Orlando Structural Defects Attorney
New home building quality is on the decline, according to the Washington Post. Learning that their homeowners’ insurance policy does not cover a structural defect caused by a contractor can be very hard news for a homeowner to take. They may not fully understand, or they may refuse to believe, that homeowners’ insurance does not cover this type of damage, and will continue pressing forward with the claim. In other cases, an insurer and a homeowner will disagree about the cause of the damage to their home. The homeowner may argue that their insurance should step in to cover the water damage caused in their basement because the damage was obviously caused in a storm, while the insurer has evidence to believe that the water was let in due to a defect in the foundation. In these instances, litigation becomes more and more likely. The Orlando structural defect attorneys at HD Law Partners assist insurers with avoiding costly overpayments and claims that should not be paid out at all.
Structural Defects are Never Covered Under Homeowners’ Insurance Policies
Homeowners’ insurance is a valuable, and essential, tool for homeowners to rebuild their homes and replace their damaged and destroyed personal property following fires, hurricanes, vandalism, arson, and a number of other human- and nature-caused events. Homeowners rely heavily on insurers paying out, so when an insurer denies a claim for any reason, or reduces the value of a claim, policyholders are bound to get upset, which is entirely understandable. However, insurers have financial obligations to their shareholders and employees, as well as other stakeholders, such as their other customers. To mee the needs of everyone involved, certain claims must be denied. Any claim that is caused by a defect in building materials, defect in design, or defect in the construction of the structure itself must be denied. Determining the cause of home damage is often complicated, which is why a thorough investigation must be carried out in cases where the cause of the damage is not self evident. The legal team at HD Law Partners assists insurers with investigating structural defects and proving the findings through litigation. As a homeowner, the next step is to file a claim or lawsuit with the contractor who built the home, as it is their insurer that is responsible for funding the necessary structural repairs, as well as the damage to other parts of the home that were caused by the defect.
Investigating the Structural Defect
We investigate all types of structural defects that lead to home damage, including, though not limited to, the following:
- Foundation;
- Framing;
- Flooring;
- Drywall;
- Stucco/exterior defects
- Roof defects; and
- Materials defects
Cost of Foundation Repairs
It is understandable how upset many homeowners get when they learn that their policy does not cover structural repairs, particularly when there are problems with the foundation. Foundation defects cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars to fix, according to Home Advisor:
- Foundation drainage: $2,000 to $6,000;
- Underpinning (raising the foundation): $1,000 to $3,000;
- Addressing settling: $1,000 to $3,000 per pier; and
- Sealing $3,000 to $6,000.
Contact an Orlando Structural Defect Attorney
Structural defects often cause tens of thousands in damage, which home insurers are never responsible for. The experienced structural defects attorneys of HD Law Partners represent insurers in their efforts to avoid overpayments and unfounded claims. Call us today 813-964-7878 to schedule a free consultation.
