(1) Before the commencement of any improvements to real property, the owner or lessee contracting for the improvements shall record in the office of the register of deeds for each county in which the real property to be improved is located a notice of commencement, in the form set forth in this section. If all improvements relate to a single project only 1 notice of commencement need be recorded. A subsequent notice of commencement need not be recorded for an improvement to real property that currently has a notice of commencement recorded in the office of the register of deeds if the recorded notice of commencement contains the same information as the subsequent notice of commencement.

  (2) A notice of commencement required under this section must contain the following information:

  (a) The legal description of the real property on which the improvement is to be made. A description that conforms to section 212 or 255 of the land division act, 1967 PA 288, MCL 560.212 and 560.255, is a sufficient legal description.

  (b) The name, address, and capacity of the owner or lessee of the real property contracting for the improvement.

  (c) The name and address of the fee owner of the real property, if the person contracting for the improvement is a land contract vendee or lessee.

  (d) The name and address of the owner’s or lessee’s designee.

  (e) The name and address of the general contractor, if any.

  (f) The following statement:

  “To lien claimants and subsequent purchasers:

  Take notice that work is about to commence on an improvement to the real property described in this instrument. A person that has a construction lien may preserve the lien by providing a notice of furnishing to the designee named above and the general contractor, if any, and by timely recording a claim of lien, in accordance with law.

  A person that has a construction lien because of work performed on this improvement should refer to the name of the owner or lessee and the legal description that appears in this notice. A person that subsequently acquires an interest in the land described is not required to be named in a claim of lien.

  A copy of this notice with an attached form for notice of furnishing may be obtained by making a written request by certified mail to the owner or lessee named above; the designee; or the person with whom you have contracted.”

  (g) The name and address of the person preparing the notice.

  (h) An affidavit of the owner or lessee or the agent of the owner or lessee that verifies the notice.

  (3) A copy of a notice of commencement required under this section must have a blank notice of furnishing as described in section 109 attached to it. The blank notice of furnishing must be easily detachable from the copy of the notice and need not be recorded.

  (4) Incorrect information contained in a notice of commencement furnished by or for an owner or lessee does not affect adversely the rights of a lien claimant as against the property of the owner or lessee.

  (5) An owner, lessee, or designee required to record a notice of commencement under this section, within 10 days after the date of mailing of a written request by certified mail from a subcontractor, supplier, or laborer, shall provide a copy of the notice of commencement, with an attached blank notice of furnishing form, to the subcontractor, supplier, or laborer.

  (6) A contractor who has been provided with a notice of commencement from an owner, lessee, or designee, within 10 days after the date of mailing of a written request by certified mail from a subcontractor, supplier, or laborer who has a direct contract with the contractor, shall provide a copy of the notice of commencement, with an attached blank notice of furnishing form, to the subcontractor, supplier, or laborer.

  (7) A subcontractor who has been provided with a notice of commencement from an owner, lessee, designee, contractor, or subcontractor, within 10 days after the date of mailing of a written request by certified mail from a subcontractor, supplier, or laborer who has a direct contract with the subcontractor, shall provide a copy of the notice of commencement, with an attached blank notice of furnishing form, to the requesting subcontractor, supplier, or laborer.

  (8) An owner, lessee, or designee required to record a notice of commencement under this section shall post and keep posted a copy of the notice of commencement in a conspicuous place on the real property described in the notice during the course of the improvement to the real property.

  (9) An owner, lessee, or designee required to record a notice of commencement under this section shall provide a copy of the notice of commencement to the general contractor, if any. An owner, lessee, or designee that fails to provide the notice of commencement to the general contractor is liable to the general contractor for all actual expenses sustained by the general contractor in obtaining the information otherwise provided by the notice of commencement.

  (10) Failure of an owner, lessee, or designee to record a notice of commencement as required by this section extends the time within which a subcontractor or supplier may provide a notice of furnishing, as described in section 109, until 20 days after the notice of commencement has been recorded.

  (11) Failure of an owner, lessee, or designee to provide, on written request, a notice of commencement as required by this section extends the time within which a subcontractor or supplier may provide a notice of furnishing, as described in section 109, until 20 days after the notice of commencement actually has been furnished to the subcontractor or supplier.

  (12) Failure of an owner, lessee, or designee to record a notice of commencement as required by this section extends the time within which a laborer may provide a notice of furnishing, as described in section 109, until 30 days after the notice of commencement has been recorded, or until the time in which to provide the notice of furnishing in accordance with section 109 expires, whichever is later.

  (13) Failure of an owner, lessee, or designee to provide a notice of commencement as required by this section extends the time within which a laborer may provide a notice of furnishing, as described in section 109, until 30 days after the notice of commencement has been provided, or until the time in which to provide the notice of furnishing in accordance with section 109 expires, whichever is later.

  (14) An owner, lessee, or designee that fails to post or keep posted a copy of a notice of commencement as required by subsection (8) is liable to a subcontractor, supplier, or laborer who becomes a lien claimant for all actual expenses sustained by the lien claimant in obtaining the information otherwise provided by the posting.

  (15) A contractor who has been provided with a notice of commencement from an owner, lessee, or designee, who fails to provide the notice of commencement on the request of a lien claimant who has a direct contract with the contractor for an improvement to the property is liable to the lien claimant for all actual expenses sustained by the lien claimant in obtaining the information otherwise provided by the notice of commencement.

  (16) A subcontractor who has been provided with a notice of commencement from an owner, lessee, designee, contractor, or subcontractor who fails to provide the notice of commencement on the request of a subcontractor, supplier, or laborer who has a direct contract with the subcontractor is liable to the requesting subcontractor, supplier, or laborer for all actual expenses sustained by the subcontractor, supplier, or laborer in obtaining the information otherwise provided by the notice of commencement.

  (17) If the owner, lessee, or designee fails to provide, record, and post the notice of commencement as provided in this act and if, after the first improvement, the contractor by certified mail makes a written request to the owner, lessee, or designee to provide, record, and post the notice of commencement and the owner, lessee, or designee fails within 10 days after receipt of the request to do so, the owner or lessee is barred from requiring the contractor to hold the owner or lessee harmless from the lien of a lien claimant to the extent the lien could have otherwise been avoided through proper payment had the request been complied with. If the contractor pays a valid lien claim at the direction of the owner, lessee, or designee after the owner, lessee, or designee has failed to comply with this section, the owner or lessee is liable to the contractor to the extent the lien could have otherwise been avoided through proper payment had the request been complied with. This subsection does not apply if the name of the lien claimant appears on a sworn statement provided to the contractor and the claim of the lien claimant could have been avoided had payment been made in accordance with the sworn statement.

  (18) This section does not apply to an improvement to a residential structure.