Core terms

Lien

Core terms · definition

A legal claim against your property for unpaid work or materials. A mechanic's lien filed by an unpaid subcontractor can cloud your title even if you already paid the general contractor.

Source: Cornell Law LII — Lien

  • Contract

    The legally binding agreement between owner and contractor that defines scope, price, schedule, and responsibilities. A remodel should ne…

  • General Contractor (GC)

    The party responsible for the overall project — scheduling, hiring and managing subcontractors, pulling permits, and delivering the finis…

  • Subcontractor

    A specialized trade (electrician, plumber, tile setter) hired by the general contractor to perform a portion of the work. You contract wi…

  • Lien Waiver

    A signed document in which a contractor or supplier gives up the right to file a lien for a given payment. Collect lien waivers with each…

  • Knee Wall

    A short wall, typically under a sloped roof or supporting a counter or railing, that is less than full ceiling height.

  • Liquidated Damages

    A pre-agreed dollar amount the contractor owes the owner for each day a project runs past the contracted completion date. Must be a reaso…

  • Joist

    One of the repetitive horizontal members that support a floor or ceiling, spanning between beams or walls. Joist size, spacing, and direc…

  • Load-Bearing Wall

    A wall that carries weight from the structure above down to the foundation. Removing or opening one requires an engineered beam and posts…

Where this term fits in a remodel

The pillar guides set terms like this one in context — what the work involves, what drives its cost, and where it sits in the sequence of a project. Pricing a specific house takes a defined scope and an on-site assessment.

Remodeling guides → Contact the publisher →