Compared two contract template services side by side. One saved me from a $900 headache.

I needed a solid subcontractor agreement fast, so I tried Rocket Lawyer and a smaller site called LawDepot. Rocket Lawyer's form was full of generic clauses that didn't apply to my Ohio work. LawDepot's version let me pick my specific trade and included a lien waiver section I would have missed. Has anyone else found that cheap or free templates actually cause more problems than they solve?

3 comments

3 Comments

parker_webb1d ago

LawDepot's version let me pick my specific trade" - wait, that's actually wild to me. I always figured those template sites just copy-paste the same boilerplate for everything, no matter what state you're in. I've been burned by cheap templates before, but that level of customization might actually be worth paying for if it keeps you from missing something like a lien waiver. I mean, $900 headache avoided? That's not even a debate, that's a steal compared to what a lawyer would charge you to draft the same thing from scratch.

viola_garcia561d ago

Ohio's lien laws are no joke, and that's something I bet @parker_webb already knows. I spent two hours on the phone with a clerk of courts once trying to figure out a simple mechanic's lien filing because a template I used from a free site didn't even mention Ohio's notice requirements. That $900 headache you dodged is real money, but the bigger win is probably the time you saved not having to untangle a junk contract later. I swear half the battle with these cheap templates is just figuring out what they leave out before it bites you.

sandra_moore301d ago

LawDepot picking your specific trade is a game changer (for real). Those generic templates are a total trap.