If you aren’t getting paid and are considering filing a mechanics lien in Texas, you may wonder if you should do it yourself, hire a lien filing service, or turn it over to an attorney to do for you.
Here’s the bad news: We can’t answer that question for you. (Every situation is different!)
Here’s the good news: We can give you information to help you make an informed choice and feel confident that it’s the right one.
In this post, we give you the run-down on some of the mechanics lien filing services available in the great state of Texas. We even tracked down their reviews and ratings on other professional and public sites, so you don’t have to.
What do lien service companies do?
Lien service companies make it easy to file a lien. Some provide a higher level of service than others. Most lien filing services will not be able to provide you with legal advice, so if that is what you are looking for, you’ll have to talk to an attorney.
Before you hire a lien service, make sure they provide property record checks as part of their services, so you will know the information on your lien document has been verified. Check each lien service out thoroughly before deciding to use them. Look at their software and user experience (ask to see a demo), their reputation (ask for references), and their stability.
The best lien filing services in Texas
If you decide to use a lien service for help filing your lien, here are some of the best that offer services in Texas:
Lien Professor and Lien Guru
Other business names: The Lien Professor of California, LLC; The Lien Professor of Texas, LLC; The Lien Professor of Florida, LLC
Websites: lienprofessor.com and lienguru.com
Location: Southlake, TX
Year Founded: 2006
Reviews:
- BBB – A+, no reviews or complaints (Lien Professor)
Services:
- Preliminary Notices
- Lien & Bond Claim Filing
These websites are both sponsored by the law firm Lovein Ribman, based in Southlake, TX. Lien Professor offers a downloadable package that provides all the forms required for filing a lien in Texas for $149.99. These are professionally designed forms, so once you do the research, you can fill in the forms, record the lien, send copies out, and track their receipt.
Lien Professor provides information on the filing procedures in Texas, and the package provides guides to the laws and resources to make sure everything is done correctly. If you have a question or a problem, you are invited to contact the firm through the site.
Lien Guru is basically a contact site for the law firm. If you have a payment issue, they offer a free consultation, then they will tell you what your options are, and you pay for the services you need.
LienItNow
Other business names: NJLien.com, LLC
Website: lienitnow.com
Location: Hackensack, NJ
Year started: 2007
Reviews:
- 5 stars and A+ rating on BBB (4 reviews)
- 5 stars on Facebook (3 reviews)
Services and Costs:
- Preliminary notices – $50
- Mechanics liens – $299
- Bond claims – $279
- Lien discharge (removal) – $125
- Lien waivers – $50
Founded by three construction attorneys in New Jersey, LienItNow says its mission is to “assist the construction industry in finding affordable ways to obtain payment for work performed.” They offer nationwide preliminary notice and mechanics lien filing services.
LienItNow has a three step process for filing a mechanics lien. It takes about 48 hours for the completed lien to be sent after completing their online form. Rush, same-day service is available for an additional fee.
The pricing page on their website is riddled with asterisks* that reflect “do it yourself pricing” or “full service” pricing, which can be confusing. There is also a lack of transparency on “filing fees” that vary state by state – as opposed to a flat fee for filing a lien. Some counties in select states can charge upwards of $300 in filing fees, other counties only charge $25. To identify fees specific to your county, visit the Texas County Recorder page to find each county contact information and website.
CRM Lien Services
Other business names: None known
Website: www.crmlsi.com
Location: Brea, CA
Year Founded: 1986
Reviews:
- BirdEye – 4.7 stars, 19 reviews
- Facebook – 5 stars, 2 reviews
- Glassdoor – 4.8 stars, 4 reviews
Services (contact the company for pricing)
- Preliminary Notices
- Lien & Bond Claim Filing
- Web portal to view & track services provided
CRM has been providing construction notices for over 30 years. They pride themselves on the amount of research they put into every transaction to ensure that accurate information is obtained.
The company is licensed and insured, and they keep their employees up to date on the latest laws and requirements for preliminary notices and liens in all 50 states.
Anyone can go onto their website, select the form you want to create, pay by credit card, and have the service you requested performed. They do not provide pricing on their website; contact the company directly for pricing information on different services. They also have a web portal available for tracking document statuses and creating documents online.
CRF Solutions Construction Notices
Other business names: Continental Recovery Services
Website: www.crfsolutions.com
Location: Simi Valley, CA
Year Founded: 1991
Reviews:
- BBB – A+ rating, 5 customer complaints, 0 reviews
Services
- Collections
- Preliminary Notices
- Lien & Bond Claim Filing
- Web portal to view & track services provided
CRF Solutions is a commercial collections agency based in Simi Valley, CA. In addition to their collection services, CRF provides “preliminary notice and lien management services” to its customers.
CRF promotes its “Notice Technology” through their proprietary software, “ClientView.” Their customers have access to a web-based system to manage and track all preliminary notices and manage mechanic lien filings, lien waivers sent, collection accounts placed, and other notices.
Easy Law Inc.
Other business names: Easy Law Construction Notices
Website: www.easylawinc.com
Location: Simi Valley, CA
Year Founded: 1985
Reviews:
- BBB – A+ rating, 1 star from 1 review
- BirdEye – 5 stars, 5 reviews
Services and Costs (not including postage):
- Preliminary Notices – $31.50
- Lien & Bond Claim Filing – $350
- Web portal to view & track services provided
- Collections
EasyLaw was started by a California attorney in 1985 to help his clients get paid faster.
