Stop Chasing Payments. Start Recovering What You're Owed.
HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and general contractors in California: Unpaid receivables drain your cash flow and growth potential. We recover what you're owed—fast, with zero upfront costs.
Submit Your First ClaimThe Specialty Contractor's Payment Problem
Slow-Paying General Contractors
GCs hold your invoice for 60, 90, or 120 days. You've already paid your crew and suppliers. Their cash flow problems become yours.
Change Order Disputes
You complete the work, submit the change order, and get ghosted. GCs claim they never authorized it or dispute the scope. Your labor and materials go unpaid.
Pay-When-Paid Clauses
The GC demands you absorb their risk with "pay-when-paid" terms. If they don't get paid by the property owner, you don't get paid. That's not a contract—that's their problem becoming yours.
Seasonal Cash Flow Gaps
Summer is boom. Winter is bust. You need cash to operate, but unpaid winter receivables force you to go without credit lines or turn away spring jobs.
See Your Potential Recovery in Real-Time
Real Results for Specialty Contractors
A mechanical contractor completed $47K in HVAC work for a commercial GC. The GC claimed a "budget dispute" and ghosted for 4 months. We sent a demand letter backed by lien documentation and contract analysis. Recovered in full within 22 days.
An electrical subcontractor was owed $82K in unpaid progress payments from a large commercial construction project. The GC claimed the property owner hadn't paid them. We escalated to the property owner directly, invoking mechanics lien rights. Recovered in 35 days.
A plumbing company invoiced a property management company $31K for emergency repairs and ongoing maintenance. The property manager claimed they "lost the invoice" and delayed payment for 6 months. Our demand letter and lien filing triggered immediate payment.
How Legal Collects Works for Specialty Contractors
Submit Your Invoices
Upload your unpaid invoices, work orders, change order documentation, and any correspondence. We review everything and assess recovery likelihood.
We Take It From Here
Our team handles all communication, negotiation, and legal strategy. No more sleepless nights chasing payments while running your business.
Strategic Collection
We use demand letters, mechanics lien filings, payment disputes, and California contractor-specific legal leverage. We know the specialty trades and how to recover from GCs and property owners.
Get Paid
When we recover your money, you pay us 15%—only on successful recovery. No upfront costs, no retainers, no hidden fees. If we don't collect, you don't pay.
California Contractor Protections We Leverage
You have legal protections. We know how to use them.
Mechanics Lien Rights
California law gives contractors a strong lien right on property for unpaid labor and materials. We file liens to force payment before property sales or refinancing close.
Prompt Payment Act
California requires GCs to pay subcontractors within 7 days of payment from the property owner. Violations entitle you to interest and penalties. We enforce this law.
License Bond Claims
GCs and property owners must maintain bonds. If they won't pay, you can file a claim against their bond. We handle the filing and negotiation.
Stop Notice Authority
You can issue a stop notice that prevents funds from being released for a project. We use this leverage to force negotiation and payment.
Unjust Enrichment Claims
If someone benefits from your work without paying, you may have a claim for unjust enrichment. We pursue these claims aggressively.
Interest & Penalty Recovery
California allows recovery of interest (10% per year) and statutory penalties for delayed payment. We maximize total recovery beyond the base invoice amount.
Why Choose Legal Collects: Price Comparison
| Claim Size | Legal Collects (15%) | Traditional Agency (33%) | Attorney Hourly ($300-500/hr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 Claim | $3,750 fee $21,250 net |
$8,250 fee $16,750 net |
$1,500–2,500+ (40–50 hrs) $22,500–23,500 net |
| $50,000 Claim | $7,500 fee $42,500 net |
$16,500 fee $33,500 net |
$3,000–5,000+ (80–100 hrs) $45,000–47,000 net |
| $100,000 Claim | $15,000 fee $85,000 net |
$33,000 fee $67,000 net |
$6,000–10,000+ (160–200 hrs) $90,000–94,000 net |
| $250,000 Claim | $37,500 fee $212,500 net |
$82,500 fee $167,500 net |
$15,000–25,000+ (400–500 hrs) $225,000–235,000 net |
Legal Collects specializes in contractor debt and understands GC dynamics, lien filing, and payment recovery unique to the trades. Traditional agencies are generalist. Attorneys charge hourly—your case becomes expensive fast, especially if settlement is delayed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Change order disputes are a core specialty for us. We review your documentation, assess the legitimacy of the claim, and send demand letters backed by contract analysis and industry standards. If a GC claims they never authorized a change order, we use your documentation, email trails, and photos to prove otherwise and force payment.
Yes. Pay-when-paid clauses are problematic legally in California. While they create an excuse, they don't eliminate your right to payment. We challenge these clauses, pursue the GC directly, and often escalate to the property owner (who has an obligation to pay the GC). You're not responsible for the GC's financing problems.
Yes. Mechanics liens are a core tool we use to force payment. We assess lien eligibility, file properly, and use the lien threat to negotiate payment. Liens prevent property sales and refinances—this motivates debtors to settle quickly. You have strong lien rights in California if you follow the rules.
We specialize in California. Our team has deep expertise in California contractor law, mechanics lien filing, Prompt Payment Act enforcement, and stop notice procedures. These tools are critical for specialty contractor recovery. Contact us if your claims involve multiple states.
It varies by case. Simple demand letters often result in payment within 2–4 weeks. GC disputes and lien situations typically take 30–90 days. Some cases may take 4–6 months if litigation is necessary. We keep you updated and prioritize quick resolution. Most clients see recovery within 45 days.
We maintain a 92% recovery rate for contractor claims. Success depends on documentation quality, debt legitimacy, and debtor ability to pay. If you have your invoices, work orders, and proof of work, your case is strong. We'll review your claims upfront and give you honest feedback on recovery probability.
No upfront costs, no retainers, no hidden fees. You pay us 15% only when we successfully recover your money. If we don't collect, you don't pay. This means our success is directly tied to your success. We have skin in the game.
Yes. If a subcontractor won't pay you, we escalate to the GC or property owner directly. Property owners are often unaware that their GC is ghosting on payments. We use demand letters, lien notices, and stop notice authority to force the property owner to withhold funds from the GC until you're paid. This leverage works.
Submit: your invoice or estimate, proof of work (photos, work orders, change order documentation), the GC or property owner name and contact info, and any payment-related correspondence (emails, texts, calls). The more documentation you provide, the faster we can assess and recover. You can upload everything through our submission portal.
Stop Leaving Money on the Table
Every month you wait, cash flow dies and the debt gets harder to collect. Let us recover it—no upfront cost, 15% contingency, 92% success rate.
Submit Your First Claim Now