Welcome to your daily briefing on construction developments in Massachusetts. Today we're covering 6 key stories including updates on massachusetts construction headlines, background & context. Let's dive in.
3 stories
Levelset offers tools to help contractors resolve payment problems and streamline their payment processes.
Massachusetts construction professionals facing slow or disputed payments can leverage these services to protect cash flow and reduce administrative burden on local projects.
Procore's guide outlines the essential rules and requirements for obtaining and maintaining a Massachusetts contractor license.
Staying current on MA licensing requirements protects your business from compliance risks and keeps you eligible to bid on projects statewide.
ConstructConnect now provides quick, comprehensive access to Massachusetts construction projects for bid, including exclusive projects, plans, specs, bidder lists, and detailed project information.
Massachusetts construction professionals can streamline their bidding process and discover new commercial opportunities through a single platform tailored to their market.
Connect with contractors and builders
3 stories
Most construction contracts require change orders to be in writing, but many states enforce an "oral modification" exception when the parties' conduct shows agreement — especially when the changed work is performed and accepted without protest. Continued performance without written change orders can waive the writing requirement entirely.
Contractors who do extra work hoping to "true it up later" routinely lose those claims because the conduct shows acceptance of the original scope. A signed change order before the work is the cleanest evidence of agreement.
"Pay-when-paid" sets a timing condition only — the GC must still pay even if the owner never does. "Pay-if-paid" creates a true condition precedent — no owner payment, no GC payment to subs. Many states will not enforce pay-if-paid clauses without unmistakably clear language; ambiguity defaults to pay-when-paid.
The risk allocation between subcontractors and GCs hinges on this one phrase. Subs who sign pay-if-paid contracts effectively underwrite owner credit risk on top of project risk.
A bid bond protects the owner if the bidder refuses to enter the contract; it pays the difference between the rejected bid and the next responsive bid. A performance bond covers contractor non-performance during the project. A payment bond protects unpaid subcontractors and suppliers. Each has different claimants and triggers.
Subs frequently file claims against the wrong bond and lose them on procedural grounds without ever reaching the merits. Knowing which bond covers your specific exposure is table stakes for collections.
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