Builders' Liens in Grande Prairie

It’s been a month since you finished work at the site and the owner keeps telling you that the cheques are in the mail, but you and your crew haven’t seen a penny. Bills are piling up, and you have mouths to feed—least of all your own! Meanwhile, the place looks great, tenants are moving in, and cash will soon be flowing into the property that you built.

Sounds unfair, doesn’t it? And yet, it’s a scenario seen across Alberta day after day as greedy property owners take advantage of hardworking Grande Prairie residents working in the construction and resources industries. Paying employees on time represents a minimal interruption to the profits of developers, but still, you and your crew aren’t getting paid.

So what are you to do?

Well, the days of sending a tough-looking muscle over to subtly suggest someone pay their bills is long over. It’s the 21st century. Which means that your only real option is the law.

Due to the amount of development and construction that goes on in Alberta, the provincial government introduced the Builders’ Lien Act, which helps protect construction workers, contractors, and suppliers against owners who don’t pay their fair share.

Want to know more? Keep reading.

What Is a Builders’ Lien and How Do I File One?

A builders’ lien is an injunction by the provincial court against a developer for work that goes unpaid.

In layman’s terms, it means that the law can prevent an owner or developer from collecting any profit on a property until all the bills have been properly paid. That means you and your crew (or your supply company, or you subcontracting firm, etc.) collects the money you’re rightfully owed before the owner sees a penny of it.

The problem? Well, they’re a complicated business to file on your own. The law that governs builders’ liens and the rights of construction workers and contractors is complex. Almost so complicated that you need a special degree to make heads or tails of it!

Builders’ Liens Time Limits in Alberta

So if you’ve read this far in Verhaeghe Law Office’s guide to builders’ liens in Alberta, you’re probably thinking that filing a builders’ lien against that company that stiffed you last year is a great idea.

The problem? Well, there’s a time limit. And it’s very short.

To successfully file a builders’ lien against someone, you need to act within 45 days of the work being completed. In some cases, this deadline is longer, but for the most part, you want to act within a month. And there are no extensions.

How Do I Quickly File a Builders’ Lien?

Contact one of the litigation experts at Verhaeghe Law Office today. We’ve successfully litigated developers and taken dozens of court cases to trial—and won. If you want to see the money you and your company deserve, call us or visit Verhaeghe Law Office’s accessible today. We’ll walk you through every step of the process and help you get paid—fast!