Construction law attorney: when and why to consult

The construction law attorney does not intervene at the same stage as a technical expert. They secure your rights, draft deeds and plead. But you must know when to engage them.

1. When to consult?

Three key moments:

• Formal notice gone unanswered within 30 days — your contractor formal notice must be followed by a legal act.
• Before judicial expertise — the attorney formulates the questions to the judge.
• Bankruptcy or liquidation of your contractor or developer — urgent claim declaration.

2. Fees: what to know

In Belgium, two modes:

• Hourly: €120 to €250 excl. VAT/hour depending on experience and bar.
• Flat fee: possible for well-framed cases (€4,000 to €12,000 excl. VAT for a standard defects case).

Always demand a written fee agreement before the first step.

3. Less costly alternatives

Before going to court, consider construction mediation (€1,200 to €3,000), the conciliation magistrate (free), or amicable adversarial expertise. A good attorney will guide you to these routes if your case allows.

Our defects expertise service intervenes upstream: we produce the technical report that will be filed — which significantly reduces the necessary attorney hours.