Avoiding Double Payments on Construction Projects

Make sure your church does not make this unnecessary and costly misstep.

Church Finance Today

Avoiding Double Payments on Construction Projects

Make sure your church does not make this unnecessary and costly misstep.

Background. In most states, a company that supplies building materials for a construction project can claim a “materialman’s lien” against the property in the event it is not paid. If the property owner pays a general contractor for the materials, and the general contractor fails to pay the supplier, then the owner must pay the supplier in order to avoid the sale of its property to enforce the lien. In other words, the property owner ends up paying twice for the same materials. Of course the owner can sue the general contractor, but in some cases this person cannot be found or is insolvent.

A recent case. A company provided materials for a church construction project. Before delivering the materials the company wrote the church a letter warning it that if the general contractor failed to pay for the materials, the company could claim a lien against the church’s property. When the company failed to receive payment from the general contractor, it sued to enforce its lien. The company sought not only payment in full for the materials it had supplied, but also finance charges and attorney fees. A court ruled that a materialman’s lien only allows a supplier to collect the full price of materials that were supplied. The supplier is not entitled to an additional amount, whether for finance charges or attorney fees, unless the contract between the parties specifically provides for it.

Relevance to church treasurers. It is important for church treasurers to be familiar with the concept of materialman’s liens. Whenever your church hires a contractor to perform a construction or remodeling job, the last thing you want to do is pay twice for the same materials. This not only can create a substantial financial hardship, but it also can be embarrassing. There are a various ways to avoid such a situation. Here are some recommendations: (1) Only deal with reputable contractors who have been in business in your community for several years and who have an excellent reputation. Many churches use a contractor who is a member of their congregation. (2) Require the contractor to provide you with “lien waivers” from all suppliers and workers before making payments for the job. (3) Hold back a portion of the contract price until you are assured that all suppliers and workers have been paid. (4) Ask the contractor to submit bills from suppliers and workers directly to the church, and inform the contractor that the church will pay these bills directly. (5) If you sign a contract, you may want to address some of these options in the contract. The services of an attorney are essential. Sherman v. Greater Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 678 So.2d 156 (Ala. App. 1996).

This article originally appeared in Church Treasurer Alert, January 1998.

Richard R. Hammar is an attorney, CPA and author specializing in legal and tax issues for churches and clergy.

This content is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. "From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations." Due to the nature of the U.S. legal system, laws and regulations constantly change. The editors encourage readers to carefully search the site for all content related to the topic of interest and consult qualified local counsel to verify the status of specific statutes, laws, regulations, and precedential court holdings.

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