If you are embarking on a residential or commercial construction project, you may have heard about construction lien law. What is construction lien law, and how can you avoid financial difficulties associated with these provisions? Basically, construction lien laws are laws in place in many states to protect the financial interests of subcontractors who participate in construction projects. In order to engage in their regular business activities, these subcontractors often have to extend lines of credit to the primary contractors. If the primary contractors later fail to pay the subcontractors what they are rightfully owed, construction lien laws force the homeowners to contribute materially to the repayment of subcontractors. If payment is not made, the subcontractor has the right to make a claim on the ownership of the property. In cases that go unresolved, this can sometimes result in the property owner being forced to sell the property to pay back contractors and subcontractors.