about the legal notice of non-responsibility

• More about the California Legal Notice of Non-Responsibility

• How to bid construction jobs (published in the Construction Savvy trade magazine!)
  
• Information about the Dodge Report
• Information about bid rooms
  
• Simple guidelines for what to include on proposal forms and bids - Coming Soon! In the meantime please take a look at the proposal forms I have, and use the previews as examples if you wish.