A mechanics lien is a legal claim against the property itself for unpaid work — strictly limited to the unpaid value of labor, materials, and equipment actually furnished, not lost profit or other damages.
How it works
Unpaid labor, materials, and equipment rental are summed, then any undisputed partial payments already received are subtracted to arrive at the lienable amount.
What this does not include
Mechanics lien deadlines and filing requirements are strictly jurisdiction-specific and often quite short — this calculator computes the dollar amount only, not whether a specific filing deadline has been met.
How to use this calculator
- Enter unpaid labor, materials, and equipment rental amounts.
- Enter any undisputed partial payments already received.
A worked example
Unpaid labor $40,000, unpaid materials $25,000, unpaid equipment $5,000, no payments received yet: lienable amount = $70,000.
The same unpaid amounts, but $20,000 in undisputed payments already received: lienable amount = $50,000 — payments already received reduce what can still be claimed.
What the variables mean
| Variable | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Unpaid labor, materials, equipment | Categories of unpaid work and supplies |
| Undisputed payments received | Amounts already paid and not in dispute, subtracted from the total |
Edge cases worth knowing
Payments already received reduce the lienable amount dollar for dollar — a mechanics lien can only claim what’s genuinely still owed, not the full original contract value.
Payments received exceeding unpaid amounts makes a lien claim meaningless — the calculator declines to show a result when there’s nothing left to lien for.
Frequently asked questions
Can lost profit be included in a mechanics lien?
No — a mechanics lien is limited to the value of labor, materials, and equipment actually furnished to the project, not consequential damages like lost profit.
Is there a deadline to file a mechanics lien?
Yes — deadlines are set by state law and vary considerably, often measured from last furnishing labor or materials on the project; missing the deadline typically forfeits lien rights entirely.
Does a disputed amount reduce the lienable amount?
Only undisputed payments already received are subtracted here — a genuinely disputed deduction claimed by the property owner is a separate legal question this calculator doesn’t resolve.