Like many of the other services in this list, it provides preliminary notices and lien filing services, including property research. They have a 20-step process for validating information, which includes using “telephone calls, online public records, and specialized property records programs available to Easy Law.”
Records are reviewed by multiple people to make sure the information is accurate and complete, and delivery is tracked and investigated if documents are returned or not delivered for any reason.
Levelset
Other business names: Previously known as zlien.
Website: www.levelset.com
Location: New Orleans, LA and Austin, TX
Year started: 2007
Reviews:
- Trustpilot: 4.9/5 stars, 2,500+ reviews
- Google: 4.9/5 stars, 168 reviews
- Facebook: 4.9/5 stars, 9 reviews
Services:
- Preliminary Notice – Free
- Notice of Intent to Lien – Free
- Mechanics liens – $349
- Lien Release – $149
- Document tracking
- Invoice reminders
- Comprehensive research
Levelset is a full-service lien document processor, like other companies on this list. They have a simple, easy-to-use online platform for filling out and sending notices, mechanics liens, and other payment documents in Texas (as well as every other state). They have a team of researchers and licensed attorneys that can verify information or look up missing data. They can schedule reminders or even automate document delivery, to take all of the guesswork and confusion out of the process.
But what really sets them apart from the others on this list is their focus not just on lien filings (though they do help file a lot of liens for clients in Texas), but on perfecting a communication process that improves everyone’s ability to get what they deserve, without legal action whenever possible.
They do this by focusing on the SET methodology
- See everyone on the job
- Exchange easy paperwork
- Talk it out (if there is a payment problem)
Their philosophy allows customers to identify everyone who needs to be paid on a job and try to work out disagreements before a lien needs to be filed. If that doesn’t work, however, they do assist with lien filing services in all 50 states (including, of course, the Lone Star State).
They have more reviews than the other top services combined, with a website is built as an information hub for all things related to construction payments and the lien process. They even have an Expert Center where you can post a question about construction payments or mechanics liens and get an answer from experts in your state.
FAQs about lien filing services
Should I just file a lien myself?
“How hard can it be to file a mechanics lien?” you may be asking yourself. Although it may not be hard, there are lots of details that need to be perfect so your lien is valid, and you don’t want to make a mistake on such an important document. You’d be surprised at how much money people have lost by making silly, simple mistakes on a lien – like writing “A&L” instead of “A.&L.”
What to read next:
3 Ways To Get Burned Filing Your Own Mechanics Lien
The 4 Worst Mechanics Lien Mistakes Made by Contractors and Suppliers
If you’re going to file a lien yourself, you first want to make sure you know Texas’s lien filing process. How long do you have to file it? What do the document margins need to be? Different states have different requirements, so make sure you are up to date.
The data you provide on the lien document (owner info, customer info, job address) must be 100% accurate or your lien will not be valid. Good research is necessary when filing a lien.
After the lien has been recorded, notice must be served to the owner and the general contractor by certified or registered mail. You must track and keep the documentation that proves these notices were mailed, in case you must foreclose on the lien later.
Most lien services will do the research to make sure the information on the lien form is correct, create the lien document on the proper form, send it for recording, and then send notice to the owner for you.
If you decide to file a lien yourself, it is advisable to get some help, such as Rocket Lawyer, Simplifile, and even Levelset, to make sure everything is done correctly. Levelset can help you as much or as little as you want.
What does it cost to file a mechanic’s lien?
The process of filing a lien is complicated. There are hidden costs that you will have to pay no matter what service you use, including recording fees, mailing costs, and the cost for the time it takes to gather the data to complete the lien form.
If you choose to file the lien yourself, you will need to pay the costs above plus the cost of your time to prepare the lien document, file it with the recorder, and then mail the lien documents to the owner and general contractor. You will also have to pay for either discharge of the lien if you get paid or for a lawsuit to foreclose on the lien if you do not.
Attorneys charge for liens in different ways. You may pay a flat fee for the preparation of the lien document, they may charge you hourly, or it may be part of a retainer agreement. You can expect to pay over $1000 for the preparation, and you will have to pay the hidden costs above as well. Then there will be additional costs to discharge the lien or foreclose on it.
Lien services will charge from $300 to $500 for the preparation of a lien document. Some include the mailing of documents. Make sure you know which costs are included in their fee so there are no surprises. Discharge of a lien is around $100, but you will need to use an attorney if you must foreclose.
Do I have the RIGHT to file a mechanics lien?
In Texas, you gain the right to file a lien when you work on or provide materials for real property improvements. Since the work and materials can’t be “returned,” the law allows you to file a lien and attach it to the property if you aren’t paid. However, you must keep the right by filing specific documents during and after the work is performed.
General contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and rental equipment providers all have the right to file a lien if they aren’t paid. If you have sent all the preliminary documents you were supposed to send, then you have the right to this payment remedy, as long as you are within the window of time allowed by the law for the state in which the project is located.
If you aren’t sure what your next step should be in trying to collect a late payment, check out our Payment Rights Advisor.