ANNE ARUNDEL, CALVERT, CHARLES, ST. MARY’S & PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTIES.
Construction Disputes | Haskell & Dyer
A Construction Claim Lives or Dies on the Calendar.
Defects, delays, and unpaid work turn a building project into a legal one. We sort out who is responsible and pursue the cost of making it right.
Construction Deadlines Are Brutal
Miss a lien window, and your strongest tool is gone.
Construction has some of the tightest deadlines in civil law. In Maryland, a mechanic's lien generally has to be filed within 180 days of the work ending, and defect claims run against a statute of repose. Wait too long and a powerful remedy simply expires. On a construction problem, the calendar is working against you from day one.
What Goes Wrong
Defects, Delays, and Unpaid Work
Construction disputes are contract disputes with concrete and a deadline. We treat them that way.
The Problem
The Work or the Payment Failed
The build has defects, the schedule blew up, or the work was done and never paid for. Each one stalls a project and turns partners into adversaries. We figure out what the contracts and the records actually require and who has to answer for the failure.
The Path
Responsibility and Recovery
On a bad project, the contractor blames the sub, the sub blames the supplier, and everyone blames the plans. We cut through it, pin down who is responsible under the contracts and the law, and pursue the cost of making the work right.
By the Numbers
The Deadlines That Decide Construction Cases
Construction litigation lives and dies on dates. These are the Maryland numbers to know.
180 days
the general window to file a Maryland mechanic's lien after work ends
Maryland law
10 years
Maryland's general statute of repose on construction defect claims
Maryland law
~97%
of civil cases resolve without a trial
U.S. DOJ, BJS
What We Handle
The Construction Disputes We Take
If a project went sideways over quality, time, or money, we can likely help.
Construction defects
Project delays
Payment disputes
Mechanic's liens
Contractor and owner claims
Subcontractor disputes
We pursue construction disputes across Calvert, St. Mary's, Prince George's, Charles, and Anne Arundel counties.
Attorney Insight
On a bad project, everyone points at everyone else. The contractor blames the supplier, the supplier blames the plans. My job is to cut through the finger-pointing, pin down who is actually responsible, and pursue the cost of making it right.
Matthew J. Dyer, Esq.
The Law Offices of Haskell & Dyer
A Closer Look
Why Construction Cases Are a Race Against the Calendar
Construction disputes punish delay harder than almost any other civil matter. A mechanic's lien, one of the most powerful tools for unpaid contractors and suppliers, generally has to be filed within 180 days of the work ending in Maryland. Miss that window and the lien is gone, leaving a weaker claim behind. Defect claims run against a statute of repose, generally 10 years, after which the door closes entirely.
On top of the deadlines, construction cases are evidence-heavy and built on contracts. The prime contract, the subcontracts, the change orders, the inspection reports, the photos. The side that organizes that record early controls the dispute, because the documents decide who agreed to what and who failed to deliver. We move fast to preserve and organize that evidence before a job site changes or memories fade.
Like most civil disputes, construction cases usually settle. Only about 3% of civil cases reach trial. But the settlements that work are the ones backed by a clean record and a protected lien. We secure your remedies first, then negotiate from strength, prepared to litigate if the other side will not deal. Protect the deadline, build the record, then resolve it.
Why It Matters
What a Construction Dispute Puts at Risk
A failed project ties up money, property, and time, and the clock is running on your remedies.
The Cost
What it takes to make it right
The Lien
A remedy that expires in 180 days
The Project
Time and money tied up in a stall
The Record
Evidence that fades as the site changes
How We Handle a Construction Dispute
We protect your deadlines first, build the record, then pursue the cost of making the work right.
We Protect the Deadline
We move immediately on any lien window or filing deadline, so a powerful remedy does not expire while we investigate.
We Build the Record
We gather the contracts, change orders, inspections, and photos that establish who agreed to what and who failed.
We Pin Down Responsibility
We cut through the finger-pointing to identify who is actually liable under the contracts and the law.
We Pursue the Cost
We pursue the cost of repair or completion through settlement where possible, and litigation where necessary.
Common Questions
Construction Disputes, Answered
How long do I have to file a mechanic's lien in Maryland?
Generally, a petition has to be filed within 180 days of the day the last work or materials were furnished. It is one of the tightest and most important deadlines in construction law, because the lien is a powerful tool for getting paid. Miss it and you are left with a weaker claim. If you are unpaid on a project, the time to act is now, not later.
Is there a deadline on construction defect claims?
Yes. Beyond the usual statute of limitations, Maryland has a statute of repose for improvements to real property, generally 10 years, after which defect claims are barred regardless of when the defect is discovered. The exact rules have exceptions and turn on the facts, so a defect should be evaluated early rather than after years have passed.
The contractor, the sub, and the supplier all blame each other. Who is responsible?
That is the core of most construction disputes, and the answer is in the documents. The prime contract, the subcontracts, the change orders, and the inspection records usually show who agreed to do what and who fell short. We organize that record, pin down responsibility, and pursue the parties actually on the hook, not just the easiest target.
Do construction cases go to trial?
Rarely. Like most civil matters, the large majority settle, with only about 3% reaching trial. But construction settlements depend on two things: a protected lien or claim, and a clean record. We secure your remedies and build the evidence first, which is what produces a strong settlement or, if needed, a strong case at trial.
What should I bring to the first meeting?
The contract and any subcontracts, change orders, invoices, inspection or engineering reports, and photos of the work. Dates matter enormously in construction, so anything that pins down when work was done or money was owed is valuable. Bring what you have, even if the file is incomplete.
The Clock Is Already Running on Your Remedies.
A construction problem only gets harder, and your strongest tools have hard deadlines. Bring us the contract and the records, and we will protect your remedies and pursue the cost of making it right. The first conversation is free.
Available 24/7 for urgent matters: 240-687-0179