Category: construction owners

Your Contractor Abandoned Your Project – Now What?

Have you ever hired a contractor who disappeared on you?  Were you left with a half-completed home improvement project, with feelings of despair and frustration and not a clue as to what your next steps should be?  You’re left with unused materials, shortage of capital, and a literal construction site in your home.  Unfortunately, this happens to homeowners who hire both licensed and unlicensed contractors more often than you would think.  However, there is recourse available. Below we discuss the steps that you can take and actions that you can pursue when your contractor abandoned your project before the construction is completed.

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Hiring a Contractor: Top 3 Things Every Homeowner Needs To Verify

Time and time again, homeowners hire fraudulent contractors without knowing so. There are many instances where the homeowner will hire a contractor without really knowing what they’re all about. Usually out of excitement, or desperation to complete unfinished work, homeowners will too often hire their contractor based off an estimate, without digging deeper as to the insurance status or legitimacy of the contractor’s business. With that said, what are the top 3 things every homeowner needs to verify before hiring a contractor and signing the contract? Continue reading “Hiring a Contractor: Top 3 Things Every Homeowner Needs To Verify”

Strings of a Marionette Puppet

Like the strings of a marionette puppet, after the completion of a New York construction project, there are various legal theories that serve as ties between the builder and the owner. For the builder, the sooner these lingering ties can be removed the less exposure they face for claims of defects. For the owners, the longer they are able to establish these connections, the longer they may have legal recourse against the builder for defects.

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Construction Plans and Architectural Designs

It’s one thing to say what you want in your construction project, but it is another thing to properly document your dream design on paper in the form of legitimate construction plans. Within this article, you will have a better understanding of what is included in detailed construction plans, as well as the understanding of common symbols used in the architectural industry. Whether you are a project owner or contractor, always remember your construction drawings take precedence over performance specifications in the state of New York.

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Is It Worth It To Elevate Your Home?


One of the most common causes of home elevation is extreme weathering and flooding. In general, there are two options when deciding to elevate your home. The homeowner can physically lift the home, building a new foundation at the bottom, or leaving the home as is, but just building a “livable space” upper level, alternatively converting the ground level to a complete closure.

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Protecting Yourself from Usury and Racketeering in Construction

Whenever we hear the terms Usury and Racketeering, we think of two things, organized crime, and the RICO Act. But did you know that these two terms are very common within the New York Construction industry? Whether you are a homeowner, a contractor or a commercial business owner, usury and racketeering come in many different shapes and sizes. What are the types of Construction Usury, and how can we protect ourselves?

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