Construction Law

The construction industry is no stranger to fluctuations in material costs, but tariffs add an extra layer of complexity. With duties on steel, aluminum, and lumber impacting pricing and supply chains, contractors and developers must be proactive in protecting their projects from unexpected cost increases and delays.

Beyond financial planning, there are key legal considerations that can help mitigate the risks associated with tariffs.

Contract Provisions to Address Tariff Risks

One of the most effective ways to manage tariff-related cost increases is through well-drafted ...

According to national figures, the design-build delivery system of construction can reduce a project’s overall cost by as much as 30 percent and reduce construction time by as much as 25 percent.

Our team was recently invited to write an article on the topic of Design-Build for a regional construction company's newsletter.  Bowles Rice attorney's Marc Monteleone and Damon Thomas teamed up to share their knowledge of the topic in a piece titled Design-Build: A Catalyst for Economic Development.  The article was published earlier this month in CAVCON Construction's e-newsletter and ...

A few weeks ago, I shared part one of this blog post on mechanic's liens. It was more of an introduction to the "what" and "why" of mechanic's liens, with a bit of legal description thrown in for good measure.  In part two, I go into greater detail on the process for claiming a lien, who can file and how Pennsylvania has made the process more user friendly.  

TIMING FOR CLAIMING THE LIEN

Owners, contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers and design professionals. All these folks have a right to claim a lien if they’ve provided labor or materials and have not been paid.  But there are ...

Section 1301 of Pennsylvania Statutes Title 49 P.S. regarding Mechanics' Liens provides, in pertinent part, that “[E]very improvement and the estate or title of the owner of the property shall be subject to a lien, to be perfected as herein provided, for the payment of all debts due by the owner to the contractor or by the contractor to any of his subcontractors for labor or materials furnished in the erection or construction, or the alteration or repair of the improvement.”

That sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? A contractor provides labor or materials to a construction project ...

COVID-19 caused many changes in how the construction industry conducted business and made progress on projects while complying with required safety protocols.  As with most industries, virtual meetings for construction projects have become the normal course of business, including virtual project meetings, design meetings and site visits.  Unfortunately, because many safety issues arose due to COVID-19 and companies were overwhelmed with trying to continue projects during a pandemic, the impact of virtual meetings on litigation, existing or potential, has not been generally ...