New home construction is a big business here in North Carolina. Many banks require prospective homeowners to see to it that certain phases of their home’s construction are completed at certain intervals to remain eligible for financing. This means that contractors have to get their hands on materials and work fast to get things done. These tight deadlines often result in construction defects happening.
Construction defects can’t always be blamed on contractors. They’re errors that architects, engineers and manufacturers of building materials may be responsible for as well. It doesn’t matter who makes such errors. A construction defect can affect how a structure is built or holds up. It can be both costly and cause additional damage to the property.
There are three primary types of construction defects: design, workmanship and materials defects.
Design defects can be blamed on architects, engineers or contractors. These types of errors often occur because one of these individuals fails to produce a properly drafted construction plan. These types of defects frequently happen following a change order. It’s referred to as an omission if the contractor fails to update design plans to account for the redesigned component.
A workmanship defect is one that occurs when a contractor neglects to build a component or the overall structure according to plans. This type of oversight often only leads to aesthetic flaws. There are instances in which it has resulted in structural integrity problems, though, too. It’s often complex for homeowners to determine who’s responsible for the defect as there are often many subcontractors involved in completing construction projects.
The final type of construction defect is a material one. These types of flaws are made by manufacturers but aren’t often identified until after their materials have been used to complete a project. This is why design or manufacturing flaws often prove to be the costliest of all defects. Contractors generally have to come back in and tear out the work that they’ve done and then re-do it using new materials.
Sorting out whether a contractor violated their standard of care when building your Winston-Salem home isn’t easy. This is why you should have an attorney who is well-versed in handling such legal disputes review your case. Your lawyer can advise you if any negligence occurred, and if so, tell you what legal remedies that you’re eligible to pursue in your North Carolina case.