Construction payment guides
Every figure on these pages was read from a primary source on the date shown, and every page lists its sources. Nothing here is legal advice.
Lien Waivers
5 of 23
| The four lien waiver typesConditional vs unconditional, progress vs final — what each signature costs you. | 2026-09-047 min read |
| How to fill out a lien waiverField by field, with the three lines that get subcontractors burned. | 2026-09-046 min read |
| Collecting lien waivers from subcontractorsA GC's exchange routine that keeps the pay app moving and the title clean. | 2026-09-046 min read |
| Do lien waivers have to be notarized?The states that require notarization, and what happens when you skip it. | 2026-09-045 min read |
| Lien waiver requirements by stateWhich states publish a mandatory statutory waiver form, and which do not. | 2026-09-047 min read |
Notices & Mechanics Liens
9 of 23
| What is a mechanics lien?How the claim attaches to the property, and why it works when invoices do not. | 2026-09-048 min read |
| How to file a mechanics lienThe eight-step filing sequence, from notice to recording to enforcement. | 2026-09-048 min read |
| Mechanics lien deadlines by stateNotice, recording and suit deadlines in CA, TX, FL and on federal jobs, with cites. | 2026-09-048 min read |
| Preliminary notice: who sends one and whenThe 20-day notice and its cousins — the cheapest insurance on a job. | 2026-09-046 min read |
| Notice of intent to lienWhat the letter must say, how to serve it, and why it collects. | 2026-09-045 min read |
| Who can file a mechanics lien?Tiers, suppliers to suppliers, licensing, and the parties who cannot claim. | 2026-09-046 min read |
| Mechanics lien in TexasMonthly notices, the 15th-day affidavit, homesteads and a worked timeline. | 2026-10-1810 min read |
| California mechanics lien guideWho can claim, the 20-day notice, notice of completion and the 90-day suit. | 2026-10-1810 min read |
| Florida mechanics lien guideNotice to Owner, claim of lien, suit and waivers, read from chapter 713. | 2026-10-189 min read |
Retainage & Pay Applications
5 of 23
| What is retainage in construction?Why 5-10% is held, who holds it, and when the law says it must be released. | 2026-09-047 min read |
| Retainage laws by stateStatutory caps, release timelines and retainage bonds, state by state. | 2026-09-046 min read |
| AIA G702 and G703 explainedEvery line of the application and the continuation sheet, in order. | 2026-09-047 min read |
| How to build a schedule of valuesLine-item structure, front-loading limits, and what reviewers reject. | 2026-09-046 min read |
| Progress billing for subcontractorsPercent-complete billing, stored materials, and the billing cycle calendar. | 2026-09-046 min read |
Getting Paid
4 of 23
| The Prompt Payment Act, explainedFederal timelines, state acts, and the interest a late payer actually owes. | 2026-09-047 min read |
| Pay-when-paid vs pay-if-paidOne clause delays your money. The other can end the claim entirely. | 2026-09-045 min read |
| Construction payment terms that hold upNet terms, billing cycles, change-order pricing and the clauses to strike. | 2026-09-046 min read |
| Not getting paid: the escalation ladderSeven steps from a quiet invoice to a recorded lien, with timing. | 2026-09-047 min read |