Does this sound familiar? The contractor hired you to remove the old shingles and replace them with new asphalt shingles. Your crew applied new underlayment and did a perfect job installing the new three-tab shingles.

But it’s been two and a half weeks since you gave the general contractor the invoice and it was  due in 14 days. You’ve already paid your crew and you wonder what’s the next step.

What you need to know about a filing a roofing lien.

Perhaps you’ve heard of a mechanics roofing lien and you need to know the next step. Here’s the information you need.

What is a mechanic’s roofing lien?

A mechanic’s lien is a legal tool provided in the Texas State Statutes.  A mechanic’s roofing lien provides an unpaid party with a security interest in a property. This often motivates the owner to make sure building professionals, including roofers, get paid for their hard work.

There are specific steps you need to take and deadlines to follow in order to file a valid lien claim.

 Are you eligible to file a lien?

• Did you provide labor on the roofing job?
• Did you furnish materials used on the project?
• Were you working for the property owner on a commercial project?
• Were you working as a subcontractor to the general contractor?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions, you may be eligible to file a roofing lien. For commercial, non-public construction projects—mechanic’s liens can help get your invoices paid.

Did you send the required notices within the deadlines?

• Do you have a direct contract with the property owner? In that case, you are not required to send a pre-lien notice before you file a mechanic’s lien affidavit.
• Subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and materials suppliers without a direct contract with the property owner must send a pre-lien notice letter before filing a mechanics lien affidavit with the county.
• The dates and deadlines related to lien claims depend on the month and year in which you performed the unpaid work.

Next, collect the information you’ll need.

• The amount of money you’re owed for labor or roofing materials;
• Name and mailing address of the property owner; or the person who hired you.
• Describe the work you did or the roofing materials you provided; and
• The full address or/and legal description of the property where you did the roofing job. Including the name of the county.
• You need a list of the pre-lien notices you’ve sent and the dates you sent them.

Filing a mechanic’s roofing lien in Texas can be complicated and time-consuming. You can read a quick review of the process on the Texas Bar website.

However, there is an alternative to doing it yourself or paying an attorney. Texas Easy Lien has developed an online system to walk you through the process by answering a few questions.

Enter the details about your roofing project. Then review and approve the information, complete payment, and that’s it!

Texas Easy Lien will help you file your documents and send all the required notices. You never need to leave your office or stand in line at the County Clerk’s office wasting your valuable time.

This is a brief overview of how to file a mechanic’s lien and who may be eligible to file a roofing lien. Additional requirements apply to residential and public projects. For more answers and to see how Texas Easy Lien can help you get paid, contact us today.