Bond claims
When the job is public, the bond pays
Public property can't carry a lien. A payment bond stands in: if the prime contractor doesn't pay, the surety may have to.
Subcontractors and suppliers on public jobs give notice, make a written claim and, if the claim is refused, sue on the bond, each inside its own short and strict window. Which windows apply depends on who owns the project, whether federal, state or local, and on how many tiers below the prime you work. We find yours first, then prepare the notice and the claim and deal with the surety.
Notices to the prime contractor and the surety
Claims on federal, state and local jobs
Suits on the bond
Requests for a copy of the bond
Priced by stage
Flat fees for the notice and the claim. A suit on the bond is estimated in writing first. Filing fees are separate and passed through at cost.
- Flat fee
Request the bond
We ask the owner or agency for a copy of the payment bond and check that it reaches your tier.
- Flat fee
Notice and claim
The notice, the written claim and the follow-up with the surety.
- Estimate first
Suit on the bond
Priced hourly, with an estimate in writing before the suit begins.
From unpaid to a claim on the bond
On a public job, the order of these steps matters as much as their dates.
- 01
Step 1: Find the bond
Public owners keep their bonds on file. We ask for it and read what it covers.
- 02
Step 2: Give notice
To the prime contractor and the surety, in the form and on the date the law sets.
- 03
Step 3: Make the claim
A written statement of what you're owed, with the documents behind it.
- 04
Step 4: Resolve, or sue
Many claims are paid or settled. A suit on the bond has its own deadline, so we keep it in view from the first day.
Questions about payment bonds
Does the bond reach my tier?
It depends on the bond and the law that applies to the project. Suppliers and subs working directly for the prime are usually covered; lower tiers often have extra notice steps. We check before we promise anything.
What if the surety denies the claim?
A denial isn't the end. We read the reasons, answer them in writing, and tell you whether a suit on the bond is worth its cost.
Can a private job have a bond?
Sometimes, when an owner or lender requires one. Its terms come from the bond itself, so send us a copy along with the contract.
Working a public job?
Send the contract and tell us who the owner is. We'll find the bond and the dates.