Buying real estate in California is a significant financial decision, whether it’s a home in San Jose or an investment property in San Francisco. Deeds often include warranties—legal promises made by the seller to the buyer—that protect ownership rights. When those promises prove to be untrue, it can lead to costly...
How to Legally Handle a Contractor Who Walks Off the Job
Hiring a contractor for a home improvement or construction project involves trust and significant financial investment. Unfortunately, some homeowners find themselves in a stressful situation when a contractor walks away before completing the job. The result is often half-completed work, unexpected costs, and frustration.
California law provides protections...
Should You Withhold Payment From a Contractor? Legal Considerations for California Homeowners
You’ve hired a contractor to remodel your kitchen or repair your roof, but now the work is late—or worse, not done correctly. You’re frustrated, and it might feel tempting to stop making payments until the project is finished to your satisfaction. But can you legally do that?
Before deciding...
Unlicensed Contractors: Why That Could Hurt Your Case—or Help It
Maybe your contractor seemed like a good fit. The price was right, the timeline looked reasonable, and they promised to handle everything without red tape. But now, you’ve hit a wall: the work is flawed, delayed, or abandoned. Then you find out—they’re not even licensed.
If the contractor you...
Contractor Laws in California: What Homeowners Should Know
You’re ready to turn your fixer-upper into your dream home. You find a contractor with a decent quote, shake hands, and work gets underway. But weeks later, the scope keeps changing, the costs keep climbing, and you're not sure where your money is going—or if the work is even legal.
Breach of Contract in Home Renovations: When to Call a Lawyer
You hired a contractor, picked out the perfect tile, and maybe even lived with a porta-potty in your driveway for a month. But now the job’s half done, the workers are gone, and your contractor stopped responding. What started as your dream home project is now a legal and financial mess.
What to Do If Your Contractor Didn’t Do the Job Correctly
You paid thousands for a “professional” to remodel your bathroom. Now the tiles are uneven, the plumbing leaks, and the vanity is crooked. You point out the issues, and the contractor shrugs—or worse, tells you it’s “good enough.”
This happens more often than you’d expect, especially in cities like...
What Happens if a Contractor Walks Off the Job?
You were finally getting around to that kitchen remodel—new floors, updated cabinets, and a sleek backsplash you picked out months ago. But now it’s been two weeks. The contractor hasn’t shown up, the tools are gone, and your calls are going straight to voicemail. Half the work is done. The other half?...
How to Address Fraudulent Claims During Probate
When managing a loved one’s estate in California, you may receive notice of a claim from a creditor or person claiming heirship from your loved one. However, you may have never heard of this party before. Your loved one’s estate may have become the target of efforts to defraud the estate of...
How to Handle a Missing Will in Probate Administration
If your loved one talked in the past about having created a will, you might feel confused when you and your family aren’t able to locate it after their death. Fortunately, California law permits families to fulfill their loved one’s wishes through procedures to probate a missing will. An experienced probate attorney...