Just because you are buying a new home, as opposed to an existing one, does not mean that it is free of defects. In fact, construction defects in new home building in Florida are turning up with more frequency in recent years. It is important for the structural integrity of your house, and for preserving your rights to recovery, that you know how to spot these defects in your home as quickly as possible.
Spotting Construction Defects in Your Home
While it is always advisable to retain an independent home inspector to examine your home after new construction, there are ways that you can supplement this inspection to make sure that you are not going to be surprised by construction defects down the line. One simple thing you can do is to walk through each room in the house and check out all of the walls. You will want to make sure you have as much natural light during your inspection as possible to catch any irregularities in the panels of the wall, including whether there are any visible seams or nail pops. In general, evidence of shoddy workmanship, such as unfit or unfinished trim, can be evidence of a hasty job. You will want to be on alert for any irregularities that stand out if you see signs that attention to detail was lacking in the construction of the home.
A very common construction defect is window leaks. These are typically the result of poorly installed installation. In addition, if you have wood floors, then check to make sure that any space between the floor boards is not any larger than the width of a quarter. Larger gaps may indicate that the floor was installed when it was still damp. Also, if you notice cracks in the foundation or stucco of your home that are larger than a hairline crack, then you may have serious water damage that will require repair.
Getting Construction Defects Repaired
If you have noticed signs of serious construction defects in your home, then it is important to act quickly in getting the issue resolved. There are often limitations on how long you can file a claim through your insurance company or a lawsuit in Florida, so the faster you move to address any construction defect issues in your home, the better the chance of recovery you will have.
The ultimate goal in addressing a construction defect issue is to have the builder take care of the repair without any out of pocket expense for the homeowner. The reality is that it can sometimes be difficult to force a builder to address these issues without the threat of litigation. Often times, a builder will try to pass off responsibility and say that it was the job of a subcontractor he hired to perform the work at issue. Retaining an experienced construction attorney as soon as you are aware that you have a construction defect issue is the best way to make sure that all of the responsible parties are held accountable for fixing the work and are forced to respond to your requests in a timely fashion. To protect their reputation, home builders will not want the bad publicity that comes with being involved in a lawsuit for construction defects in a new home. This is why an experienced litigator can get you faster results than what is possible if you act on your own behalf.
In addition to contacting the responsible builder immediately and negotiating the expedient and effective repair of your home defect, an attorney will also arrange for a licensed and experienced home inspector to perform a thorough review of the builder’s work. This is true whether or not the builder agrees to make the necessary repairs. In the event that the issue proceeds to a lawsuit or trial, an attorney working with a home inspector will be able to find and preserve the necessary evidence that shows the damage done to your home through poor workmanship.
If you are the owner of a new home in Florida and are dealing with construction defects in your home, contact the experienced lawyers at The Robertson Firm today to get started on getting your issue resolved. They have the experience and knowledge of the industry required to get you the results that leave your home in a livable condition without costing more money out of your pocket. Engaging competent, experienced counsel is the best way to put your home defect issues behind you and get started on being able to enjoy living in your new home.