Just about every construction job in New Jersey requires some form of contract. Home improvement contractors are bound by various New Jersey statutes to put their jobs in writing and include certain terms including start date, finish date and price. The larger the job, the more detailed the contract and specifications. As the jobs get bigger, the layers of contractors grow, along with their contractual obligations. General contractors hire subcontractors, subcontractors hire suppliers, etc. Property owners rely upon architects and engineers to prepare plans to guide the contractors doing the construction. Larger jobs will include construction managers and other professionals with expertise in specific areas. With all of these individuals and entities working on a job, opportunities for disputes abound. Frequently, the contract documents will govern the process for resolving claims or disputes. The parties to a contract can be required to engage in mediation or arbitration.
At Byrnes, O’Hern & Heugle, our attorneys have experience drafting, reviewing and enforcing these construction agreements. In almost every situation, the disputed parties will be better served by a mediated resolution. Litigation can be time-consuming, expensive and has no guaranteed outcome. We encourage our clients to engage meaningfully in dispute resolution mechanisms. However, when a resolution cannot be reached, we fight hard in Court on behalf of our clients. The partners of Byrnes, O’Hern & Heugle have taken hundreds of depositions, tried cases in the States in Federal Courts and guide our clients through the financial and strategic decisions that inevitably arise in these matters.
If you have a dispute or potential dispute involving a construction contract, please contact us.
