Legal Kit

Now that you're ready to make the big move and get started on your garage project, how can you be sure that you've covered all the bases? The Legal Kit is the perfect companion to help you with all the legalities and helping to ensure you don't end up on the losing side of any legal disputes. By making sure you have contractually binding agreements in place with your contractor and all the subcontractors, that will go a long way towards giving you peace of mind as you progress with your garage building project.

The Legal Kit is available as an accessory with any one car, two car, three car or four car garage plan.

You have enough other worries on your mind so don't let concerns over whether your builder is going to perform as expected ruin your experience. With the Legal Kit you get legal contract forms including:

Fixed Price Contract, Owner to Contractor

Fixed Price Contract, Owner to Contractor

with Exhibit A, Scope of Work and Cost

Cost Plus Contract, Owner to Contractor

Cost Plus Contract, Owner to Contractor

with Exhibit A, Owner/Contractor

Fixed Price Contract, Contractor to Subcontractor

Fixed Price Contract, Contractor to Subcontractor

with Exhibit A, Contractor/Subcontractor Scope of Work and Cost

Cost Plus Contract, Contractor to Subcontractor

Cost Plus Contract, Contractor to Subcontractor

with Exhibit A, Contractor/Subcontractor Scope of Work and Cost

Scope of Work and Cost

Change Construction Order, Contractor to Subcontractor

Change Construction Order Form, Owner to Contractor

Waiver of Lien/Waiver Lien Form

Why do you need a Waiver of Lien? Well, you've heard the horror stories on the evening news of the contractor that doesn't pay for material then skips town never to be seen again (except maybe on the evening news as he is doing the perp walk in cuffs)? According to Wikipedia, "a lien waiver is a document from a contractor, subcontractor, materialmen, equipment lessor or other party to the construction project stating they have received payment and waive any future lien rights to the property". This document is intended to protect you from someone coming back and putting a mechanics lien against your property. You could end up paying twice for the exact same thing if you aren't careful! Make sure you get a Waiver of Lien from anyone involved in your project, including the material supplier. Of course, we are not lawyers, so consult with your attorney if you have any doubts about anything. You are free to make as many copies of the Legal Kit Waiver of Lien form for your project as you need.

You'll also find other convenient documents to help you prepare for your garage building project. Other documents included in the package include:

Fixed Price Request for Proposal, Owner to Contractor

Cost Plus Request for Proposal, Owner to Contractor

Fixed Price Request for Proposal, General Contractor to Subcontractor

Cost Plus Request for Proposal, General Contractor to Subcontractor

Right about now you are probably thinking why are there two different types of proposals, Fixed Price and Cost Plus? According to our friends at BusinessDictionary.com -

Fixed Price Proposal - "Contract that provides for a price which normally is not subject to any adjustment.......negotiated usually where reasonably definite specifications are available, and costs can be estimated with reasonable accuracy.......subjects the contractor to the maximum risk arising from full responsibility for all cost escalations. Also called firm price contract."

Cost Plus Proposal - "Contract under which a contractor is reimbursed for the costs incurred, and is paid an agreed upon percentage of such costs as contractor's profit."

In other words, if you have a Fixed Price contract with your garage building contractor, then he/she absorbs any variations in the cost of the project. With a Cost Plus contract you pay for everything including material and the contractor takes a percentage of the contract value, or a pre-negotiated set amount. That takes any risk away from the contractor and puts it on your shoulders. Obviously that can work two ways, if the cost of material such as lumber goes up during the course of the garage building project, then you pay out more for your lumber. If the cost of material goes down, then your garage project ends up costing you a little less. If things go exactly perfectly (what are the odds?) then you can probably get the project done a little less expensively using a Cost Plus agreement with your builder since their risk has been reduced. Talk to several contractors in your area to see what kinds of contracts they will accept. And always get bids from multiple builders so you know what kind of deal you are getting.

The lowest cost does not always mean the best deal! Find out from others what kind of experience they have had with the contractor you want to use. The Better Business Bureau is a great organization and the service is free, use it! Ask your contractor or subcontractors (if you are building the garage yourself) for references. Testimonials from previous customers of theirs can go a long way to helping you sleep good at night.

You'll get instructions in the Legal Kit to help you fill out the documents. The forms are universal so they can be used for all your contractors and subcontractors.

When in doubt and before signing any paperwork that commits you to a major expense, consult an attorney. The Legal Kit is available as an accessory with any one car, two car, three car or four car garage plan.

Happy Garage Building!

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