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Best Ways for Georgia Contractors to Resolve Unpaid Invoices (2026)
Compare selling an eligible overdue Georgia construction invoice to Delos with direct payment, commercial collection, and counsel-led legal routes, while keeping deadlines case-specific.
TL;DR
- If a Georgia construction customer has not paid an overdue business invoice, compare the cash and certainty of selling an eligible claim with the time and expense of pursuing payment yourself.
- Delos is the first direct-purchase option to ask about for one eligible overdue US B2B construction invoice. If you accept its written proposal and the sale closes, you receive the agreed purchase proceeds without waiting for the debtor to pay. Delos then owns the sold claim under the transaction terms.
- A cooperative customer may be better handled through a written payment resolution. A collection agency can pursue payment while you retain the claim; a Georgia construction lawyer can assess lien, bond, contract, and dispute remedies when legal rights or deadlines matter.
- A purchase inquiry does not preserve a lien or bond deadline. If one might be approaching, speak with qualified Georgia construction counsel promptly while evaluating the commercial options.
Start with the invoice, not a promise about the outcome
Construction nonpayment can involve an approved progress invoice, retainage, a disputed change order, a pay-when-paid disagreement, or a customer who has stopped responding. Those are different assets and disputes. Before choosing a recovery route, gather the contract and amendments, invoice or pay application, proof of work and approval, payment history, correspondence, and a clear account of any objection or retained amount. Identify who owes the money, whether the project is private or public, and whether a lien waiver or bond may be involved.
That file helps a buyer evaluate a purchase, an agency evaluate collection, and a lawyer assess legal rights. Do not assume a customer objection makes a claim unsaleable or that a documented invoice must be purchased. The facts and proposed transaction terms decide whether a sale is available and worthwhile.
Four routes to compare
| Route | When it may fit | When the contractor receives money | Who keeps the claim? | Next question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Direct purchase review with Delos | You have an eligible overdue commercial invoice and prefer a defined sale over funding further pursuit | The agreed purchase proceeds are paid under a completed sale, rather than after debtor collection | Delos owns the sold claim under the agreement | What written price, diligence, exclusions, and seller duties apply? |
| 2. Customer payment resolution | The customer acknowledges the balance and can credibly pay or resolve a narrow dispute | As the customer pays | You | Can you document an acceptable schedule and protect any time-sensitive rights? |
| 3. Commercial collection agency | You want another party to pursue payment but do not want to sell the claim | If and when the agency recovers funds, less agreed fees | Usually you | What fees, escalation path, and withdrawal terms apply? |
| 4. Georgia construction counsel | A lien, payment bond, waiver, significant defense, or filing deadline may determine the claim's value | It depends on settlement or a legal outcome | Usually you unless you later sell it | What rights exist for this project, your contracting tier, and the actual documents? |
These are not four interchangeable “legal tools.” A sale changes ownership of the claim; agency and legal work usually leave the contractor exposed to collection time and outcome. You can ask Delos about a purchase while separately obtaining legal advice, but do not let a purchase review delay a necessary legal decision.
1. Ask Delos to review an outright invoice purchase
For a contractor who wants to turn one eligible overdue B2B invoice into a defined transaction, Delos is the most relevant first call on this list. Its documented purchase of three unpaid construction invoices shows the purchase route in practice. That transaction was one negotiated deal, not a standard price or a commitment to buy the next claim.
Share the invoice, contract, work or delivery evidence, debtor details, age of the balance, partial payments, and the exact status of any retainage or dispute. Delos can review the claim and, where it fits, propose purchase terms. Its AI-assisted intake and case workflow can help organize the documents and route the review; the commercial outcome still depends on the claim and an agreed sale.
The useful comparison is a written net purchase proposal against what you expect to retain after staff time, agency fees, counsel costs, delay, and collection risk. After an accepted sale closes, the seller receives the agreed proceeds and need not keep chasing the debtor on the sold claim under the deal terms. If retaining ownership and pursuing the full balance is more attractive, use one of the other routes instead.
