Lisa Magill – February 1, 2012
Board Certified Construction Law Attorney Aaron Pruss reminds us that manufacturing and workmanship defects are prevalent in the building industry. Such defects not only represent a large cost to Community Associations and homeowners in terms of repairs, but they can also present serious health and safety issues and reduce the value of the property.
He’s identified some building products alleged to be defective, and about which lawsuits and warranty claims have been filed. Remember – If you are unsure whether any of these products were utilized in the construction of your home or condominium, it may be necessary to consult any warranty you may have, speak with your property manager or hire an independent contractor to examine the materials.
MI WINDOWS:
A design and manufacturing defect has been alleged against MI Windows in several lawsuits. Several experts working on behalf of the property owners have concluded that the windows are poorly designed and manufactured, the result of which is water entering through the window assemblies during normal rain events. Many property owners have been forced to make costly repairs to their homes and/or replace the defective windows at great expense. As we all know, water intrusion into a home will ultimately lead to several problems including rotting, mold growth and significant damage to the underlying structure of a home.
GENTEK SIDING:
Consumers claim that Gentek steel and aluminum siding was produced with a defect that makes it inclined to chip, crack, break, peel and/or fade prematurely. Such defects can be very costly to repair and reduce the value of a property significantly.
We will include more information about claimed defective products that potentially impact community associations in the Firm’s Community Update publication.