West Palm Beach Real Estate Litigation Attorneys

Construction Attorney in West Palm Beach

Full-Lifecycle Legal Counsel for Developers, Contractors & Property Owners

Palm Beach County’s construction market moves fast, and the legal issues that come with it rarely stay in one lane. A payment dispute becomes a lien. A defect claim pulls in insurance. A contractor conflict spills into broader commercial litigation. At Almazan Law, our construction practice is built on a cross-practice litigation and defense platform that covers real estate litigation, commercial litigation, general liability defense, and workers’ compensation defense. When legal issues overlap, our clients across West Palm Beach and throughout Florida don’t have to piece together representation from multiple firms.

We’ve handled thousands of cases across our practice areas, representing clients that range from Fortune 500 companies and national insurance carriers to small businesses and individual property owners. Construction clients get that same caliber of representation.

Ready to talk through your construction or development matter? Call us at (305) 665-6681 to schedule a complimentary consultation. Virtual appointments and flexible scheduling are available.

What Our Construction Practice Covers

S. Scott Ross, Director of our Construction Defect and General Liability Practice Group and Partner, leads our construction work. Our representation covers the full project lifecycle, from contract review before a shovel hits the ground through active dispute resolution and post-completion defect claims.

Construction Contracts & Pre-Project Counsel
We draft and review owner-contractor agreements, subcontracts, change orders, and lien releases. Risk allocation, indemnity provisions, insurance requirements, and dispute resolution clauses all get attention before they become problems.

Payment Disputes & Mechanics’ Liens
Florida’s Prompt Payment Act and Chapter 713 lien laws set strict deadlines for notices, filings, and enforcement. We represent contractors, subcontractors, and property owners in payment disputes and lien matters, including filing and defending mechanics’ liens.

Construction Defect Claims
Florida’s Chapter 558 pre-suit procedures require written notice and an opportunity to inspect and respond before litigation can proceed. We handle these construction defect claims for both claimants and responding parties, with a dedicated practice group giving this work focused attention.

Contractor & Subcontractor Disputes
Scope disagreements, change order conflicts, schedule disputes, and workmanship claims all fall within our commercial litigation practice. We represent contractors, subcontractors, developers, and owners in negotiations, mediation, arbitration, and Florida state and federal court proceedings.

Developer & Owner Counsel
We advise developers and project owners on risk management across the full development process, including real estate litigation matters involving property, title, and ownership questions that intersect with active construction projects.

Why West Palm Beach Construction Clients Work with Almazan Law

Our litigation and defense background runs deep. We’ve managed complex, high-value legal matters across Florida, including securing over $2 billion in covered title insurance policy resolutions. That track record reflects our capacity to handle sophisticated, multi-layered disputes at scale.

We’re a nationally certified, minority-owned law firm holding an AV Preeminent rating, and we maintain strong relationships with reputable law firms locally and nationwide. We offer services in Spanish, and our virtual and remote capabilities let us serve clients throughout Florida without geographic constraint.

Construction matters in West Palm Beach don’t stay neat. We’re built to handle them when they don’t.

Schedule a Complimentary Consultation

Whether you’re reviewing a contract before a project starts, managing an active payment dispute, or facing litigation, we can help. Consultations are complimentary, and we offer virtual appointments and flexible scheduling to work around yours. Spanish-language services are available.

Contact Almazan Law today at (305) 665-6681 to speak with a construction lawyer serving West Palm Beach and clients throughout Florida.

Florida Construction Law: What West Palm Beach Project Stakeholders Need to Know

Florida’s construction law framework touches every stage of a project, from contract formation through post-completion defect claims. Understanding the statutes and procedures that govern your rights and obligations matters most when deadlines are involved, and in Florida construction, strict deadlines appear at every turn.

The Florida Prompt Payment Act

The Florida Prompt Payment Act sets payment deadlines running from owners to contractors and from contractors to subcontractors and suppliers. When those deadlines are missed, the Act authorizes interest penalties and fee-shifting, meaning the party that wrongfully withheld payment may be responsible for the prevailing party’s attorney’s fees. Knowing these deadlines before a payment dispute develops is far less costly than learning them after.

Chapter 713: Florida’s Construction Lien Law

Chapter 713, Florida Statutes, gives contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers the right to place a lien on property where they haven’t been paid. The law also gives property owners tools to protect against liens they didn’t authorize. Both sides face strict notice and filing deadlines. Missing a deadline can eliminate the right to file or the right to enforce. A Notice to Owner, for instance, generally must be served within 45 days of the lienor’s first furnishing of labor or materials on the project.

Chapter 558: Pre-Suit Procedure for Construction Defect Claims

Before a construction defect lawsuit can be filed in Florida, the claimant must follow a pre-suit procedure under Chapter 558, Florida Statutes. This process requires written notice to the contractor or developer, followed by a period for inspection, testing, and an opportunity to offer a remedy or monetary settlement. Skipping or mishandling this process can result in the court staying the lawsuit until the statutory requirements are met. The procedure also creates an early settlement opportunity that resolves some claims before the cost of full litigation is incurred.

Payment & Performance Bonds on Public Projects

Florida’s Little Miller Act governs payment and performance bonds on public construction projects. Subcontractors and suppliers who aren’t paid on a public project can make a claim on the payment bond rather than filing a lien, since liens can’t attach to government property. Strict claim deadlines apply here as well.

Contract Structure & Dispute Triggers

Florida construction contracts take different forms, including lump sum, cost-plus, unit price, and design-build agreements. Each structure carries different risk profiles and common dispute triggers. Change order disagreements, scope conflicts, delayed payments, workmanship claims, and schedule disruptions are the most frequent sources of construction disputes in active markets like Palm Beach County. The contract language governing these issues, written before work begins, determines how those disputes are resolved and at what cost.

Contractor Licensing & Contract Enforceability

Florida contractor licensing is administered by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). An unlicensed contractor may lose the right to enforce a contract or file a mechanics’ lien in Florida, and licensing status can affect available remedies in a dispute. Verifying licensing before executing a contract is a basic protection that prevents significant downstream complications.

Mediation Before Litigation

Mediation is required before most Florida construction disputes proceed to trial. The process brings both parties together with a neutral mediator to negotiate a resolution, and many disputes settle at this stage without the expense of full litigation. Even when they don’t, mediation helps both sides understand the issues before committing to a trial schedule.

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