TL;DR
A legal claim against property for unpaid construction labor, materials, or services. Homeowners should use written contracts and lien waivers on larger jobs.
What it means
A legal claim against property for unpaid construction labor, materials, or services. Homeowners should use written contracts and lien waivers on larger jobs.
Where it sits in the glossary
Mechanic's lien is part of the Legal group inside the ProFix Directory glossary. Browse every term in this category from the glossary index.
Why Ohio homeowners should know it
A mechanic's lien is a legal claim that a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier can file against a property when they have not been paid for labor or materials. Ohio's lien process has specific notice and timing rules that matter even on routine residential remodels.
For homeowners the practical defense is a written contract, payment milestones tied to inspections, and lien waivers from any subcontractor or supplier whose name appears on receipts. The risk is highest on jobs where a general contractor uses subs the homeowner has never met.
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Where this term gets mixed up
Lien is not a lawsuit
A lien clouds title and creates leverage but is a separate process from a contract-dispute lawsuit.
Lien is not just for generals
Subs and suppliers who never spoke to the homeowner can still file. That is why lien waivers matter on bigger jobs.
Where this term comes from
Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1311 (mechanic's liens).
See also
License: CC-BY-4.0 — quote freely with attribution to ProFix Editorial Team / ProFix Directory.