AITA for putting a lien on my brother’s house and refusing to remove it until he pays me?

Venus Hours
Comments 0 Comments

Picture a basement transformed into a cozy suite—new rooms, a shiny bathroom, and a sleek kitchenette, all crafted with care. A Reddit user, a contractor by trade, poured $32,000 into his brother’s home, expecting payment for the discounted work.

But when his brother dodged the bill for two years, a legal lien became the ultimate wake-up call. Now, with a house sale on the line, the contractor’s “pay me” stance has sparked a family feud that’s got Reddit cheering. Is he the bad guy, or just a savvy sibling?

‘AITA for putting a lien on my brother’s house and refusing to remove it until he pays me?’

I do house renovations as a business. Even when I do work for family and friends at a discount I have a contract. My nephews are getting bigger and they want seperate rooms. My brother asked me to help him finish his basement, make a couple of rooms down there, add a washroom, add a kitchenette, and wire up a family room. I priced it out and said I would charge him $32,000 including materials.

This was a sizeable discount. The bathroom alone I would charge anyone else 15,000. His wasn't even roughed in. He never paid me. He always had excuses. I paid for the material and I paid my guys for the work. We did it when I had downtime so I didn't lose out on other money but it still sucked to get shafted. So I put a construction lien on the house.

He didn't care and I wasn't going to make him homeless. That was two years ago. Now he got a new job and has to move. And to get a new house he has to sell his current house. Which he can't do because their is a lien against the property. He called me to get me to remove it. He promised he would pay me as soon as it sold. I told him

My parents called me to tell me that they would pay what he owes. I said I would agree so long as he paid them back and if he didn't then any money he didn't pay back had to come out of any inheritance we were getting, god forbid. And that interest started accruing from the day of the

My brother called me to scream at me for involving my parents and out inheritance. I reminded him that he involved them not me.. He finally took money out from a line of credit and paid me. With interest. I'm a reasonable man.. The house sold over asking and the finished basement suite made a huge difference on what he got.. He is still pissed at me for doing it but I did everything legal and by the books.

Family and business mix like sawdust and glue—sticky and messy. The Reddit user’s lien on his brother’s house was a bold move to secure payment for $32,000 in renovations. Attorney David Reischer, an expert in real estate law, explains, “A construction lien protects contractors by ensuring payment for work done, especially when disputes arise” (LegalMatch). The contractor’s insistence on payment, even from family, was legally sound and professionally prudent.

The brother’s refusal to pay, despite excuses, shows entitlement, expecting free work because of their bond. The contractor’s discount—$32,000 for extensive renovations—was already generous; industry standards peg a new bathroom alone at $15,000-$20,000 (HomeAdvisor, 2023). His brother’s anger at the lien ignores the real issue: he profited from the upgraded home’s sale. This case highlights a broader problem—family often undervalues professional services, assuming favors are owed.

Advice: Always use contracts, even with relatives, and enforce payment terms early. The contractor’s solution—accepting parental payment with inheritance conditions—was fair but escalated tension.

Heres what people had to say to OP:

Reddit swung their hammers on this one, and the verdict’s loud and clear—grab your toolbelt for these takes:

Far_Information_9613 − NTA. Who thinks you are besides him?

ReviewOk929 − NTA Bro seems like he was trying to get it for free and never would have paid you unless you forced the issue.

Specific_Anxiety_343 − NTA. You were smart to put a lien in place. I don’t know why all these people are mad at you. It’s business. And it’s none of their business

latents − He promised he would pay me as soon as it sold. I told him

The only reason that I can see for him getting upset about making rules about having to pay it back out of his portion of the inheritance is because it would have stayed an outstanding debt forever. He had no intention whatsoever to pay you from the sale money.. You did what was fair and he’s upset that he couldn’t cheat you.. NTA

No_Lavishness_3206 − NTA. He was never going to pay you once he sold his house and moved away. He played himself. 

OnlymyOP − NTA $32k is alot of money, family or not.

Turbulent-Oven-9191 − NTA but wow your brother has some balls. Give me 30K+ in renovations so I can stiff you. Damn people cut others out for less.

NanaLeonie − NTA. I’m so sorry your brother would have shafted you without a second thought or a backward glance.

ParisianFrawnchFry − NTA. He can sell it with the lien, you will get paid out of the proceeds at closing. If you remove the lien, you won't. $32K for that amount of work is really good. Do you need a sister? I swear I pay my debts!

TrooperXYZ − NTA, but where is this?  Why not just pay it off as part of the closing process during the escrow?

These Reddit blueprints are solid, but do they build a case for fairness or just nail the drama? One thing’s certain: this lien story’s got everyone talking shop.

This contractor’s lien locked down more than just a house—it exposed the cracks in family trust when money’s on the line. The Reddit user stood firm, proving business isn’t personal, even with siblings. But where’s the line between protecting your work and sparking a feud? Have you ever had to play hardball with family over unpaid debts? Hammer out your thoughts below—what would you do in this renovation ruckus?

Share this post

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *