Protect Yourself from Home Construction Defects

Very few joys in life can compare to that of moving into a brand-new home. In contrast, few horrors can equal those involving homeowners who have tried and failed to force homebuilders to fix home construction defects. Even as news over hidden home construction defects reaches the mainstream, homeowners are encountering more and more issues in finding builders willing to fix their mistakes and insurance providers willing to compensate them for damages.

Read Home Warranties
One of the measures that homebuilders take to protect themselves from lawsuits involving home construction defects is to issue warranties to homeowners. While these warranties may cover some aspects of the home, they often contain clauses that can void the coverage if the homeowner neglects some routine maintenance tasks. Many homebuilders count on the homeowner’s failure to read the warranty documents. This oversight can lead homeowners to make the faulty assumptions that some defects or repairs are covered under the warranty.

Get an Inspection
A building inspector can analyze the house and call attention to any major issues. While retaining an experienced building inspector can be costly, the knowledge the homeowner gains about potential home construction defects can be well worth the expense. Also, knowledgeable building inspectors can also disagree on their assessment of specific defects. Inspector A may consider one issue a minimal problem, while Inspector B may look at the same issue and see a major cause for alarm.

Follow the Inspection
Homeowners may consider following the inspector during the property tour. The homeowner can learn what the inspector looks for, which issues can cause costly problems and how much the repair costs could run. Also, if the homeowner has specific concerns, he or she can address those with the inspector When the homeowner follows the inspection tour, the inspector will be more likely to make a careful examination of the property and answer any relevant questions.

Educate Yourself
The most powerful tool a homeowner can have in fighting for repairs of home construction defects is a solid education in the building process. Consumer advocacy groups like Homeowners Against Defective Dwellings, also known as HADD, provide a wealth of materials on subjects such as binding arbitration, consumer rights, complaint filings and other options. Homeowners can also consult with other buyers in the area to determine how they dealt with similar cases and how the can band together and pool their resources.

Keep Extensive Documentation
If you are considering filing a claim against homebuilders for home construction defects, you must keep extensive and detailed documentation on every noticeable defect and its impact on the home’s functionality and structural integrity. Dates, times, locations and photos can all be used as evidence against the homebuilder. Most warranties carry a short statue of limitations, so the sooner the homeowner reports the defect and the more detailed the documentation surrounding that defect, the better the chances the homeowner has of getting it repaired.

If you would like to find out how we can help you with your home construction defects case, contact us today at 1-888-252-4668. Our courteous and knowledgeable intake team will connect you to one of our home construction defects attorneys. You can also fill out the “Free Case Review” form at the top of this page. All information is kept confidential.