Can an Architect Get a Mechanics Lien in Illinois for Drawing Up Plans?
Full Question:
Answer:
Please see the following portion of an IL statute, which defines improvement to property for purposes of claiming a mechanics lien to include services of an architect:
"As used in subsection (a) of this Section, "improve" means to furnish labor, services, material, fixtures, apparatus or machinery, forms or form work in the process of construction where cement, concrete or like material is used for the purpose of or in the building, altering, repairing or ornamenting any house or other building, walk or sidewalk, whether the walk or sidewalk is on the land or bordering thereon, driveway, fence or improvement or appurtenances to the lot or tract of land or connected therewith, and upon, over or under a sidewalk, street or alley adjoining; or fill, sod or excavate such lot or tract of land, or do landscape work thereon or therefor; or raise or lower any house thereon or remove any house thereto, or remove any house or other structure therefrom, or perform any services or incur any expense as an architect, structural engineer, professional engineer, land surveyor or property manager in, for or on a lot or tract of land for any such purpose; or drill any water well thereon; or furnish or perform labor or services as superintendent, time keeper, mechanic, laborer or otherwise, in the building, altering, repairing or ornamenting of the same; or furnish material, fixtures, apparatus, machinery, labor or services, forms or form work used in the process of construction where concrete, cement or like material is used, or drill any water well on the order of his agent, architect, structural engineer or superintendent having charge of the improvements, building, altering, repairing or ornamenting the same."
Please see also the following IL statutes:
(770 ILCS 60/24) (from Ch. 82, par. 24)
Sec. 24. Written notice by sub‑contractor; service; when notice not necessary; form of notice.
(a) Sub‑contractors, or parties furnishing labor, materials, fixtures, apparatus, machinery, or services, may at any time after making his or her contract with the contractor, and shall within 90 days after the completion thereof, or, if extra or additional work or material is delivered thereafter, within 90 days after the date of completion of such extra or additional work or final delivery of such extra or additional material, cause a written notice of his or her claim and the amount due or to become due thereunder, to be sent by registered or certified mail, with return receipt requested, and delivery limited to addressee only, to or personally served on the owner of record or his agent or architect, or the superintendent having charge of the building or improvement and to the lending agency, if known; and such notice shall not be necessary when the sworn statement of the contractor or subcontractor provided for herein shall serve to give the owner notice of the amount due and to whom due, but where such statement is incorrect as to the amount, the subcontractor or material man named shall be protected to the extent of the amount named therein as due or to become due to him or her. For purposes of this Section, notice by registered or certified mail is considered served at the time of its mailing.
(770 ILCS 60/28) (from Ch. 82, par. 28)
Sec. 28. Suits by laborers, materialmen or sub‑contractors. If any money due to the laborers, materialmen, or sub‑contractors be not paid within 10 days after his notice is served as provided in Sections 5, 24, and 25, then such person may file a claim for lien or file a complaint and enforce such lien within the same limits as to time and in such other manner as hereinbefore provided for the contractor in Section 7 and Sections 9 to 20 inclusive, of this Act, or he may sue the owner and contractor jointly for the amount due in the circuit court, and a personal judgment may be rendered therein, as in other cases. In such actions, as in suits to enforce the lien, the owner shall be liable to the plaintiff for no more than the pro rata share that such person would be entitled to with other sub‑contractors out of the funds due to the contractor from the owner or one knowingly permitted by the owner to contract for such improvements and the contractor, except as hereinbefore provided for laborers and materialmen, and such action shall be maintained against the owner only in case the plaintiff establishes a right to the lien. All suits and actions by sub‑contractors shall be against both contractor and owner jointly, and no judgment shall be rendered therein until both are duly brought before the court by process or publication, and such process may be served and publication made as to all persons except the owners as in other civil actions. All such judgments, where the lien is established shall be against both jointly, but shall be enforced against the owner only to the extent that he is liable under his contract as by this Act provided, and shall recite the date from which the lien thereof attached according to the provisions of Sections 1 to 20 of this Act; but this shall not preclude a judgment against the contractor, personally, where the lien is defeated.
(Source: P.A. 94‑627, eff. 1‑1‑06.)
