Reasons to Have a Lawyer Review Your Construction Contract

A construction contract determines how the project will play out. Essentially, a construction contract is an agreement between a contractor and the owner. It can also be an agreement between a general contractor and subcontractors. This contract can be downright oppressive, one-sided, or fair depending on its terms. Unfortunately, there is nothing much you can do once you sign the contract. That’s why you should have your construction contract reviewed by a lawyer before you append your signature on it.

Perhaps, you are about to sign a construction contract and you are not convinced that you need help of a lawyer. Well, here are some of the major reasons to have a lawyer review your construction contract before you review it.

Contract Content and Forms Keep Changing

Maybe you have signed a construction contract form before. Perhaps, you think that the contact you are about to sign is the same. This is not true. Contact forms do not remain the same forever. Some companies may delete or add sections to their contract forms. That’s because contractors want their contracts to reflect current laws.

A professional lawyer has knowledge and experience of these laws. They know the legal challenges that you can face when it comes to your construction project. As such, having them review your construction contract is a sure way to ensure your safety.

Reducing Risk Exposure

Issues like reference incorporation, liquidated damages due to delays and pay once paid clauses can affect the contractor. Unfortunately, it’s easy to agree to clauses of a construction contract without consideration or knowledge of their impact. But, once you sign a construction contract, you can’t look back when faced with such issues. So, to avoid this, have a lawyer review your construction contract.

It’s important to remember that courts want well-written accurate agreements. If you take an issue to court, it will consider what your contract says. But, for a contract to be valid, it must be written properly. A professional lawyer knows what should go into a construction contract for it to be valid. That’s why you should have a reputable attorney review your construction contract before you sign it.