Construction Defects in Commercial Buildings

Construction defects can create serious problems for commercial property owners, particularly when they remain hidden for years before being discovered. These defects can result from problems with a building’s design, the materials used during construction or the quality of the workmanship. Although most defects do not result in catastrophic structural failures, they can lead to water damage, mold, structural deterioration, expensive repairs and lengthy legal disputes.

Design defects occur when architects or building designers make errors or leave important elements out of construction plans. Identifying these problems before construction is complete can allow the plans to be corrected before they become more expensive to address. In some cases, design problems may require changes to the project’s scope or additional work after construction has begun.

Material defects involve defective or inferior building materials. These problems may not be discovered until materials have already been installed, potentially making repairs significantly more expensive. Testing and inspecting materials before they are incorporated into a building can help identify problems earlier.

Workmanship defects are among the most common construction defects. They can occur when contractors or subcontractors fail to follow building codes, approved plans or accepted construction standards. Poor workmanship can range from relatively minor problems to defects involving major structural components.

Challenges With Construction Defects

One challenge with construction defects is that they may develop slowly. A seemingly minor problem can worsen over time, eventually requiring the replacement of an entire building system rather than a relatively inexpensive repair. Moisture intrusion, for example, can remain hidden behind walls or other building components until significant deterioration has occurred.

Property owners may use tools such as infrared cameras and borescopes to help identify defects that are difficult to see during a routine inspection. Infrared cameras can reveal patterns associated with moisture intrusion, while borescopes can allow inspectors to examine concealed areas inside a building.

Commercial property owners should also document suspected defects carefully. Depending on the circumstances, repairing a defect before its cause and condition have been properly documented can complicate a later construction defect claim. Owners may need to notify potentially responsible contractors or subcontractors, inspect and photograph the problem and obtain opinions from qualified experts.

The timing of an inspection can also be important from a legal standpoint. States impose different deadlines for bringing construction defect claims, and those deadlines may be affected by when a defect was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered. Multiple parties, including owners, developers, architects, contractors, subcontractors and insurers, may become involved in these situations, which means construction defect disputes can quickly become complicated.

Contact Us Today

Construction defects can cause a lot of damage. Early detection is one of the most important ways commercial property owners can limit the damage.

If you are dealing with defects, a Florida defective construction claim lawyer from Linkhorst Law Firm can assist you with your case as it applies to Florida law. To schedule a consultation, call 561-626-8880 or fill out the online form.

Source:

propmodo.com/the-hidden-defects-lurking-in-many-commercial-buildings/