construction

common law lien

A common law lien is a lien that is created due to common law and does not depend on any statute or contract for its existence. Unless abolished by statute or judicial decision, common law liens generally have the force of law in each U.S....

contractor

A contractor is a business or entity that agrees to perform work under terms of a contract. Contractors are distinct from employees in that they are generally in charge of how work will be performed and are obligated to provide a specified...

improvement

In property and real estate law, an improvement is any positive permanent change to land that augments the property’s value. An improvement will cause positive change to the land, increase the value, and will allow the landowner to make...

kickbacks

A "kickback" is a term used to refer to a misappropriation of funds that enriches a person of power or influence who uses the power or influence to make a different individual, organization, or company richer. Often, kickbacks result from a...

labor and materials (time and materials)

A type of contract by which the customer agrees to pay a contractor the cost of labor and materials used in a job, plus a predetermined percent markup. In contrast, a fixed price contract is where the parties negotiate a lump sum...