Mechanic's Lien · Lien Rights · Collections · National Lien Services · Subcontractors
Mechanic's Lien · Lien Filing · Construction Collections · Lien Rights · Subcontractor
When to File a
Mechanic's Lien.
A mechanic's lien is the most powerful collection tool a construction subcontractor has — and most never use it correctly or in time. Here is when to file, what the deadlines look like, how the process works, and when to bring in National Lien Services and Megan Shapiro, Esq. to handle it.
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SPM vs. Other CFO Firms
Most CFO Firms Serving This Trade
- High revenue minimums — most won't serve under $5M
- Advisory only — no bookkeeping, no implementation
- No job costing setup or ControlQore management
- No monthly WIP as standard deliverable
- No pricing published — discovery call required
- No vetted partner network for bonding, lending, or liens
- No prevailing wage specialty
The Construction CFO — SPM
- Serves $1M–$12M — starts at $1,900/month
- Full implementation — bookkeeping, job costing, CFO advisory
- ControlQore setup and managed for you every month
- Monthly WIP standard in Executive tier
- Full pricing published — no discovery call to find out costs
- Vetted partners for bonding, lending, lien services, payroll
- Prevailing wage and Davis-Bacon specialty
What We See in This Business
01
You Waited Too Long and Lost Your Lien Rights
Lien rights have strict filing deadlines — typically 60–120 days after last furnishing labor or materials depending on the state. Most subcontractors wait until the collection problem is obvious before thinking about a lien — and by then the deadline has passed. A lien right you can't use is worth nothing.
02
You Don't Know the Deadlines in Your State
Lien law is state-specific. California has different rules than Texas. Florida has different rules than New York. Preliminary notice requirements, filing windows, and enforcement timelines are all different. Without knowing your specific state's deadlines, you're guessing — and guessing wrong on lien rights means absorbing the loss.
03
You Don't Know How to File or What It Costs
Most subcontractors know liens exist but have never actually filed one. The process — preliminary notice, lien filing, enforcement — has specific requirements and costs that most contractors have never researched until they need one urgently.
How SPM Fixes It
The Three-Step Lien Process
Step 1 — Preliminary Notice: In most states, a preliminary notice must be sent within 20–30 days of first furnishing work. This preserves your right to lien later. Miss this window and you may lose all lien rights regardless of how much you're owed. Step 2 — Lien Filing: When payment is overdue and escalation hasn't worked, file the lien before the deadline — typically 60–120 days after last furnishing depending on state. Step 3 — Enforcement: A filed lien must be enforced within a specific timeframe — typically 6–12 months — or it expires. Enforcement means filing a lawsuit to foreclose on the lien.
National Lien Services and Megan Shapiro, Esq.
SPM connects clients directly to National Lien Services — led by Megan Shapiro, Esq. — when collections reach the lien stage. They handle preliminary notices, lien filings, and enforcement in all states where SPM clients operate. Having a construction attorney send the demand and file the lien changes the GC's response dramatically compared to a subcontractor sending emails. Additional cost — not included in the SPM monthly fee.
Proactive Lien Rights Preservation
The best lien strategy is one that runs automatically — preliminary notices sent on every project as a standard practice, not only when a GC goes slow. SPM works with National Lien Services to implement a preliminary notice program for clients who want proactive lien rights preservation on every project from day one.
Service Tiers
Tier 01
Core Financial
Starts at $1,900 / month
- ControlQore setup and management
- Job costing aligned to your estimate structure
- Cost-to-complete tracking — updated monthly
- Full-service bookkeeping — minimum 30 min/week
- Vendor payments via ACH (you approve, we initiate)
- Accounts receivable management
- Bank reconciliations and transaction matching
- Controllership
- 1 monthly CFO meeting
- 60-day onboarding — books migrated to last taxable year
Most Popular
Tier 02
Executive Financial
Starts at $2,900 / month
- Everything in Core Financial
- Monthly WIP schedule — delivered every month, standard
- 13-week cash flow forecasting
- CEO Report — monthly financial dashboard
- 3 CFO advisory meetings per month
- Strategic accountability and actionable to-dos
- Direct access to Josh Luebker
Pricing by Revenue
Revenue Range
(Last 12 Months) |
Core Financial
Monthly |
Executive Financial
Monthly |
| Under $1M | $1,900 | $2,900 |
| $1M – $3M | $2,600 | $3,600 |
| $4M – $6M | $3,800 | $5,500 |
| $7M – $9M | $5,100 | $6,900 |
| $10M – $12M | $6,100 | $8,500 |
| $13M+ | Quoted | Quoted |
Vetted Partner Network
National Lien Services
When AR gets too long, we connect you directly to our lien services partner to protect what you've earned.
Additional cost — not included in monthly fee
Payroll Integration Partners
Prevailing wage and regular payroll software partners integrated directly with ControlQore job costing.
Additional cost — not included in monthly fee
Bonding Partners
Surety relationships and bonding capacity support. We prepare the financials — our partners get you bonded.
Additional cost — not included in monthly fee
Lending Partners
Working capital lines and equipment financing through vetted lenders who understand construction.
Additional cost — not included in monthly fee
Reviewed Financials
CPA-level financial statement reviews for banking, bonding, and large contract requirements.
Additional cost — not included in monthly fee
CPA Coordination
We work alongside your existing CPA — not replacing them. Clean books and job costing make tax time easier.
Included — no extra cost
Common Questions
Straight answers.
Does filing a lien guarantee I get paid?
No — but it creates significant leverage. A mechanic's lien clouds the property title, which prevents the owner from selling or refinancing until the lien is resolved. This creates strong pressure on both the owner and the GC to resolve the dispute. Most liens filed by construction attorneys resolve without going to court.
Can I file a lien on a public project?
Not directly — you can't lien government-owned property. On public projects, the equivalent remedy is a claim on the payment bond (Miller Act for federal projects, Little Miller Act equivalents for state projects). National Lien Services handles bond claims as well as private property liens.
What's included in Core Financial?
ControlQore setup, job costing aligned to your estimates, cost-to-complete tracking, full bookkeeping (minimum 30 min/week), ACH vendor payments (you approve, we initiate), AR management, bank reconciliations, transaction matching, controllership, and 1 monthly CFO meeting. Starts at $1,900/month.
What does Executive Financial add?
Everything in Core plus monthly WIP schedule, 13-week cash flow forecasting, CEO Report, and 3 CFO advisory meetings per month. Starts at $2,900/month. WIP, cash flow forecasting, and the CEO Report are Executive tier only.
Do you handle payroll?
No. We have vetted payroll software partners — including prevailing wage integrations — that connect directly with ControlQore. Those are separate engagements at additional cost.
How long does onboarding take?
60 days. We migrate your books to the start of your last taxable year, set up ControlQore, and build your job costing structure. Fully operational in two months.
What software do clients use?
ControlQore. All SPM clients run on ControlQore for job costing and WIP. We set it up and manage it — you don't have to learn it. Clients switching from QuickBooks, Sage, or other platforms migrate during onboarding.
Do you work alongside our CPA?
Yes. We work alongside your existing CPA — not replacing them. Clean books and accurate job costing make their job easier at tax time.
What happens when we grow past $12M?
We have a clear graduation path. We prepare your financials, systems, and team for the transition and connect you with the right firm for your next stage of growth.