Diane Marie Forster-Dennis

I come from a long line of self-employed family members and I started a construction company with my husband in 1995.

I didn't know anything about construction (my husband [now ex] did though as he had been working in the field since he was 14) but I needed to be able to stay home with our two beautiful children Shelby and Cameron (who are both on the Autism spectrum) ... so I jumped in with both feet and made it work. (Here's more info about me)

Below is a list of the articles that I've written and/or co-authored with the hopes that anyone reading this will find the articles helpful. :o)

Please tell me what you think of them (the articles), and if there's anything you'd like to know that I haven't covered (whether in this section or any other section) please let me know that too.

I really do want to make this website work for you.

Thank you!

Diane's Articles

NEW Certified Payroll Forms & Information
There can never be too much information on this often confusing subject

NEW WH-347 & WH-348 In-Depth Information on How to Fill in the Form
Never again wonder how to manage these forms

NEW Bid Construction Jobs
Detailed breakdown on how to bid construction jobs

F700-065-000
Washington Certified Payroll Forms and Information

New Jersey Payroll Certification & Fringe Benefits
Information and forms

Reputed Owner
Explains what the reputed owner is and how it affects your lien rights (this is 1 of 10 articles in the series "The Top 10 Misconceptions about Mechanic's Liens")

Construction Invoice Factoring
What it is, and its value to your business

Preparing Your Construction Invoice
The Ultimate Guide

Construction Mobilization Payments
Question and Answer

20-Day Preliminary Notice
As long as you do your notice then you can file a lien even if your customer gets paid but doesn't pay you

California Legal Notice of Non-Responsibility
Includes a link to more information

Construction Change Order Forms
The 'gotcha' to watch out for along with what to include

The purpose of preliminary lien notices

Certificate of Completion for Construction Projects aka Notice of Completion for Construction Projects

How To File A CA Mechanic's Lien - The 3 Basic Steps
(with contribution from David J Barnier, CA Construction Attorney)

Invalid Labor Release Forms
You absolutely cannot blindly trust that the labor release form from your sub is valid. Here's a list of ten reasons why...

Spanish-English Dictionaries
If you have employees that speak only Spanish or speak "broken" English, you need a Spanish-English dictionary. Click through to find out why.

Social Media For Contractors
If you haven't started yet you've got to get it going now. Stay in touch with your customers. Post pictures of your finished projects at your social page(s) and get your customers to share their photos to their own pages ... etc.

Fraudulent Lien Waiver/Release Forms
He trusted his long-term Sub and got burned! What the ****??

Employee Handbooks Can Save Your Employees' Lives
From the OSHA website: In 2011 17.5% of all of the worker fatalities in the United States were in the construction industry. It's time to do something.

In-Depth Knowledge Of Mechanic's Lien Laws - An Absolute Necessity
Knowing the lien laws in your state can assist you in protecting your receivables and lien rights but those lien laws have always been so darn difficult to understand - until now.

Labor Release Forms - Not What They're Cracked Up To Be
Many Direct Contractors (aka General and Prime and Original) think they're good to go when they get a labor release from their Subs. It's time to think again...

Joint Check Agreements - the "Rescue" for your Business?
Joint check agreements make it possible for a contractor to have the material he needs to do the job without having to pay for it upfront.

OCIP - 'Wrap Up' - Owner Controlled Insurance Programs / Policies
(co-authored by Diane Dennis and Gary Oltmanns)
At first glance an OCIP or 'Wrap Up' can appear attractive to all involved.  But are they really?