Construction & Renovation:

Question: What can a paralegal help me with if I’m a contractor or homeowner in Ontario dealing with a construction or renovation dispute, including defective work or non-payment?

Answer: If you’re dealing with a contractor or homeowner dispute in Ontario over defective work, non-payment, or the value of partially completed work, Byfield Legal Services can help you understand your options in court, including how claims in Ontario’s Small Claims Court typically work, what evidence you should gather (contracts, invoices, photos, timelines), and how issues like workmanship, quantum meruit, and mitigation may affect your position.  Book a consultation by calling (289) 927-7365 so a paralegal from Byfield Legal Services can review your facts and help you plan the next steps to move your matter forward efficiently.

Common Disputes Affecting Contractors

Court disputes between a property owner and a contractor hired for a construction or renovation project frequently arise.  In some courts, especially the Small Claims Court, cases involving contractors and homeowners are prevalent.  In such cases it is common that a property owner will accuse a contractor of poor quality work; and in turn, the contractor accuses the property owner of failure of payment.

Challenges

Disputes involving construction or renovation projects are often challenging due to the many legal issues that typically apply within the realm of construction law. Common issues may involve the extent of, and quality of, evidence required, such as the need sometimes for an independent witness to inspect and provide a reports as to what workmanship was done correctly and what workmanship was done incorrectly thus whether the required workmanship standards were met. Disputes involving construction or renovation projects are often additionally troublesome as contractors and property owners alike will frequently begin a lawsuit without first obtaining proper legal advice.

Additionally, litigation arising from construction or renovation disputes often extends into legal issues beyond the defective workmanship issues and include legal concerns such as unjust enrichment, consumer protection laws, failures to mitigate, among other concerns.