Construction lawyers are there to analyse your contract and advise if a dispute arises with your builder. They have specified expertise that means they can help you get the best outcome if a result arises. 

But it’s a good idea to know what your solicitor lawyer can do for you and when you might need to hire them so that you get the best deal - and outcome - from their service. 

Here are three things to know before hiring building dispute solicitors: 

1. Construction law is specific yet varied 

Construction law is a complex field that goes way beyond simply handling building contracts. Instead, construction law covers a wide industry speciality which includes different sectors coming together to complete the one project. These sectors include everything from architecture to construction firms and local councils. 

This means every Australian construction is subject to a wide variety of legal areas, including insurance law, real estate law, contract law, environmental law and more. 

The chances of legal disputes increases further when there is a problematic economic period or you have any legal vulnerabilities, and it can also become increasingly difficult for the property owner to manage all the various legal elements of a build. 

This is where the building solicitor lawyer comes in: they can handle all the complex legal processes that are attributed to a new build so that you, the property owner, don’t have to worry about it. 

2. You need to know what a solicitor can do for you 

These legal experts are enlisted to handle a range of issues in the construction industry, and can advise property owners, business owners and everyday individuals that are a part of a construction process - for this reason it is not uncommon to see larger construction companies have their own in-house legal reps on-hand. 

And, whilst payment disputes are the most common legal disputes in construction, solicitors offer so much more than just settling unpaid accounts. 

These professionals are enlisted to be your go-to when you have to make a big decision that may have legal risks or ramifications. A dispute representative can help you make the right decisions regarding any legal issues you face regardless of whether it’s a claim about subpar work, a disagreement overpay, an insurance issue or contractual inconsistency - your construction lawyer will be there to advise you and help you settle any disputes. 

3. When will you need a representative? 

You don’t have to wait for any legal disputes to arise to hire their services - the best time to hire them is when you choose to start building! Typically, the most efficient way of enlisting a building dispute solicitor is to ensure they help you with issues before they arise. 

Hiring a representative on the day you run into a legal dispute can seriously delay dispute resolution which, in turn, will delay the overall project and make it more costly. 

They can be a massive support throughout the construction process and can handle issues like: 

• * Insurance cover & ongoing contractual agreements;

• * Planning approvals & property law;

• * Permits & licencing;

• * Workers’ compensation & employment law;

• * Litigation, personal injury & negligence;

• * Claims, change orders & waivers;

• * Disagreements over completed work & payment disputes 

With so many areas that a building dispute solicitor can cover, it makes sense why it’s important to enlist one from the moment you decide to build. They can advise you throughout the planning phase through to construction and project completion, ensuring you are always on top of any potential legal issues that may arise throughout construction.