I hired a GC to work on my major remodel project (contract amount of $57k) on a vacation rental in November 2021. Only a 3 weeks in the project, they forced me to pay 90% of the contract amount or else they will walk off the project (and they threatened to lien my house). I agreed to their demand and paid them 90% of the contract. During the project, they cut many corners and painted the house with completely wrong colors, and they did material swapping without my knowledge. I was mostly a pushover when dealing with them. Only 3 weeks later, they walked anyway, leaving the project unfinished and with many defects that require extensive repair and rework. When they left the project, they left a massive pile of trash in my driveway, scattered material, and tools all over the place, and they sent me a "final invoice" that is neither a change order nor part of the contract. They claim that this invoice is their money loss and they kept the invoice vague because they wanted to show their evidence in court. It cost me several months and more than $25k to fix and complete the project. In fact, I am still dealing with a buckling flooring that is almost impossible to fix due to their wrong installation method and cheap material (I asked for vinyl planks they opted for cheap Home Depot laminate flooring). My repeated attempt to resolve my issues with them were met with ridicule and refusal. They also didn't pay their plumber and now the plumber is reaching out to me for a $7,700 bill. I sued them in Small Claims court. They hired an attorney and filed a mechanic lien against my house. My questions are as follows: 1- They seem to have missed the deadline to file the lien and they didn't notify me within 5 days of the lien recordation. I understand that under Texas constitutional lien such requirements are different. Can someone explain to me if I can still file a motion to challenge the validity of the lien if they didn't "perfect" the lien? 2- My dilemma is that if I hire a lawyer to litigate, the cost will easily surpass the total lien amount ($9400) plus the plumber's cost. While I am not fixated on fighting this out as a matter of principle (I have other things to do), I am not willing to just cave as demonstrated in the project that if I give, they will continue bullying me. What would be the most cost-effective and prudent way of dealing with this? 3- One strategy is just to wait and see what happens. I understand that. I also feel that I need to calm down and be patient. I believe ultimately, the truth is on my side. However, I am worried that if I didn't actively prepare myself and file the correct motions or send responses to their lawyer, I may come across as unprepared and easy prey. Should I build an active posture (ready for a fight) and make them know that I am not a pushover anymore. Thank you!