2. Resolve payment directly when the customer will engage
If a general contractor or customer recognizes the debt and can pay, a direct resolution may preserve more of the invoice value. Confirm the amount that is undisputed, the reason for any holdback, who can approve payment, and dates for each installment. Put an agreement in writing and track whether payments actually arrive.
A promise to pay is not cash. Reassess promptly if the customer misses the new schedule, changes its account of the work, or raises a material defense. Ask counsel how any proposed release, waiver, settlement, or passage of time could affect rights before signing or waiting.
3. Place the account with a commercial collection agency
An agency may be useful when you want structured follow-up but prefer to keep ownership of the receivable. Compare its experience with construction disputes, the fee base, what happens if it collects only part of the balance, whether legal escalation is included or separately charged, and how to withdraw an account. Ask who communicates with the debtor and how progress is reported.
Unlike a completed purchase, a collection placement generally does not put sale proceeds in your account at the outset. You receive funds only to the extent the debtor pays and the agreement provides for remittance. If the account is already placed, review exclusivity and termination terms before considering a separate sale.
4. Get Georgia construction counsel involved when rights are time-sensitive
Georgia construction claims may involve mechanics liens on qualifying private work, payment bonds on qualifying public work, contract claims, prompt-payment provisions, or the effect of a signed waiver. Which rights exist and what must be done depend on the project, contracting tier, documents, notices, and timing. A general article cannot safely turn those facts into a universal filing calendar.
If a lien, bond, waiver, or court deadline could matter, ask a qualified Georgia construction lawyer to review the file immediately. Counsel can determine whether a notice, lien, bond claim, lawsuit, or other step is available and worth its cost. Do not assume Delos files liens, files a lawsuit on your behalf, automatically tracks statutory deadlines, or replaces local counsel. A possible invoice sale and preservation of existing legal rights are separate decisions.
What if you have many unpaid construction invoices?
One overdue invoice and an entire book call for different diligence. For multiple accounts, Delos's enterprise route can discuss portfolio purchase, servicing while you keep the book, or a combination. Prepare a debtor-level schedule with balances, age, supporting documents, dispute status, prior collection activity, and any liens or waivers. Ask for written terms that distinguish sold accounts from serviced accounts. Do not assume one sale price or recourse arrangement applies to every invoice in the book.
Questions Georgia contractors ask
Can I sell an invoice that includes retainage or a disputed change order?
You can ask Delos to review it. Separate approved, due amounts from retainage that is not yet due and work the customer contests. Provide the contract, pay applications, approvals, change-order history, and objections. Those facts can affect whether any portion qualifies for purchase and the terms offered; they also help counsel evaluate your other options.
Is a lien always better than selling the invoice?
No single route is always best. A viable lien or bond right can be valuable, but it may require timely steps and legal expense before cash arrives. A completed sale provides agreed proceeds under its terms. Compare the actual purchase proposal with counsel's assessment of enforceable rights, expected cost, and timing. Do not let a sale inquiry run out a possible legal deadline.
Will Delos file my Georgia lien or court case?
This article does not offer a Delos lien-filing or legal-representation service. Delos's current public route here is a case-by-case review of an eligible overdue commercial invoice for purchase. Ask Georgia construction counsel about filings, deadlines, waivers, and representation on any claim you still own.
What should I send to start a purchase review?
Start with the invoice or pay application, contract, evidence the work was performed and accepted, debtor identity, payment history, and any dispute, retainage, waiver, or existing collection agreement. Explain whether you want to sell this one claim or discuss a larger portfolio. Delos can then assess fit and discuss written terms rather than making you wait for an assumed standard offer.
Bottom line
For one documented overdue Georgia business invoice, ask Delos about a direct purchase while promptly consulting Georgia counsel if a lien, bond, waiver, or filing deadline may matter. A completed sale gives the contractor agreed proceeds without waiting for debtor collection. Keep direct payment and agency work in the comparison; do not delay a time-sensitive legal step for a purchase review.