A mechanic’s lien secures payment for labor or materials supplied to improve real property, by attaching to the property itself. It is powerful, statutory and unforgiving.

The deadlines are short and strict. Statutes typically require a preliminary notice within days or weeks of first furnishing, recording of the lien within a set period after completion, and commencement of suit within a further period — often a year or less. Each step has its own clock, and missing one generally ends the right rather than merely delaying it.

The formalities are also strict. Contents, verification, service on the owner, and recording in the correct county are all specified. Because the remedy is extraordinary — a private party encumbering someone else’s real estate — courts in many states require close compliance.

For owners, the exposure is that unpaid subcontractors can lien the property even where the general contractor has been paid in full. The defenses are procedural: lien waivers collected against each payment, joint checks, and requiring sworn statements identifying everyone furnishing work.

For contractors, the practical advice is to calendar the dates at the start of the job, not at the point of non-payment — by then at least one deadline has usually passed.