How to Protect Your Property From Subcontractor Liens
Protecting Your Home • Sep 24, 2025
How Texas Homeowners Can Stay Lien-Proof After a Remodel.
You’ve probably heard the horror stories: a family finishes a remodel, pays their general contractor in full, and months later a subcontractor files a lien on their home. In Texas, it can happen even if you’ve done everything “right”—and it’s the law that makes subs and suppliers powerful when they go unpaid.
But with smart planning and good documentation, you can reduce your risk and keep your property protected.
Why Liens Happen
- Chain of payment: You pay your GC → GC doesn’t pay a sub/supplier → lien threat lands on you.
- Texas law: Subcontractors have statutory lien rights if they follow notice and filing procedures.
- Your protection: The law also gives homeowners tools—like retainage, waivers, and contract rules—to minimize exposure.
4 Smart Moves to Protect Your Home
1. Hold 10% retainage.
Texas law requires you to reserve 10% of the contract price during the project and for 30 days after completion. It’s your safety net if a sub wasn’t paid.
Texas law requires you to reserve 10% of the contract price during the project and for 30 days after completion. It’s your safety net if a sub wasn’t paid.
2. Collect lien waivers.
Use the statutory forms: conditional waivers with each payment request, unconditional only after funds clear. These forms show who has been paid—and who hasn’t.
Use the statutory forms: conditional waivers with each payment request, unconditional only after funds clear. These forms show who has been paid—and who hasn’t.
3. Monitor payments on big projects.
For homestead jobs over $5,000, the contractor must use a construction account. Ask for proof and check that subs are getting paid.
For homestead jobs over $5,000, the contractor must use a construction account. Ask for proof and check that subs are getting paid.
4. Keep a clean paper trail.
Contracts, invoices, waivers, permits, proof of payment—if a lien notice arrives, your organized records prove whether you’re liable.
Contracts, invoices, waivers, permits, proof of payment—if a lien notice arrives, your organized records prove whether you’re liable.
What If You Get a Lien Notice?
Don’t panic. Pull your paperwork: contract, ledger, waivers.
- Compare notice dates to your payment history.
- Ask your GC for proof they paid the claimant.
- Consider joint checks for future payments.
- Talk to a construction attorney if needed.
Your records are your defense. If you can show you paid properly, held retainage, and collected waivers, you may avoid liability.
How TradeCrews Makes This Easy
Instead of juggling emails and shoebox folders, TradeCrews gives Texas homeowners simple tools to stay lien-proof:
- Property Journal: Store every contract, invoice, waiver, and payment record in one place.
- Jack's Report™: One-page summary that flags missing waivers, unpaid balances, or retainage issues before they become a problem.
The Bottom Line
Liens may be a legal reality in Texas, but they don’t have to become your nightmare. Stay proactive, keep your paperwork tight, and use the tools that make it easy.
👉 When you’re ready to take control of your home projects and protect your property, sign up free at TradeCrews.com
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