Knowledge of Construction Law Can Be a Huge Benefit to Your Business
By: Angela Ash
When you’re caught up in a situation involving construction defects or construction disputes, having a sound understanding of construction law is important. Many parties can be involved in a construction dispute, and it is essential that they all have a working knowledge and understanding of construction law.
If you own a high-value home, warehouse, storefront or any other commercial property, it is imperative to have a good lawyer on your payroll. A construction lawyer takes up the role of navigating through the laws and regulations whenever you’re building your property. Below are some of the ways that construction lawyers help owners.
Drafting Property Lines
Construction law helps in the establishment of your property boundaries. This is an often overlooked part of the construction. A construction lawyer can confirm the zoning laws and property lines to help you avoid any disputes in the future.
Avoid Contract Issues
A contract protects both you and your client by providing a record of the agreed-upon timelines, payments, construction materials, and other details relevant to your project. It is one of the main reasons business owners hire construction lawyers. Contracts are normally filled with legal loopholes. This can be very challenging and stressful. Hiring a lawyer to look over all your contracts before appending signatures or sharing them with your employees is necessary. This will ensure that your business runs smoothly.
Dealing with Payment Disputes
Payment disputes are another issue related to construction contracts. A construction lawyer helps iron out any issues to do with payment disputes. This ensures that you pay the money that all parties deserve. Construction law also helps you avoid such issues in the future by tweaking your current contracts and for employee benefits.
Preparing for Accidents
Workplace injuries are common on construction sites. They happen despite your best intentions and safety guidelines. In many cases, a bystander or employee is injured as a result of your construction work. Construction law enables you to prepare for accidents ahead of time. A construction lawyer knows how well to handle any accidents that may occur on your construction site. This will shield your company and alleviate any kind of stress whenever an accident occurs.
Dealing With Employee Disputes
A construction lawyer works as a mediator between the employer and employees. They ensure that both parties are doing what both parties agreed upon. Construction law thus ensures efficiency. It also helps your employees feel understood.
As with any business, construction businesses must abide by specific construction laws that prohibit unfair treatment, discrimination and improper pay practices. You and your employees both have rights and responsibilities to each other. It is important to maintain a delicate balance to ensure that your workplace is safe and equitable.
If your business is confronted with a dispute on employment law when conducting any upgrade or construction, a construction lawyer will resolve any issue arising. The lawyer will review your construction policies to help you remain in compliance with employment and construction regulations.
Formation and Planning
As your business continues to grow, you may need to upgrade its structure or make a few changes to it. Construction law assists you in coming up with new business plans, dealing with paperwork, structuring your business, HR outsourcing and, ensuring that your new business can operate effectively.
Design Lawsuits
It is very easy for marvelous designs to turn into plagiarism, even in the construction industry. A disgruntled fellow builder or architect may see too many of their designs in your latest building and take legal action. This is a stressful situation particularly if you did not have an intent of copying another person’s work. A construction lawyer may be able to help you show that the alleged plagiarism was unintentional and permit your construction work to continue.
Construction and Mechanic’s Liens
Construction and mechanic’s lien can be utilized to ensure that you get payment for the work you complete on a client’s property. They may as well be already present on a property, requiring removal prior to the commencement of the construction.
In both cases, a construction lawyer can help you get what you require to start your construction as quickly as possible. Construction lawyers will conduct the necessary research to ascertain whether a lien is present or can be placed. They also help in filing paperwork required to clear the way for the construction to begin.
Insurance
Construction companies and contractors must keep their insurance coverage up to date so that they are never exposed to uninsured risks. Construction projects may be subject to floods, fires, and wind damage, therefore contractors should purchase insurance in areas where these risks are likely.
Furthermore, if their insurance coverage is canceled, suspended, or moved from one insurance company to another, they must promptly notify the client and take efforts to reinstate it before they can start operations, especially if they are working on government projects.
There are common life insurance settlement companies typically offer. In addition to choosing your options, you can often customize the payment structure (other than lump-sum arrangements) and may be able to receive funds monthly, quarterly or annually.
You should keep in mind that interest that is earned or paid out as part of a life insurance settlement option is taxable as regular income when received.
Final Thoughts
It is important to know the basics of construction law. This ensures that your business follows all the processes and regulations to get your projects completed on time. Having sufficient knowledge, however, can help you and your business grow without unnecessary hurdles. So, always follow a construction project checklist.
While it could be challenging to learn it all yourself while running a business, you do not have to do it alone. Hiring a reputable construction lawyer with the necessary specialization will help you make informed legal decisions.
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