{"id":906031,"date":"2026-08-20T16:20:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T22:20:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/?p=906031"},"modified":"2026-08-20T16:20:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T22:20:12","slug":"mediation-hidden-cost-of-waiting-too-long","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/mediation-hidden-cost-of-waiting-too-long\/","title":{"rendered":"The Hidden Cost of Waiting Too Long to Mediate Construction Claims"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Randy Hafer | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jamsadr.com\/insight\/2026\/the-hidden-cost-of-waiting-too-long-to-mediate-construction-claims\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">JAMS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Early resolution is key to managing complex construction disputes, and mediation provides an efficient, cost-effective way to achieve that objective.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Building information modeling, artificial intelligence, project management software, digital platforms and robotics have improved efficiency and precision in design, construction and claims management. At the same time, workforce shortages, skills gaps, supply chain disruptions, price volatility, regulatory delays and geopolitical uncertainty continue to make claims and disputes a fact of life in the construction industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Real Cost of Delayed Resolution<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is that the vast majority of commercial disputes, including construction disputes, are resolved before completion of a trial or arbitration. The bad news is that resolution often comes very late in the process, after significant attorneys\u2019 fees, arbitration or litigation costs and fees, expert fees, document production and management expenses, and other discovery costs have been incurred. Settlement on the courthouse steps is all too common, but it comes at a considerable cost\u2014and not just in dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Delayed resolution can mean:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Escalating attorney, expert and other claims-related costs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>More time diverted from core business responsibilities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Greater potential for increased hostility and negative impacts on current and future business relationships<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lingering uncertainty affecting business and financial operations and planning<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gradual loss of the opportunity to be involved in the ultimate resolution of the dispute<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Early Mediation Can Help<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/early-mediation-of-insurance-coverage-disputes\/\">Early mediation<\/a> can help avoid these potential costs by giving principals a chance to address the issues openly in a confidential and less contentious environment. When used early in the life of a dispute, mediation can prevent the matter from taking on a lengthy and expensive life of its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In addition to potentially significant savings in time, money and relationships, early mediation can:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Help parties assess whether settlement is in their best interest compared with continued litigation or arbitration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Allow parties to evaluate, with the help of the mediator, the risks associated with their positions, alternatives to litigation, and the possible outcomes and costs of continued litigation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identify and address potential obstacles to settlement before they escalate and the parties become entrenched<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Give principals a meaningful role in crafting a resolution of their own making before control of the outcome is ceded to a third-party decision-maker<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Mediation Before Full Discovery<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Parties and their counsel may not consider early mediation, opting instead to pursue discovery and motion practice through the litigation or arbitration process as a prerequisite of sorts to settlement discussions. The fact is, mediation can be\u2014and very often is\u2014successful in resolving a dispute or narrowing the issues without extensive, time-consuming and expensive discovery and motion practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If a party needs certain key information to properly evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the case and any settlement position or offer, the mediator can help facilitate a collaborative exchange of crucial information in advance of mediation day. In addition, under the veil of confidentiality and with the mediator\u2019s guidance, parties may gain insight into perceptions, priorities and practical concerns that formal discovery may not reveal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Returning Focus to the Business<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Construction is a tough business. Risk is inherent in the process, and margins are thin. Claims and disputes deplete resources, create uncertainty and disrupt business operations. Mediation can help reduce that uncertainty and disruption efficiently. The earlier the mediator is engaged, the greater the potential savings and the sooner parties can return their focus to the work they do best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>When one of your cases is in need of a construction expert, estimates, insurance appraisal or umpire services in defect or insurance disputes &#8211; please call Advise &amp; Consult, Inc. at 801.641.8304, or email <a href=\"mailto:experts@adviseandconsult.net\">experts@adviseandconsult.net<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Randy Hafer | JAMS Early resolution is key to managing complex construction disputes, and mediation provides an efficient, cost-effective way to achieve that objective.&nbsp; Building information modeling, artificial intelligence, project management software, digital platforms and robotics have improved efficiency and precision in design, construction and claims management. At the same time, workforce shortages, skills gaps,&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/mediation-hidden-cost-of-waiting-too-long\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">The Hidden Cost of Waiting Too Long to Mediate Construction Claims<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[13],"tags":[9895,79],"class_list":["post-906031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mediation","tag-advise-consult","tag-mediation-2","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Hidden Cost of Waiting Too Long to Mediate Construction Claims - Advise &amp; 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