Building Dispute Lawyers
We enforce building contracts, pursue delay damages, and hold contractors accountable before disputes halt construction or statutory claims expire.
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500+
Your brand deserves to be yours, no question. Join 500+ others who’ve secured trade marks built to grow, scale, and stand out globally.
$10M +
With over $10 million recovered, our clients move forward with renewed clarity, free from delays, distractions, and the weight of unresolved matters.
2,000 +
We’ve helped over 2,000 companies scale, advising on the deals, hires, and legal frameworks behind expansion, funding, and ownership.
40 Years
With 40 years of experience, we’ve all seen the challenges you’re facing. We’ll help you avoid the mistakes others have made.
What a Building Dispute Lawyer Does and Why Acting Early Matters
Building disputes often begin with small issues, a delay, a variation, or unclear workmanship standards, but they rarely stay contained. Payment schedules slip. Contractors go quiet. In larger builds or strata projects, one disagreement can hold up everyone involved.
An experienced building dispute lawyer uses the contract to apply pressure early, protecting timelines and enforcing your position before litigation becomes unavoidable.
Reads the contract like a roadmap, not a checklist
Pinpoints the moment things went off track
Puts pressure on in writing, not emotion
Handles the dispute process on your behalf
Helps you move forward with or without the builder
Safeguards future stages and your reputation
Who turns to a building dispute lawyer and when
When the builder stops delivering and the contract starts mattering
Building contracts don’t fall apart all at once. If progress has slowed, the builder’s gone quiet, or payment disputes are piling up, this is where legal intervention starts. These situations often require formal notices, termination advice, or structured escalation fast.
- Builders leaving mid-project
- Developers managing contractor issues
- Builders dealing with unpaid variations or defect claims
- Contractors locked out of site or facing termination
- Owners with delayed handovers or scope blowouts
When strata tension turns into a legal problem
- Owners corporations managing defective common property
- Lot owners in conflict with builders or the strata committee
- Builders unable to complete or access common areas
- Strata managers needing legal escalation for non-performance
- Residents facing prolonged rectification delays or safety issues
Lazarus Legal is amazing. Absolute game changers. A friendly and dynamic team with fabulous offices. Good listeners with genuine knowledge of all sectors. Fast thinkers and really take the time to understand your business. What I love most is they work with and wholeheartedly encourage startups. Highly recommend. A ++
We decided to choose Mark to support our transaction as he came across as smart, direct, eager, responsive and resourceful. He maintained these attributes throughout the transaction and we’re glad that we were right.
We were working opposite Lazarus Legal on a transaction and found them to be responsive and easy to work with – which helped us conclude the deal under tight timeframes.
- Ready when you are
Request a contract review from our building dispute lawyer
Questions building dispute lawyers get asked most!
What does a building dispute lawyer actually do?
When should I engage a building dispute lawyer during a project?
What are my options if the builder walks off the job?
How do I protect myself when paying a contractor?
Payment protection in NSW building contracts relies on proper documentation, milestone-linked schedules, and understanding the Security of Payment Act. Standard residential contracts under the Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) limit deposits to 10% of the contract value, with progress payments tied to verified completion stages rather than calendar dates. Never release full payment before practical completion and defect rectification, as recovering funds from insolvent or unresponsive contractors becomes significantly harder once money leaves your account. Consider retention clauses that hold 5-10% of each progress payment until final inspection, and use statutory declaration requirements for subcontractor payments where applicable.
Can a building dispute lawyer help with strata construction issues?
Yes. Strata-related building disputes often involve common property defects, rectification delays, or disputes between lot owners, strata committees, and builders. A building dispute lawyer helps clarify responsibilities under the contract and the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW). These matters often end up in NCAT or require formal negotiation between the builder and the owners’ corporation. Strata law introduces specific duties and procedures that don’t apply to standard builds, which is why legal guidance is critical. As one of our most recent clients put it:
“We assumed the builder was just dragging things out, but once legal got involved, we realised half the problem was how the strata rules worked. It wasn’t just a defect issue; it was who owned the responsibility. Without someone who actually understood the process, we would’ve been stuck.” – William Nguyen, Senior Allocator, INH Transport