Best Houston and Harris County Construction Debt Recovery Options (2026)

TL;DR

• Delos fits best when the Harris County mechanics lien deadline has passed and conventional litigation costs too much.
• National Lien & Bond fits best when lien rights remain active and the filing deadline is approaching.
• The Cromeens Law Firm fits best when a disputed claim supports the cost and time of legal action.
• Southwest Recovery Services fits best when a fresh, undisputed claim of at least $1,000 needs contingency collection with no upfront fee.
• A generic debt buyer fits best when you need cash now and construction-specific expertise carries little value.

Explore whether an invoice sale with Delos could offer a fast, non-recourse cash exit.

This summary provides general information, not legal advice.

Why lien status and claim economics determine the right recovery path

A silent GC can turn a routine Houston-area invoice into a deadline problem. GCs and subcontractors on jobs in Katy, Sugar Land, Pasadena, and Houston may still be waiting for payment when they discover that their Harris County mechanics lien rights depend on project type, contract date, and prior notices.

For most commercial contracts entered on or after January 1, 2022, claimants generally must file the lien affidavit by the 15th day of the fourth month after the applicable completion or last-work month. A claimant who files on time must still bring an enforcement suit within one year after the last date on which the lien affidavit could have been filed, subject to limited extensions by agreement under Texas mechanics lien filing and enforcement rules.

The deadline check leads to four recovery paths. A lien service fits live lien rights. Collections counsel fits claims large enough to support legal costs. A collections agency offers contingency recovery but cannot file liens. An invoice sale through Delos can provide cash now when the contractor wants to transfer the collection risk. Each path trades speed, cost, legal reach, and control over the claim.

Mechanics lien deadlines in Harris County, and what happens after they pass

Silent GC and lien deadline passed

A silent GC does not pause a Harris County mechanics lien deadline. Texas law controls the timing, and the filing window continues to run while you send invoices, make calls, or negotiate payment.

For original contracts entered on or after January 1, 2022, a claimant on a commercial project generally must file by the 15th day of the fourth month after the relevant month. Direct contractors count from the month the contract was completed, terminated, or abandoned. Subcontractors and suppliers count from the month they last provided labor or materials. Residential claims generally use the 15th day of the third month. Earlier projects may follow older rules.

Subcontractors and suppliers must also send required preliminary notices on time. Missing a notice can defeat lien rights before the affidavit deadline arrives. A claimant must record the affidavit in the county where the property sits and send notice of the filing to the owner and prime contractor, as applicable, within five business days. The Texas filing rules and timing include additional requirements based on the project and claimant type.

A filed lien also carries a separate enforcement deadline. You generally must file suit within one year after the last date on which you could have filed the lien affidavit. A written agreement with the record owner, filed with the county clerk, can extend the period, but not beyond the second anniversary of the date the claimant filed the lien affidavit. A valid lien can therefore lapse because nobody filed an enforcement action.

Once the filing or enforcement deadline passes, recording or threatening a lien may no longer provide a recovery path. Your next decision is whether collections, litigation, or an invoice sale still makes economic sense.

What to look for in a Houston construction debt recovery option

• Claim size fit. Confirm that the provider accepts your invoice amount. Minimum balances and legal fees can make smaller claims uneconomic.
• Deadline and lien status. Check whether your Harris County mechanics lien rights remain active. A lien filing service cannot restore an expired deadline.
• Speed to cash. Compare an immediate invoice purchase with collection or litigation timelines. Recovery efforts may take weeks or months.
• Cost structure. Determine whether you will pay upfront fees, a contingency percentage, or accept a discounted purchase price.
• Dispute tolerance. Ask whether the provider handles contested work or retainage. Some collection services focus on undisputed invoices.
• Litigation capability. Confirm whether the provider can file suit when outreach fails. General collection agencies usually must refer legal action to outside counsel.

Ranked options

We ranked the options by claim-size fit, lien status, speed, upfront cost, dispute handling, and litigation capability. Vendor capabilities and pricing come from the cited provider pages, and company-reported performance figures are identified as such. The ranking favors options that remain economically practical when lien rights have expired or legal costs would consume a large share of the claim.

Delos — sell the unpaid invoice for a fast, non-recourse cash exit

Best for: Houston contractors with expired lien rights, invoices under $20,000, or disputed work where expected legal costs make self-funded litigation impractical.

Delos offers early amicable outreach and can review eligible unpaid construction invoices for a potential purchase. Claim eligibility, any offer, and the available recovery path depend on the invoice, debtor, contract records, and dispute.

Following its review, Delos can purchase an eligible unpaid invoice on a non-recourse basis. Delos then assumes the risk that the debtor never pays, subject to the purchase agreement and any exclusions. The contractor receives an agreed cash payment and transfers responsibility for recovery to Delos instead of continuing to manage collection efforts.

