Thoughts on construction law from Christopher G. Hill, Virginia construction lawyer, LEED AP, mediator, and member of the Virginia Legal Elite in Construction Law

Category Archives: Contracts

Construction Contract Basics: Venue and Choice of Law

Previously in this on-again-off-again series of posts on construction contract basics, I discussed attorney fees provisions and indemnification.  In this installment, the topic at hand is venue and choice of law. As construction professionals (outside of us construction attorneys), you are likely to be focused on things like the scope of work in a construction

Another Exception to Fraud and Contract Don’t Mix

Originally posted 2013-05-27 09:00:37. Here at Construction Law Musings, we’ve discussed the fact that, in Virginia, the “economic loss rule” generally renders claims of fraud and construction contracts like oil and water. This is true in most states, including Florida. What this means is that as a general rule where any party is supposed to

Aarow Equipment v. Travelers- An Update

Originally posted 2015-01-12 09:00:08. Previously here at Musings, I discussed the application of pay if paid clauses and the Miller Act.  The case that prompted the discussion was the Aarow Equipment & Services, Inc. v. Travelers Casualty and Surety Co. case in which the Eastern District of Virginia Federal Court determined that a “pay if

No Damages for Delay May Not Be Enforceable in Virginia

Anyone who reads Construction Law Musings with any regularity (thank you by the way) knows that the contract is king in most instances here in Virginia.  Any commercial construction subcontractor in Virginia is likely also very familiar with so-called “no damages for delay” clauses in construction contracts.  These clauses essentially state that a subcontractor’s only

Residential Contractors, Be Sure to Have these Clauses in Your Contracts

Originally posted 2018-04-27 09:11:50. I have often “mused” on the need to have a good solid construction contract at the beginning of a project.  While this is always true, it is particularly true in residential contracting where a homeowner may or may not know the construction process or have experience with large scale construction.  Often