Blogs & Resources

One of a construction material supplier’s biggest concerns is making sure they will get paid. There are a few things a supplier can do to ensure they get paid on a construction project. One of the most important steps a supplier should take is preserve its lien rights under Florida’s Construction Lien Law, Section 713.001-.37, Florida Statutes. The purpose of the Florida Construction Lien Law is to protect construction material suppliers from nonpayment. The Lien Law should become your best friend. You should know it well. If done right, a supplier can almost guarantee that they will get paid in full by using the Lien Law. However, strict compliance with the Lien Law is required and it is laced with traps for the unwary. Many suppliers fail to perfect their lien rights properly and find themselves unable to get paid. Don’t let that happen to you. This blog focuses on one of the initial steps a supplier must take to preserve its lien rights: properly and timely serve a Notice to Owner.

Warranties are a valuable part of a construction contract. A multi-year warranty is more valuable than a 1-year warranty. A contractor’s offer to provide a multi-year warranty may induce an owner to select that contractor and enter into the contract. Often, multi-year warranties are included in the written contract, or separate written warranty policies are provided at the end of the project. However, not all construction contracts are written, and contractors don’t always provide a written policy at the end of a project. This raises the question: are oral multi-year warranties enforceable? They may not be. The Statute of Frauds may bar their enforcement.

The Florida Legislature’s 2015 Regular Session is complete. This blog addresses the bills, which passed, that we think have the greatest impact on the construction industry. We provide the highlights for each bill, in no particular order:

By: Brittany N. Snell, Esq. and Austin B. Calhoun, Esq.
In 2013, the Florida Arbitration Code was amended and is now known as the “Revised Florida Arbitration Code” (“RFAC”). RFAC applies to all agreements to arbitrate that were made on or after July 1, 2013. Arbitration agreements entered into before July 1, 2013, may be subject to RFAC if all parties consent to RFAC’s application. Beginning July 1, 2016, an agreement to arbitrate, regardless of its date, will be subject to RFAC. Section 682.013, Florida Statutes (2014).