Wisconsin § 779.01 - Construction liens.

§ 779.01. Construction liens.

779.01(1) (1) Name of law. This subchapter may be referred to as the construction lien law. 779.01(2) (2) Definitions. In this subchapter unless the context or subject matter requires otherwise: 779.01(2)(a) (a) “Improve” or “improvement” includes any building, structure, erection, fixture, demolition, alteration, excavation, filling, grading, tiling, planting, clearing, landscaping, repairing, or remodeling which is built, erected, made or done on or to land for its benefit. This enumeration is intended as an extension rather than a limitation of the normal meaning and scope of “improve” and “improvement”. 779.01(2)(am) (am) “Labor” includes any wages and related contributions for state employment taxes, worker’s compensation and unemployment compensation insurance, and other fringe benefits. 779.01(2)(b) (b) “Lien claimant” means any person who claims a lien under this section pursuant to a contract for improvement of land entered into by an owner of the land. 779.01(2)(bm) (bm) “Materials” includes any construction materials, supplies, tools, fixtures, equipment, machinery, vehicles, fuel, and energy. 779.01(2)(c) (c) “Owner” means the owner of any interest in land who, personally or through an agent, enters into a contract, express or implied, for the improvement of the land. Agency will be presumed, in the absence of clear and convincing evidence to the contrary, between employer and employee, between spouses, between joint tenants and among tenants in common, but there shall be a similar presumption against agency in all other cases. 779.01(2)(d) (d) “Prime contractor” means any of the following: 779.01(2)(d)1. 1. A person, other than a laborer, but including an architect, professional engineer, construction manager, surveyor, or other service provider, employed by the owner, who enters into a contract with an owner of land who is not personally the prime contractor as defined in subd. 2. to improve the land, or who takes over from a prime contractor the uncompleted contract. 779.01(2)(d)2. 2. An owner of land who acts personally as prime contractor in improving such land. 779.01(2)(e) (e) “Serve” or “served” means personal delivery, delivery by registered or certified mail, service in a manner described for service of a summons under s.