We had a project manager assigned by our General Contractor, to help build our 2nd home in another state. At the very end of our project, he was "helping" us get an asphalt driveway quote as it was not in the contract with our GC. We asked the project manager via email, and text, over and over, at least 30 times to see the scope of work in writing and get it approved by us, BEFORE work began. The asphalt people started work anyway. We got them stopped after we found out they had begun without authorization, however, they now claim we owe $8k in materials and work. The asphalt guy is saying he will lien our property. Is he able to do that with no contract from us?
To simply answer your question, it depends. When it comes to whether a construction contract must be in writing or not to qualify for lien rights, some states strictly require a signed contract, while others are more flexible. Tennessee is one of the states where contractors and suppliers are generally allowed to file a lien even if they don't have a written contract. In other words, the party filing a lien could be working off on an oral or verbal agreement, and yet still have the ability to file a lien claim. The Tennessee-specific mechanic lien rights are detailed here. I hope that helps!