Im not a lawyer but you can file action or a lawsuit for anything you want. It is up to the judge whether or not to proceed.
And as far as putting liens on houses, as far as I know that is legal. The homeowner is always responsible to make sure the contractor gets paid, at least in many states anyway. I know this goes for construction. I dont see why it would be any different for you. If a general contractor doesnt pay his subs, the subs can go after the homeowner.