I received a Preliminary notice (12/30/22) approximately 238 days after project completion and residential home occupancy (05/11/22). Is this preliminary lien notice and subsequent lien valid? If no/yes, by what California code/law? Part 2: How does a residential property owner object when work is in dispute?
No it's not valid. See Civil Code section 8200-8204.
A Preliminary Lien Notice must be served 20 days before the contractor/subcontractor who served the notice started work. Otherwise, the contractor/subcontractor can only lien for the work performed in the last 20 days of work. A mechanic’s lien must be filed within 90 days of the last day the contractor performed work. It sounds to me like both the Prelim and the Mechanic’s Lien are invalid but I would need to see the documents.