Construction law
Construction contract and payment disputes, defect and delay claims, and project counsel for owners and contractors, informed by the attorney’s own California contractor’s license.
A lawyer who understands the job site
Daniel R. Butt holds a California contractor’s license in addition to his law license. That background helps when a dispute turns on scope, sequencing, change orders, inspections, or whether work met the plans. It also helps in talking plainly with owners, contractors, subcontractors, and inspectors about what went wrong and what will fix it.
The contractor’s license is a credential of the attorney. The law firm does not act as a general contractor or perform construction work.
Who the office represents
Property owners building or remodeling, small and mid-sized contractors and subcontractors, and businesses improving commercial space, primarily in Richmond, West Contra Costa County, and the East Bay.
Common matters
- Drafting and reviewing construction contracts, including home-improvement contracts that must meet specific Business and Professions Code requirements
- Change-order disputes and scope disagreements
- Payment disputes, including mechanics liens, stop payment notices, and payment-bond claims
- Defect claims, including evaluating the work, the plans, and the inspection record
- Delay and abandonment claims and terminating a contract properly
- Licensing questions, including issues that arise when work was done by an unlicensed contractor
- Permitting and inspection problems with the City (see real estate and land use)
Why timing matters
California construction remedies run on strict deadlines. Mechanics lien rights, for example, depend on preliminary notices and recording deadlines tied to completion, and enforcement must follow within a set period after recording. Missing a step can eliminate a remedy entirely. If you are owed money or facing a lien, call early so the deadlines can be identified for your project.
From negotiation to trial
Most construction disputes are resolved by documentation and negotiation: assembling the contract, change orders, photos, invoices, and inspection records into a clear account. When that does not work, the office handles litigation and arbitration, drawing on trial experience that includes dozens of trials, among them jury trials. See litigation and trials.
Before you sign
Many problems can be prevented at the contract stage: a clear scope, a realistic schedule, a payment schedule tied to progress, a change-order process, and a sensible dispute clause. A short review before signing often costs far less than a dispute later. This applies to owners hiring a contractor and to contractors taking on a new client.
Frequently asked questions
Does the firm build or manage projects?
No. Daniel’s contractor’s license informs his legal work, but the law firm does not act as a general contractor.
I’m a contractor and haven’t been paid. What should I do first?
Gather the contract, change orders, invoices, and any preliminary notices you served, and call promptly. Lien and bond deadlines are short and depend on project dates.
My contractor walked off the job. Can I hire someone else?
Possibly, but terminating a construction contract the wrong way can create liability. Review the contract’s termination and notice terms before replacing the contractor.
Can a contractor who wasn’t licensed collect for the work?
California law sharply limits an unlicensed contractor’s ability to sue for payment, and owners may have claims of their own. The details depend on the facts and the licensing record, so get advice before acting.
Talk with the office
Call (510) 255-1094, email daniel@buttlaw.com, or use the contact form. The office at 111 Park Place, Suite 204, in Point Richmond is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please do not send confidential details until the firm has confirmed in writing that it represents you.