| Whenever you hire a general contractor who | | | | |
| will be using subcontractors to complete | | | | Lien wavers protect homeowners from double |
| individual aspects of a remodeling project, | | | | paying on a specific job by ensuring that all |
| it's important to protect yourself from | | | | parties understand that the general |
| future inability by insisting that everyone | | | | contractor will be handling all |
| sign a lien waver before any payments are | | | | subcontracting payments. |
| made. | | | | |
| | | | What is important for a lien waver to |
| Avoid serious legal trouble following a major | | | | include? |
| home renovation by making sure you have a | | | | |
| lien waver signed by each and every | | | | -The homeowner's name. |
| sub-contractor hired to work on your home | | | | |
| before the final payment is made. Even | | | | -The contractor's full name, address and |
| contractors who work for just a few hours | | | | telephone number. |
| need to sign a waver. | | | | |
| | | | -A detailed description of the work including |
| Few homeowners understand that even if the | | | | the final state of the house at the |
| general contractor has been paid in full for | | | | completion of the job, as well as a listing |
| all services (and a receipt signed), | | | | of what materials should be removed from the |
| subcontractors can still place a lien on | | | | premises. |
| their property if they don't receive payment | | | | |
| from the general contractor who ultimately | | | | -The status of the work. |
| chose and hired them. Lien wavers take | | | | |
| payment responsibility from the homeowner and | | | | -Signed and dated. Be sure to have the |
| put it back on the general contractor. | | | | contractor print and sign his name on two |
| | | | copies (one for him and one for you). Date |
| It's considered normal practice for the main | | | | every one! |
| contractor to assume responsibility for | | | | |
| hiring all subcontractors, and paying them | | | | -A witness signature (optional, but |
| from the fee the charges the homeowner. | | | | encouraged). |
| That's why homeowners hire general | | | | |
| contractors in the first place. Problems | | | | It may seem like a bit of a hassle to make |
| arise, however, if the general contractor | | | | sure lien wavers are signed by every single |
| fails to pay his subcontractors. Which, by | | | | subcontractor who steps into your house |
| the way, happens all of the time. Without a | | | | during a large-scale project. But, not |
| signed lien waver from each worker, the | | | | making sure that everyone releases you from |
| homeowner remains responsible for those | | | | further payment once the job is completed, is |
| payments, even if they'd already paid the | | | | an easy way to safeguard you from further |
| general contractor for the services. | | | | financial responsibility. |