Kentucky Mechanics Lien Form

For those amounts, you will probably have to look at it as a business decision because all of your options could easily cost more than $1000, but so will his.

Do you have a contract with him? Your contract could be written to cover your costs in this type of dispute. If it doesn't, your contract needs to be revised.

Assuming no favorable provisions in your contract, you have several options:

Bond off the lien. Check with your insurance company and see what the cost would be.

Sue him, but you will need a lawyer. Unless you have a really good current relationship with a lawyer, you will likely have to pay an hourly rate plus court costs, which will exceed $1000 almost immediately.

Settle with him and never work with him again. Use the money you would have spent on the above options to revise your contract terms.

First, a verbal contract to buy or sell real property is not enforceable in Kentucky, but that does not mean you are completely without recourse for the work you performed.

If the owner told you to do construction work on the property, that may be sufficient to constitute an oral agreement that could support a mechanics lien, assuming you have proof and meet the lien filing requirements.

You could also have a cause of action against the owner using promissory estoppel or quantum meriut principals.

Please contact an attorney in your jurisdiction to see if the specifics of your case support a claim against the property owner.