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Introduction to Missouri Lien Law

Homeowners who have contractors working on their houses need to take advantage of protections in Missouri law to avoid paying twice for the same labor or materials.

When you hire a general contractor to build a home or to do home repair or remodeling work, the general contractor becomes the middleman between you and any others who provide labor or supplies for the project.

In most cases, homeowners pay their general contractors, who in turn pay their material suppliers and workers (subcontractors).

But there have been cases in which the homeowner paid the contractor in full, but the contractor failed to pay his subcontractors. The subcontractors then filed mechanic's liens on the homeowner's property, forcing the homeowner to pay for the work or labor a second time.

To avoid this, homeowners can use Missouri's lien law. But the process for new home construction is different from the process for repairs and remodeling.

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