Lien Waivers
6 tools · 5 guides · 3 comparisons
Conditional, unconditional, progress and final waivers — what each one gives away, which states publish a mandatory form, and generators that fill them.
Open Lien WaiversFree lien waiver & construction payment tools
Waiver and notice generators, a retainage calculator, and state lien deadlines with the statute cited beside every date. Built for subcontractors and suppliers who are owed money and running out of calendar.
- Contract
- 136,000.00
- Change orders
- 12,000.00
- Billed to date
- 148,000.00
- Retainage held
- −7,400.00
- Net payable
- 140,600.00
The instruments
20 tools · nothing you type leaves the browser
| Tool | Pillar | Open |
|---|---|---|
| Lien waiver generatorFill any of the four waiver types and print a signable document. | Lien Waivers | Open Lien waiver generator |
| Conditional lien waiver generatorProgress-payment waiver that only bites once the check clears. | Lien Waivers | Open Conditional lien waiver generator |
| Unconditional lien waiver generatorThe waiver that releases on signature — sign it only after payment. | Lien Waivers | Open Unconditional lien waiver generator |
| Final lien waiver generatorClose out the job: final payment, full release, retainage line. | Lien Waivers | Open Final lien waiver generator |
| Lien release form generatorRelease a recorded mechanics lien after the debt is settled. | Lien Waivers | Open Lien release form generator |
| Texas lien waiver generatorThe four Texas statutory waiver forms, word for word from § 53.284. | Lien Waivers | Open Texas lien waiver generator |
| Preliminary notice generatorBuild a preliminary notice with the parties, property and dates filled. | Notices & Mechanics Liens | Open Preliminary notice generator |
| Notice of intent to lien generatorThe last letter before recording — often the one that gets you paid. | Notices & Mechanics Liens | Open Notice of intent to lien generator |
The payment clock
Four steps, each with a statutory date attached. The first runs from the day you mobilise; the rest run from the day you finish. They are not the same date, and nobody sends a reminder.
01
Preliminary notice
20-45 days from first work
02
Notice of intent
when payment stalls
03
Record the lien
30 days to 4+ months, by state
04
Suit to enforce
90 days to a year+, by state
The exact windows are set state by state: see mechanics lien deadlines by state. On public work there is no lien to record at all, and a bond claim takes its place; the lien vs payment bond comparison explains which one your job has.
Four things that decide whether you get paid
Notices & Mechanics Liens
6 tools · 9 guides · 3 comparisons
Preliminary notices, notices of intent, and the mechanics lien itself — who must send what, and the deadline that ends the right.
Open Notices & Mechanics Liens
Retainage & Pay Applications
4 tools · 5 guides · 2 comparisons
Retainage math, G702/G703 pay applications, schedules of values and progress billing — the paperwork that releases money.
Open Retainage & Pay Applications
Getting Paid
4 tools · 4 guides · 1 comparison
Payment terms, prompt payment statutes, joint checks, bond claims and the escalation ladder for a job that has gone quiet.
Open Getting PaidGuides
All guides| Guide | Published |
|---|---|
| The four lien waiver typesConditional vs unconditional, progress vs final — what each signature costs you. | 2026-09-047 min read |
| How to fill out a lien waiverField by field, with the three lines that get subcontractors burned. | 2026-09-046 min read |
| What is a mechanics lien?How the claim attaches to the property, and why it works when invoices do not. | 2026-09-048 min read |
| How to file a mechanics lienThe eight-step filing sequence, from notice to recording to enforcement. | 2026-09-048 min read |
| What is retainage in construction?Why 5-10% is held, who holds it, and when the law says it must be released. | 2026-09-047 min read |
| Retainage laws by stateStatutory caps, release timelines and retainage bonds, state by state. | 2026-09-046 min read |
| The Prompt Payment Act, explainedFederal timelines, state acts, and the interest a late payer actually owes. | 2026-09-047 min read |
| Pay-when-paid vs pay-if-paidOne clause delays your money. The other can end the claim entirely. | 2026-09-045 min read |
Get paid on time.
Serve the notice on the day you mobilise, bill on the cut-off, and know your recording deadline before you need it. Every tool here runs in your browser and stores nothing.