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Legal Help With Construction Contracts In Boston

At the law firm of Gilman, McLaughlin & Hanrahan, LLP, our experienced Boston construction contracts attorneys are dedicated to providing comprehensive, knowledgeable guidance to architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors and municipalities.

Since 1973, we have provided experienced representation at every stage of the real estate and construction development process to clients throughout eastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod. We will work with you to determine your goals and help you find efficient and effective solutions throughout your construction project.

Project Development Planning And Contract Negotiation

We assist clients in the construction industry with their legal needs during the permitting process, initial project development, acquisition of the land, construction administration and project closeout. We assist owners, contractors and subcontractors with contract drafting and negotiating contracts for construction.

Our lawyers have helped owners, architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors and municipalities with a wide range of new construction and renovation projects, including:

  • Single family homes and larger private homes
  • Multifamily apartment buildings
  • Condominiums
  • Office buildings
  • Commercial buildings
  • Recreational facilities such as hockey rinks and golf courses
  • Hotels
  • Shopping centers
  • Municipal buildings such as schools and libraries

If a dispute arises during your construction project, we represent clients in dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration and litigation. We also assist clients with collections issues, including mechanic’s liens, enforcement of the Massachusetts prompt payment law, attachments, injunctions, request for direct payment and enforcement of surety bonds.

Helping You Avoid Three Common Risk Management Pitfalls

Effective risk management is critical to the success of a construction project. Our construction contract lawyers will look out for you to ensure you avoid these common risk management errors:

Insufficient insurance: Builders must assemble a collection of different indemnity policies that form a patchwork of protection. While some forms of coverage, such as auto, commercial liability and workers’ compensation, may be standard, other forms of insurance may be important depending on who is involved or what type of construction is being contemplated. This could include personal liability, pollution liability as well as installation floater policies.

Vague language: Many disputes arise due to fuzzy language in the contract that does not explicitly spell out who is responsible for what. This can quickly result in mounting expenditures that if left unchecked could result in litigation. Construction contracts need to be specific and cover all potential scenarios, including how delays in completing a project will be addressed. A well-worded contract will also ensure that the terms of the contract are favorable to you.

Subcontractor liability: Subcontractors are essential in nearly all projects. A builder should not rely on a subcontractor’s certificate of insurance to ensure the subcontractor has proper insurance. A builder needs to make sure that the subcontractor has adequate insurance and that the builder is insured on these policies.

At Gilman, McLaughlin & Hanrahan, LLP, we meticulously go through every detail of a contract to ensure there are no gaps in coverage and the language of the contract itself effectively shields you from unnecessary risks.

Experienced Massachusetts Development Planning Attorneys

The attorneys at our firm have experience working with and understanding various expert topics in the construction industry. We often work with architects and engineers in the context of land use and planning as well as construction to provide our clients with advice and counsel to meet their goals in a comprehensive fashion.

Contact us today to discuss your construction development or contracting issues with a skilled attorney at our firm.