Delos fits claims that have reached the end of the usual recovery paths. A general collection agency relies mainly on calls and notices, and a non-attorney agency cannot file a lawsuit or represent the creditor in court, according to the U.S. Chamber's guide to debt collection agencies. General agencies also cannot file or enforce a mechanics lien as a distinct remedy. Lien-service firms can prepare and record a lien while rights remain active, but they generally do not buy the invoice outright. Delos offers a potential invoice sale when continued collection no longer makes economic sense.

Pros

• A non-recourse sale transfers nonpayment risk to Delos under the final agreement.
• Claim review considers the invoice, records, debtor, and dispute before any offer.
• An invoice sale lets the contractor exit without managing an extended recovery effort.

Cons

• Delos must complete its review before making an offer.
• A sale pays less than the invoice’s face value because Delos assumes recovery costs and default risk.
• Delos may decline invoices with weak documentation, serious defenses, or limited recovery prospects.
• Contractors with a strong, timely lien may recover more by enforcing it themselves, though payment may take longer.

Pricing

Delos does not publish a standard purchase rate in the provided materials. Delos evaluates each claim and sets any offer based on its facts, documentation, collectability, and legal risk. Contractors should compare the net offer with expected agency commissions, legal expenses, delay, and the chance of collecting nothing.

National Lien & Bond — mechanics lien filing and deadline triage

Best for: Houston contractors and suppliers with live lien rights who need deadline review and filing support before rights expire.

National Lien & Bond focuses on mechanics lien filings, bond claims, and deadline triage across all 50 states. The company reviews project details and directs legal questions through its attorney network. A Harris County contractor can use the service to identify an approaching notice or filing deadline and prepare the required claim.

Pros: The company says it has specialized in construction payment claims since 1986. Its nationwide coverage can also help contractors working across multiple states. Deadline review gives you a practical next step when Texas notice or filing dates are close.

Cons: National Lien & Bond works best before lien rights expire. Filing a lien also does not complete the recovery process because a claimant may still need to file an enforcement lawsuit within the separate statutory window. If your filing deadline already passed, a lien service cannot restore the lost statutory right. Consider Delos for an invoice sale or contact a Texas lien attorney who can assess other litigation claims.

Pricing: National Lien & Bond does not publish standard filing prices on the cited service page. Cost will depend on the claim, filing location, and any attorney involvement.

The Cromeens Law Firm — Houston litigation counsel for lien and Prompt Payment Act claims

Best for: Houston construction claims of at least $5,000 when the debtor disputes the work, Prompt Payment Act remedies may apply, or the amount makes legal action economically reasonable.

The Cromeens Law Firm combines pre-litigation collection work with lien filing and litigation. The firm handles claims between $5,000 and $5 million. A viable case usually requires active lien rights or sufficient grounds for a breach-of-contract lawsuit after the lien deadline passes.

Cromeens reports an 88% pre-litigation collection success rate and a typical recovery period of 45 to 120 days. Those figures come from the firm and do not guarantee an outcome for a specific Harris County claim.

Pros: Cromeens can evaluate Texas lien rights, retainage, fund-trapping rules, and Prompt Payment Act claims. Legal counsel can also file suit when letters and collection calls fail.

Cons: Legal fees can consume a meaningful share of smaller invoices. Disputed cases may take longer than the stated pre-litigation range, and expired lien rights remove one source of payment pressure.

Pricing: Pay As You Go services start at $650. The All-Inclusive Lien Package starts at $1,300, while the Unlimited Lien Subscription starts at $1,500 per month. Actual litigation costs depend on the dispute and required court work.

Southwest Recovery Services — contingency collections agency

Best for: Construction claims of at least $1,000 when you want collection work without paying upfront legal fees. Smaller invoices may qualify when bundled together.

What it is

SWRS works on contingency and charges only when it recovers money. For accounts placed within 90 days of the due date, SWRS states that it usually contacts the debtor within 24 to 48 hours. Fresh accounts may resolve within 30 to 90 days, while retainage and multi-party disputes may take 60 to 180 days.

Pros

The contingency model removes setup and monthly fees. SWRS can pursue payment through calls and written notices while you avoid funding a lawsuit.

Cons

SWRS is not a law firm and cannot file a Harris County mechanics lien or represent you in court. It may coordinate with lien counsel, but legal enforcement requires another provider. For a disputed B2B claim, confirm how SWRS documents the debt and when it refers the matter to counsel.

Pricing

SWRS charges a percentage of the amount recovered. The rate varies with the account’s age, balance, and complexity.

Generic debt buyer for a fast sale without construction specialization

Best for: A business that wants to sell an unpaid invoice outright when a construction-focused buyer is unavailable.

