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What Is Fueling the Construction Defect Pandemic

COVID-19 may be fueling the construction defect crisis. Homeowners who are planning on building a house, or have recently built a house, should understand the risk of construction defects. Further, homeowners should ensure they have a remedy to correct any defects in their new home. 

Why has the COVID-19 Pandemic Caused a Rise in Construction Defects?

The past two decades have seen a constant upheaval in the housing market. During the Great Recession, an unprecedented number of people lost their homes. The demand for apartment buildings rose drastically as people looked for more affordable housing options. However, when the COVID-19 Pandemic made social distancing a necessity, the shared gyms, business centers, and common areas that were once a draw became potential health risks. People began to move away from densely populated city centers and look for homes with more room. Living in a house gives the option to remain socially distanced from neighbors, have more room to work and take care of family, and have more outdoor space. 

The increase in demand for homes paired with a low existing home inventory has caused new construction to skyrocket. Homebuilders are struggling to work quickly and control costs. These factors alone are risks for increased construction defects. However, home builders are also dealing with a labor shortage. Fewer workers may lead to less oversight, leaving more room for mistakes

How can Homeowners Protect Themselves?

Construction defects can be difficult for homeowners to detect because they are often hidden behind beautiful new exteriors. Some common hidden defects are leaks behind siding, under roof assemblies, through faulty window installations, or defective plumbing. Defective soils conditions can also be hidden and not become evident until many years of ownership have passed. These hidden defects can cause serious damage to a home over time and create financial and emotional hardship for a homeowner. 

However, homeowners have options to protect themselves. Homeowners who are looking to build a new home should be sure to ask about the construction process and what quality control is in place before beginning construction. Further, they should ensure that labor and material warranties are in place.  Ask the builder or contractor for their state contractor’s license number to make sure there aren’t any prior contractor’s board complaints, and most importantly, make sure to ask for proof of insurance so that there is an ability for financial recovery should something go wrong and damages are incurred.

If homeowners discover defects in their new home, they do have legal recourse under both Nevada and California law. Although navigating warranties and lawsuits in construction cases can be difficult, an experienced construction defect lawyer can help guide homeowners through the process.  If you have questions about your rights as a homeowner, call a construction defect attorney.

What Our Clients Say

My family and I are thankful to Maddox, Segerblom and Canepa for their assistance during a three year case regarding construction defects to our home. We are truly appreciative of their knowledge, determination and assistance during this process. They were always courteous, and available to answer any and all of our concerns and questions. Thank you for the wonderful resolution. Many thanks to you and your staff.

Frances Castelli

We used Maddox, Segerblom & Canepa to represent us in a legal suit re problems in construction on new properties that we purchased from a developer.

We were very pleased with the representation provided by this law firm. They were fully communicative, responsive to our questions and were very knowledgeable about the issues that required resolution. Even after we reached a resolution, they have been responsive in making sure to point us in the right direction for help with repairs that are required.

We would recommend them to others with similar issues that require legal help.

Atam & Margo Lalchandani

Maddox, Segerblom & Canepa did a FANTASTIC job in our construction defects case. I interacted with several people from their office throughout our 2 year litigation. Their staff is friendly, knowledgeable and always prompt about getting back to you when you have questions/comments/concerns. I especially enjoyed working with Darcy, Ardea, Eva, and Sandra. Being part of a lawsuit is no fun for anyone, but if you have to be a part of one, I can’t say enough positive things about this firm!

Victoria Fox

The law firm of Maddox, Segerblom, and Canepa were amazing to work with. They were thorough and always available for any questions we had. We worked a lot with Sandy who was always professional, friendly, always on time for appointments and just a great person to represent this firm. We have never been involved in a law suit before and they made it comfortable for us. We appreciate the hard work the lawyers and people who work for the firm did and would recommend them.

Becky Loudenburg
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