Real estate purchasers in Colorado — whether they are associated with a business or buying for personal uses — must take care to ensure that the buildings or homes they buy are free of construction defects. This is especially the case with new construction, as that’s when the most significant construction defects could still remain undetected.
Fortunately, even in cases where a purchase has already been finalized, if a significant construction defect is later discovered, the purchaser may have the ability to hold the construction company financially accountable. Here are three of the most common construction defects consumers could encounter after buying a new home or building:
Leaky facades and windows: A leak related to the facade of a building may not be discovered until a significant rain or snowstorm hits. These leaks are often related to windows and skylights, but they could be associated with other parts of the home — like the walls — and cause serious water infiltration problems that need to be fixed.
Faulty wooden floors: Everyone loves the aesthetics and comfort of a natural wooden floor, but what happens when your wooden floor expands and contracts after being installed and large unsightly gaps develop? Problems like this are usually the result of construction errors, like installing the wood floor when the base underneath it was damp. These issues can be costly to fix, but in the case of a new construction home, the builder may be financially responsible for the repairs.
Ventilation issues: Airflow problems can be a serious issue in larger buildings. There are certain construction standards and rules, however, that builders must meet in terms of airflow. For example, odors should not be pulled from one apartment into another in a condominium. The issues may relate to incomplete duct systems or duct systems that get clogged for some reason. Ultimately, the builder may be responsible to correct these issues.
Did you buy a building or home with construction defects? You may want to explore your legal rights and options for holding the builder financially responsible for the necessary repairs.
Source: Brick Underground, “The 7 Most Common Construction Defects,” Marjorie Cohen, accessed March 30, 2018