I am a contractor and did the work on a small project that did not require a bond. The client did not pay us and we are considering filing a lien if possible.
Assuming that your contract is directly with the owner, you have 90 days from project completion, or if a valid notice of completion or notice of cessation is filed, 60 days from the date of that notice, to file a lien. If you are within these deadlines, you may record a lien. If not, you will need to procede with a breach of contract action.
If you require legal assistance email me at ryan@huntortmann.com to schedule a free consultation.