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

Where Insurance and Contracts Collide in Construction

As has been said a “few” times here at Construction Law Musings, the courts of the Commonwealth of Virginia strictly interpret the actual terms of a construction contract.  A recent case in the Circuit Court for the City of Richmond provides yet another example of this fact. In Fixture Specialists Inc. v. MGT Construction Mgmt.

The Anatomy of a Construction Dispute Stage 2- Increase the Heat

Last week we discussed the groundwork and circumstances of a construction claim.  This week’s post will discuss the next steps, hopefully, short of full-blown arbitration or litigation that you, as a construction company, can pursue presuming your claim has been properly preserved. If your contract requires certain steps such as informal resolution attempts or other

When Is Mandatory Arbitration Not Mandatory?

I have discussed my views on mandatory mediation in construction contracts at other places here at Musings and also discussed how the contract is king here in Virginia.  A recent Charlottesville, Virginia Circuit Court case combined these two concepts to allow a subcontractor to proceed straight to litigation despite various ADR provisions in the contract

Subcontractors Must be Careful Providing Bonds when General Contractor Does Not

After I wrote the title to this post, I thought, “Well, that says it all, doesn’t it?”  I also considered the fact that for those that read this construction law blog on a regular basis, I am likely stating the obvious.  I then thought about the fact that there can be confusion regarding the purpose