Know Your Rights and Responsibilities
Construction Law helps protect everyone’s rights and responsibilities in building projects and makes sure all work follows the law from start to finish. It ensures every participant knows their rights and duties. It enforces legal compliance from planning through completion, helping manage risk across design, project delivery, and regulatory requirements. Whether you are a property owner or contractor, knowing your rights and duties is essential.
However, disputes can arise at any stage of construction. These disputes can be complex and involve multiple parties such as contractors, subcontractors, property owners, developers, architects, engineers, suppliers, and insurers. Common disputes include claims for breach of contract, construction defeats, delay claims, payment disputes and negligence and professional liability claims. The growing trend in this area is to resolve disputes through alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation or arbitration. However, litigation through the courts is sometimes necessary.
Unique to construction law in British Columbia is the Builders Lien Act. The Act allows contractors and subcontractors to make a claim against a property when they haven’t been paid for work or materials provided during a construction project. If you’re a property owner, the Act protects you from paying twice if a general contractor is paid but does not pay subcontractors. The Act protects property owners and contractors and subcontractors alike.
Whatever construction dispute you might be facing, we are here to help you navigate through this complex area.