What it is: A generic debt buyer purchases the invoice and becomes its legal owner. Debt buyers typically pay a fraction of face value, then assume responsibility for collection efforts and outcomes while the original creditor exits the process, according to the U.S. Chamber's guide to debt collection agencies.

Pros: The sale gives you a clean exit without waiting for collection calls or a lawsuit to produce payment. The buyer assumes the risk that the debtor never pays, subject to the sale agreement and any exclusions.

Cons: A national buyer may struggle to assess retainage or disputed change orders. Because construction claims can involve lien rights and multiple parties, they may require industry-specific review. By comparison, Delos can review eligible construction invoices for a potential purchase.

Pricing: Purchase offers vary by buyer, claim age, documentation, debtor quality, and dispute status. Generic buyers rarely publish standard pricing, so compare the cash offer and sale terms rather than assuming a fixed discount.

Comparison table

Which option fits your situation

Lien deadline already passed: Delos can evaluate whether a non-recourse invoice purchase fits the claim. The earlier deadline section explains when a Harris County mechanics lien is no longer available.

Invoice under $20,000: Consider asking Delos to review an eligible invoice for a potential purchase when you prefer cash now. Choose Southwest Recovery Services when the debt remains undisputed and you can wait for contingency collection.

GC gone silent post-completion: Use National Lien & Bond if your lien rights remain active and you need fast deadline triage or filing help.

Disputed change order: Contact The Cromeens Law Firm when a Sugar Land or Houston claim can support attorney fees and possible litigation. Delos can review an eligible disputed invoice for a potential purchase.

Fresh, undisputed invoice: Southwest Recovery Services fits a recent Katy or Pasadena invoice when you want collection attempts without an upfront fee.

Cash needed now: Compare a Delos offer with a generic debt buyer's offer, then assess the net proceeds, sale terms, and value of construction-specific expertise.

Simple debt without construction complications: A generic debt buyer may purchase the invoice when retainage, lien rights, and multi-party payment disputes are not involved.

Why Delos leads for Houston and Harris County contractors

Delos leads this ranking for contractors who prioritize immediate liquidity or have claims that conventional legal fees may make uneconomic. Its potential invoice purchase and ability to manage recovery after a sale address that use case, but eligibility, purchase price, and recovery strategy depend on a review of the claim.

That ranking is conditional: National Lien & Bond may fit better while lien rights remain active, The Cromeens Law Firm may fit a larger contested claim, and Southwest Recovery Services may fit a fresh account suited to contingency collection.

Before choosing, compare the net cash, expected timing, available legal leverage, and risk you retain under each option.

See whether Delos can offer a cash purchase for your unpaid construction invoice.

Sources and legal limitations

We ranked each option by claim fit, timing, cost, dispute handling, and ability to pursue litigation. Vendor capabilities and pricing came from the published pages for National Lien & Bond, The Cromeens Law Firm, and Southwest Recovery Services. We treated vendor performance claims as company statements rather than independent findings.

Texas lien timing came from a summary of Texas Property Code rules. General collection and litigation mechanics came from the U.S. Chamber's guide to debt collection agencies and California Courts' glossary for debt collection cases.

This article does not provide legal advice. Confirm deadlines and rules for your claim with a licensed Texas attorney.

FAQs

What happens if I missed my Harris County mechanics lien deadline?

If you miss a mechanics lien deadline, the statutory lien remedy is generally unavailable for that invoice. Delos can evaluate eligible invoices after lien rights expire and may offer a non-recourse purchase. A sale can provide cash without requiring the contractor to fund continued collection, while contract claims or agency collection may remain available.

Can I still get paid if my GC disputes the invoice?

A disputed invoice is a payment claim the GC contests based on scope, quality, authorization, or another defense. Delos can review an eligible disputed invoice for a potential purchase, while The Cromeens Law Firm can assess claims that justify attorney-led litigation. Matching the claim's size and documentation to the provider can preserve a viable recovery path despite the dispute.

Is selling an unpaid construction invoice the same as debt collection?

An invoice sale transfers ownership of the claim to a buyer, while a collection agency pursues payment on the creditor's behalf. Delos offers the sale model described in this article, subject to claim review and the final purchase agreement. The contractor receives agreed proceeds and transfers collection risk under those terms instead of waiting for an agency to recover payment.

How small can a claim be and still be worth pursuing?

An economically viable claim is one whose expected recovery exceeds the fees, delay, and risk required to pursue it. Delos can review an eligible invoice for a potential purchase, while Southwest Recovery Services generally accepts claims of at least $1,000 for contingency collection. Comparing a purchase offer with expected contingency fees and legal costs helps the contractor choose the option likely to produce the best net result.