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Partial Lien Waiver
What is a partial lien waiver?
A partial lien waiver (sometimes called a progress lien waiver or partial waiver of lien) is a legal document used in construction where a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier waives their right to file a mechanics lien for a specific, partial amount of money already received.
Issued alongside progress payments, a partial waiver applies only to the amount paid through a specific date—leaving the right to lien open for any future or uncollected funds. These can be conditional (protecting you by taking effect only after the check clears) or unconditional (taking effect immediately upon signing). Tracking them carefully prevents payment disputes and keeps cash moving across job sites.
How Siteline Helps:
Managing partial waivers across every pay app can quickly bottleneck your cash flow. Siteline automates the entire workflow—from generating and sending your own progress lien waivers to GCs, to collecting and tracking signed waivers from lower-tier vendors and suppliers before payments are released.
Trusted by trade contractors across the country
Other construction terms
What is an Automated Clearing House (ACH)?
An Automated Clearing House (ACH) within the construction context refers to an electronic fund transfer system primarily used for direct deposit payments, including for construction services. It's a method universally used by many businesses in the industry for its convenience and speed. This system provides an efficient platform for moving funds from one account to another in a collective and prioritised manner, aiding greatly in the financial management of a construction project, including payroll and paying suppliers. The benefits include prompt payment, less risk of cheque fraud, and streamlined bookkeeping. It's an integral part of the financial mechanism in the construction industry.
What is Lump Sum Billing?
Lump Sum Billing in the construction industry refers to a fixed contract price for the completion of all work required for a specific project. This means that the contractor agrees to complete the whole project at a specific set cost irrespective of the amount of resources and time spent on the project. The contractor bears all the risk and is responsible for any cost overruns. Lump sum billing is commonly used in construction due to its simplicity, as the entire project is billed one time for one set amount.
What is AIA® billing?
AIA® billing is a standardized payment application process for construction projects. Developed by the American Institute of Architects (AIA®), it uses specific forms—primarily the G-702® Application and Certificate for Payment and G-703® Continuation Sheet—to document and request progress payments throughout a project. These forms create a uniform system for contractors that shows exactly what work has been completed, what materials have been stored, and what payment is due during each billing period. They also require detailed information about contract values, change orders, and retainage amounts. AIA® has become the industry standard, especially for larger commercial projects and government contracts.
For subcontractors, understanding AIA® billing is essential since most large general contractors (GCs) require these forms or customized versions of them. While AIA® billing can initially seem complex, it provides important benefits like reducing payment disputes, creating clear documentation of work progress, and often resulting in faster payments. Mastering AIA® billing opens doors to working with larger GCs and bidding on more substantial projects. That’s why we created this comprehensive guide, filled with detailed information on completing AIA® billing forms and managing the payment application process.
Siteline simplifies the AIA® billing process by automating form creation and submission. Our system maintains an extensive library of custom billing forms from general contractors across the country, enabling subcontractors to generate perfect pay apps in minutes for fewer delays and faster, more predictable payments. Schedule a no-obligation demo to see how Siteline can help you streamline AIA® billing and reduce invoice aging by at least 30%.
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