California construction law
Counsel for California Contractors.
Contractor Law is a California construction-law resource built for licensed contractors — covering CSLB discipline exposure, payment and lien disputes, construction defect liability, and the real estate transactions where contractor work later comes under scrutiny. Every page is statute-forward.
About three minutes. No name or email needed to see where you stand.
Statute-forward, not sales-forward.
Every guide cites the controlling statute or case directly — Business & Professions Code, Civil Code, and published California appellate opinions — rather than generic advice.
Built for contractors, not homeowners.
This site explains a contractor’s exposure and defenses. It is not a homeowner complaint portal, and it does not solicit claims against contractors.
A path to an attorney when it matters.
When a situation goes beyond self-help — a CSLB complaint, a lawsuit, or a demand letter — every guide routes to the attorney best positioned to help.
Where it starts
Four places contractors get exposed.
Start where your situation actually sits. Each pillar opens onto the statutes, deadlines, and defenses for that kind of matter.
01
CSLB Discipline & Licensing.
Grounds for discipline under Business & Professions Code §§7107, 7109, and 7110, owner-builder exemption limits under BPC §7044, and what “willful” actually means when the CSLB alleges it.
02
Payment, Liens & Collections.
Mechanic’s lien deadlines under Civil Code §§3082–3267, preliminary notice requirements, and getting paid on a disputed job without losing lien rights along the way.
03
Construction Defect Liability.
The Right to Repair Act’s prelitigation process under Civil Code §§910–938, what SB 800 does and doesn’t cover, and how McMillin Albany LLC v. Superior Court shapes a contractor’s defense.
04
Real Estate Transaction Exposure.
How work performed years earlier can resurface in a post-sale nondisclosure dispute, and where contractor exposure actually starts and stops under current California law.
Contractor Rights Checker
Not sure where you stand? Start with the questions.
Nine questions about the job, the notices, and the dates. At the end you get the statutes and deadlines that apply to your situation, in plain language, with the sections cited so you can check them yourself.
What kind of job · Who owes you · Notices sent · Key dates
No name or email required.
Question 1 of 9
3 min.
What brought you here today?
No name or email required.
The sections
Trust bar.
Every guide on this site is written from the code section, not around it — and reviewed by Jayson R. Elliott, CA Bar No. 332479, before it publishes. These are the sections that come up most.
Statute-forward, not sales-forward
Every guide cites the controlling statute or case directly — Business & Professions Code, Civil Code, and published California appellate opinions — rather than generic advice.
Built for contractors, not homeowners.
This site explains a contractor’s exposure and defenses. It is not a homeowner complaint portal, and it does not solicit claims against contractors.
A path to an attorney when it matters.
When a situation goes beyond self-help — a CSLB complaint, a lawsuit, or a demand letter — every guide routes to the attorney best positioned to help.
Who you’d talk to
The attorneys.
Jayson R. Elliott
Managing Attorney · CA Bar No. 332479
Handles California construction litigation, contractor disputes, and related real estate matters, including mechanic’s lien claims and Right to Repair Act cases.
Evan Livingstone
Senior Litigation Counsel · CA Bar No. 252008
Litigates California real estate and construction disputes, including matters involving unlicensed-contractor exposure under BPC §7031.
Stephen L. Moses
Senior Litigation Counsel · CA Bar No. 196030
Handles construction contracting and disputes, mechanic’s lien and payment bond claims, and related business litigation.
Jason A. Rose
Senior Construction Litigation Attorney · CA Bar No. 271139
Represents owners and developers in construction litigation, including commercial and real estate construction disputes.
Tell us what’s going on.
A few lines is enough to start. An attorney affiliated with Bay Legal PC reads every submission.
Prefer to talk it through first? Use the chat widget in the corner of this page.
Before you ask
Questions contractors ask first.
Is this site for homeowners or contractors?
Contractors. Contractor Law explains a licensed contractor’s exposure and defenses under California law — CSLB discipline, payment disputes, defect liability, and real estate transaction risk. It does not solicit claims against contractors.
Does submitting the form make Bay Legal PC my attorney?
No. Submitting the form, calling, or scheduling doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship. That happens only through a written agreement with an attorney affiliated with Bay Legal PC, CA Bar No. 332479. Until then, avoid sending confidential or time-sensitive information through this page.
How are fees handled?
Fee structure for any engagement — hourly, flat-fee, or otherwise — is discussed and agreed in writing before representation begins, per the disclaimer above.