[GMONEY]

We use the lien law all the time.. It is a must.. Just about all the companies we deal with will use it. But there are time limits that also have to be applied. You have like 45 days from the date of work to file the NTO "Notice to Owner" paperwork. We usually file it right away so the homeowner gets the notice and can make sure the contractor pays his people and suppliers. The homeowner in return or contractor would then need for us to sign a release of lien. It is not only the small contractors like the company doing the paving job, but there are a few BIG companies right here in this area that will not pay their bills, so you have no other choice but to file it. Once it is filed and copies sent to the financial instituion, they can not get any more draws on a project with out the release of lien. It has saved us alot. I have had home owners call and yell wanting to know what this is about. Once it is explained they understand they need to check out who they are hiring and the reputation of the said company. If you hire some Joe off the street to do a job and price sounds to good, chances are something is rotten in denmark, if you know what I mean.

While yes I agree, why should anyone have to pay for a job twice, it is up to the homeowner to know who they hired and who they are contracting to do the job. And yes the lien law is needed, but yes it could be changed to make sure the owner knows in advance what is going on. It is alot more complicated than one can explain, but that is the jist of it. There are alot of so called contractors out there willing to scam people.