Winter Park Home Magazine - Summer 2005

Mechanics Liens & How To Avoid Them
by Frank L. Pohl, Attorney At Law
Partner, Pohl & Short, P.A., Winter Park

As a Winter Park homeowner, you are undoubtedly going to be contracting for repairs or improvements to your property from time to time. For small jobs involving a single tradesperson or a company that performs all facets of the work, the process is usually pretty straightforward. The company does the work and you write a check for the agreed to contract price.

Larger and more complex undertakings can often involve several subcontractors and suppliers brought in by the general contractor. That's when the Florida mechanics lien law becomes a very important aspect of the project. The law provides the homeowner with certain protections and also requires specific warnings to help the homeowner navigate and assure payment of multiple bills-often from unknown suppliers, subcontractors and laborers. More......