How-To Guides for Subcontractors
Practical, step-by-step guides to protect your payment with proper construction documentation.
How to Document Construction Delays for Payment Claims
To document a construction delay so it survives a payment dispute, capture contemporaneous evidence the moment the delay happens: a timestamped voice note describing the cause and impact, automatic weather data, and geotagged photos — not a summary written at end of day. Records created at the time of the event carry far more evidentiary weight than reconstructed notes. Construction delays cost subcontractors billions in unpaid claims every year; this guide walks through the exact steps to protect yours.
How to Protect Your Lien Rights as a Subcontractor
To protect your mechanics-lien rights as a subcontractor, do two things from day one: record the exact date you first furnished labor or materials, and keep a daily, timestamped log of everything you install. Lien claims are lost on missed statutory deadlines and thin paperwork — not on unfinished work. Mechanics liens are the most powerful tool subcontractors have to get paid; here's how to keep yours enforceable from day one.
How to Document Construction Change Orders for Payment
Unpaid change orders are the #1 source of profit erosion for subcontractors. The problem isn't usually that the work wasn't authorized — it's that the documentation wasn't sufficient to prove the extra work was done. Here's a documentation system that protects every dollar of change order work.
How to Defend Against Unfair GC Deductions and Backcharges
Backcharges and deductions are one of the most common ways subcontractors lose money. A GC claims work was defective, incomplete, or late — and deducts from your payment. Often, these deductions are based on incomplete information or shifted blame. The only effective defense is proof — and that means documentation created before the dispute arises.
How to Track Construction Materials Inventory with Voice Notes
Materials tracking is one of the most overlooked aspects of construction documentation. Lost materials, incorrect counts, and unaccounted deliveries cost subcontractors thousands in waste and disputes. Voice-first inventory tracking is faster than spreadsheets and more reliable than memory.