South of Fort Worth, Johnson County is a growth market for builders and trades. Texas lien and interest deadlines shape when contractors get paid, and when they need a bridge.
Apply Now →Johnson County had 179,927 residents at the 2020 census and covers about 729 square miles. Cleburne is the county seat, located south of Fort Worth in the prairies and lakes region of North Texas. Burleson, which sits in both Johnson and Tarrant counties, is the largest city by recent estimates and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Joshua, Venus, Alvarado and Keene are other growing communities.
Growth in a place like this produces demand for framers, concrete crews, roofers, electricians, plumbers, landscapers and suppliers. These businesses buy materials and pay crews before the owner of the job pays them.
Under Texas Property Code section 28.004, overdue amounts on certain construction payments accrue interest from the day after the due date at 1-1/2 percent per month. That can help a contractor in a dispute, but it does not put cash in the account today.
Texas Property Code section 53.052 sets the time for filing a lien affidavit with the county clerk. For a non-residential original contractor, the deadline is the 15th day of the fourth month after the month the work was completed. This is a general description, not legal advice, and details vary by role and project type; confirm with an attorney.
| Step | For illustration only |
|---|---|
| Work completed | March |
| Lien affidavit deadline (non-residential original contractor) | July 15 |
| Weeks of payroll between completion and the deadline | More than three months of weekly or biweekly pay cycles |
Even without a dispute, the cycle between completion and payment can run for weeks. The owner who finished in March has been paying crews in April, May and June, with the project money not yet in hand.
Beyond the trades, the county has retailers, restaurants, clinics, auto shops and logistics firms serving the I-35W corridor and the neighborhoods around it. Burleson's rapid growth in recent years, means new storefronts and new service companies are being set up continuously. New businesses tend to need working capital sooner than established ones, because they have not yet built up reserves.
The lien rules differ for original contractors, subcontractors and suppliers, and for residential versus non-residential work. Before you assume the deadline above applies to you, find out your role and your project type. Even for those not filing liens, the dates are a reminder that payment on construction jobs is processed in months, not days.
Trades that work on remodeling for homeowners should note that long-term payment gaps are also common there, and that we do not promise funding for any particular category of work.
The application is about five minutes, uses a soft credit pull, and covers amounts from $25,000 to $5,000,000. If approved, funding can arrive in as little as 24 hours. Sole proprietors can apply, which suits many solo trades.
No. It describes general rules from the Texas Property Code. Confirm your own deadlines with an attorney.
By the 15th day of the fourth month after the month the work was completed, per section 53.052.
Section 28.004 provides for 1-1/2 percent per month from the day after the due date on certain overdue amounts.
Yes. Explain your payment cycle in the application.
In as little as 24 hours after approval.
Three months of business bank statements and a 5-minute application. FICO 500+ considered. $25,000 to $5,000,000, funded in as little as 24 hours.
Apply Now →It takes about two minutes and it will not affect your credit score.
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