Buying a house is an exciting milestone that can often leave prospective buyers looking at their future home with rose-colored glasses. Although everything may seem perfect with the home in terms of location, price and needs, it is important to take a critical look at the history and construction of your soon-to-be home. At Powers Taylor, LLP double checking these three critical issues would wipe out most of our real estate and construction law cases. Follow these steps and prevent a future lawsuit.
Construction Defects
When buying a house, consider a third-party aside from a home inspector to take a look at the bones of the house. Are there issues with roofing materials, exterior surfaces or exterior walls?
Defects and defective construction could lead to significant damage, so take a thorough sweep of the house for any issues. Travelers Insurance finds that construction defects can result from deficiencies in how something is designed, built, operated or maintained. While some defects result in damages that are immediately known such as a burst water pipe, other defects such as a slowly shifting foundation from soil movement take time to appear. These deficiencies can result in the structure failing to perform in a manner the owner might reasonably expect.
You are trusting a builder to meet your expectations and unfortunately, not all builders are reliable and do not complete homes in an acceptable manner, which leads to defective construction and may lead to structural and other issues down the road. Not only do these defects mean money spent on fixing them, but they can compromise your home’s security and your family’s safety, so be sure to get a thorough inspection of your home and ensure that every nail, screw, board and beam are where they should be.
Failure to Complete Contract
The contract is the builder’s promise to you that everything will be done in a timely manner under the agreed upon conditions. But in the excitement of buying a home, it can be easy to overlook clauses in paperwork. Remember that after buying the home, every issue that comes with it is yours. Be sure to understand who owns the responsibility for fixing certain damages before you sign.
Whether you’re a seller or a buyer, failure to complete on a contract means you can be awarded damages as a result. Other conditions that exist when considering failure to complete contract situation includes the base value of the property, date of breach and condition of the property market.
Home System Failure
Your home provides shelter and a safe space for you and your family, so it should be concerning when your home system fails. Your home system includes things like your air conditioning and heating system, alarm system and even your home theatre. If you find that these have been installed or removed improperly or defected, the value of your home could be drastically affected. If the interrelated structures and parts of your home (HVAC, plumbing, electrical and cable systems, home security systems and alarms, home theatre systems) are making your home anywhere from uncomfortable or unlivable, you should consult a residential construction attorney.
Walk sternly when it comes to purchasing your next home and read through every document with a fine-toothed comb before signing on the dotted line.
If you’ve found construction defects in your home and would like a free case evaluation, contact Powers Taylor Law Firm today.
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