Iowa Residential Home Improvement Contract with Mechanic's Lien Owner Notice
IOWA RESIDENTIAL HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACT
Before you use this: This form is for improvement of an Iowa residence by a contractor dealing directly with its owner. For catastrophe-related exterior work, use the separate Iowa catastrophe exterior repair contract. When the contractor has or will have a subcontractor provide labor or materials, give the owner the bold owner notice below in at least 10-point type and record delivery. Posting a notice of commencement to the Secretary of State's registry is a separate step; this contract does not post it. Attach any separate cancellation notice required for the particular sale before either party signs.
Contract date: [__/__/____]
Owner: [FULL LEGAL NAME], [MAILING ADDRESS], [PHONE], [EMAIL]
Contractor: [LEGAL BUSINESS NAME], [BUSINESS ADDRESS], [PHONE], [EMAIL]
Property: [STREET ADDRESS, CITY, COUNTY, IOWA ZIP]
Contractor registration or license number, if applicable: [NUMBER / NOT APPLICABLE]
1. Work and materials
Contractor will perform the work described in signed Exhibit A at the property. Exhibit A identifies the work areas, measurements, materials, brands or performance specifications, demolition, disposal, exclusions, and any owner-supplied items. It is part of this contract.
Start date or condition: [DATE / CONDITION]. Target completion: [DATE / EVENT].
Permits and inspections: [IDENTIFY EACH PERMIT, WHO OBTAINS IT, WHO PAYS, AND WHO ARRANGES INSPECTIONS].
Site access and protection: [ACCESS HOURS; STORAGE; UTILITIES; PROTECTION OF OCCUPIED AREAS; CLEANUP].
Contractor will tell Owner promptly about a material delay and its expected effect. A changed scope, price, material, or completion date requires a written change order signed by both parties before the changed work begins, except work the parties separately authorize in writing for an emergency.
2. Price and payment
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Labor | $[AMOUNT] |
| Materials | $[AMOUNT] |
| Permits and other specified charges | $[AMOUNT] |
| Total contract price | $[AMOUNT] |
Deposit: $[AMOUNT / ZERO], due [DATE OR EVENT].
Progress payments: [AMOUNT AND COMPLETED WORK MILESTONE FOR EACH / NONE].
Final payment: $[AMOUNT], due [COMPLETION, INSPECTION, AND DELIVERY CONDITIONS].
Contractor will give Owner an itemized invoice for each payment. Any allowance, tax, or variable charge must be described here or in signed Exhibit A: [DETAILS / NONE]. No oral estimate changes the signed price.
3. Completion and warranty
The parties will inspect the work at completion and record unfinished or disputed items in a written list. Contractor will respond with a proposed correction schedule. Owner's signature on a completion record confirms only the observations stated there.
Contractor's written labor warranty: [COVERAGE, TERM, REMEDY, EXCLUSIONS / NONE OFFERED].
Manufacturer warranties to be delivered: [IDENTIFY / NONE].
4. Residential owner notice about possible liens
This notice applies when Contractor has contracted or will contract with a subcontractor to provide labor or materials for this residential property. Give Owner this notice in boldface type of at least 10 points.
Persons or companies furnishing labor or materials for the improvement of real property may enforce a lien upon the improved property if they are not paid for their contributions, even if the parties have no direct contractual relationship with the owner. The mechanics’ notice and lien registry provides a listing of all persons or companies furnishing labor or materials who have posted a lien or who may post a lien upon the improved property.
Mechanic's Notice and Lien Registry: sos.iowa.gov/MNLR; toll-free telephone 1-888-767-8683.
Notice delivered to Owner on: [__/__/____] by [METHOD]; Owner acknowledgment of receipt: [SIGNATURE] [DATE]. This acknowledgment records delivery and does not release any right or claim.
Notice of commencement record: [POSTED ON DATE; MNLR NUMBER / NOT YET POSTED / NOT APPLICABLE]. Iowa Code § 572.13A(1) requires a general contractor or owner-builder who has or will have a subcontractor to post a notice of commencement to the registry no later than ten days after work begins. The posting must be completed through the registry; this field is only a record.
5. Notices and signatures
A notice about this contract goes to the mailing address or email each party stated above, subject to any delivery method required by applicable law for a particular notice. The following attached exhibits are part of this contract: [EXHIBIT A SCOPE], [CHANGE ORDERS, IF ANY], [CANCELLATION NOTICE, IF APPLICABLE], [OTHER].
The parties agree to the completed terms and attached exhibits.
Owner signature: __________________________ Date: [__/__/____]
Contractor authorized signature: __________________________ Date: [__/__/____]
Contractor signer name and title: [NAME, TITLE]
Copy of signed contract and exhibits delivered to Owner: [DATE AND METHOD]
Official sources
- Iowa Code 2026, chapter 572, especially §§ 572.1(10), 572.13 and 572.13A.
- Iowa Secretary of State, Mechanics Liens, for the current registry address and phone.
About this template
- Last updated
- November 3, 2026
- Citations checked
- November 7, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Iowa
- Category
- Contracts & Agreements
Legal authority
- Iowa Code § 572.1(10)
- Iowa Code § 572.13
- Iowa Code § 572.13A(1)
A contract is a written record of what two or more parties agreed to and what happens if someone does not follow through. Clear language, defined terms, and clean signature blocks keep disputes small and enforceable. The most common mistakes in contracts come from vague promises, missing details about timing or payment, and skipping standard protective clauses like governing law and dispute resolution.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on November 7, 2026.
Iowa Code § 572.1(10) (checked November 7, 2026): "“Residential construction” means construction on single-family or two-family dwellings occupied or used, or intended to be occupied or used, primarily for residential purposes"
Iowa Code § 572.13(1) (checked November 7, 2026): "A general contractor who has contracted or will contract with a subcontractor to provide labor or furnish material for the property shall provide the owner with the following owner notice in writing in boldface type of a minimum size of ten points"
Iowa Code § 572.13(2) (checked November 7, 2026): "The notice described in subsection 1 shall also contain the internet site address and toll-free telephone number of the mechanics’ notice and lien registry."
Iowa Code § 572.13(3) (checked November 7, 2026): "A general contractor who fails to provide notice pursuant to this section is not entitled to a lien and remedy provided by this chapter."
Draft your Iowa Residential Home Improvement Contract with Mechanic's Lien Owner Notice in the editor
Answer a few questions, let the AI editor draft each section from your answers, review it, and download Word and PDF. $99 one time, or $249 per month for every document and every Ezel app.