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The Global Insight

What are construction liens called?

Author

James Williams

Updated on March 26, 2026

A contractor’s lien (often known as a mechanic’s lien, or a construction lien) is a claim made by contractors or subcontractors who have performed work on a property, and have not yet been paid. The best way to avoid a contractor’s lien, of course, is paying your invoice on time.

How long is a construction lien good for in Oregon?

75 days
A lien holder has 75 days after completing the construction, or ceasing work on the construction, in which to file the lien. Only liens that have been properly filed can be enforced by a lawsuit in court.

What is the difference between a construction lien and a mechanics lien?

A construction mechanics lien is claimed against real estate property, and the lien must be filed in the appropriate office in order to be valid. Additionally, construction liens have strict timing and notice requirements. “Machinery” mechanics liens are possessory liens.

How do construction liens work?

A construction lien is filed on real property In most cases, when a contractor creates an improvement on real property, they have a right to payment for their time, materials, and efforts. If the property owner or hiring party decides not to pay them, the contractor can file a construction lien against the property.

How do mechanics liens work?

The mechanics’ lien is a right that California gives to workers and suppliers to record a lien to ensure payment. This lien may be recorded where the property owner has paid the contractor in full and the contractor then fails to pay the subcontractors, suppliers, or laborers.

How can construction liens be prevented?

The simplest way to prevent liens and ensure that subcontractors and suppliers are paid is to pay with joint checks. This is when both parties endorse the check. Compare the contractor’s materials or labor bill to the schedule of payments in your contract and the Preliminary Notices.

How is lean construction used in the construction industry?

While lean construction’s main tool for making design and construction processes more predictable is the Last Planner System ( see below) and derivatives of it, other lean tools already proven in manufacturing have been adapted to the construction industry with equal success.

Who are the directors of the Lean Construction Institute?

Last Planner System development continues under the direction of Lean Construction Institute Directors Professor Glenn Ballard and Greg Howell with support from users around the world. For more information about the development process see Ballard (1994, 2000) and Ballard and Howell (2004) for example.

Where was the first lean construction course held?

In 2002, the ‘Lean Construction Principles and Methods’ course offering CMP831 was first delivered by Tariq Abdelhamid, at Michigan State University. It was the first full-graduate course in ‘Lean Construction’ as a named course.

What do you need to know about a construction loan?

The loan offers builders the finances to meet project building costs against the returns from the project sales. The loans under this plan have a maximum tenure of up to 60 years. The loans require collateral. Collateral can be provided in the form of hypothecation of the project receivables or through the mortgage of the property.