For the purpose of this chapter, the following words have the following meanings:

(1) CONTRACTOR. Any person, individual, firm, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity who contracts with an owner to improve real property or perform construction services for an owner.

Terms Used In Alabama Code 8-29-1

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • following: means next after. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • property: includes both real and personal property. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • real property: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(2) IMPROVE. To build, effect, alter, repair, or demolish any improvements upon, connected with, or on, or beneath the surface of any real property; to excavate, clear, grade, fill, landscape any real property; to construct driveways and roadways; to furnish materials, including trees and shrubbery, for any of these purposes; or to perform any labor upon these improvements.
(3) IMPROVEMENT. All or any part of any building, structure, erection, alteration, demolition, excavation, clearing, grading, filling, or landscaping, including trees and shrubbery, driveways, and roadways on real property.
(4) OWNER. Any person, individual, firm, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity who has an interest in the real property improved and for whom an improvement is made, who either directly or by agent ordered the improvement to be made.
(5) REAL PROPERTY. The real estate that is improved, including lands, leaseholds, tenements, and improvements placed on the real property.
(6) SUBCONTRACTOR. Any person, individual, firm, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity who has contracted to furnish labor or materials to, or has performed labor or supplied materials for a contractor in connection with a contract to improve real property.
(7) SUB-SUBCONTRACTOR. Any person, individual, firm, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity who has contracted to furnish labor or materials to, or has performed labor or supplied materials for a subcontractor in connection with a contract to improve real property.