If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you are no stranger to bad weather. You’d rightly expect construction firms that work here to know how to build structures to cope with the inclement conditions. So, if your new home suffers damage in one of the first storms it experiences, you have a right to be upset.
Having someone build you a house or buying a newly built one is expensive, and you’ve likely taken out a large mortgage to pay for it. You’d expect some guarantee that your investment will last. So what can you do if the constructor tries to tell you that the storm was out of its control and, therefore, the damage is not its responsibility?
They could be telling the truth, but they also may not be
The constructor is correct in that it cannot control a storm, and some storms are so strong that few houses would escape without damage. But, a lot of the time, the damage would not have occurred if the construction company had acted differently. Maybe the materials it used were inadequate for the expected conditions, but it went ahead to save money. Or perhaps its staff installed them incorrectly.
In such cases, you may be able to hold the construction company responsible for the damage your property has suffered. Aside from saying it was out of its control, the constructor might also argue that the fault lay with the manufacturer or the architect, which is another option you may need to explore.
Getting legal help to understand more about your rights and options can help you claim any compensation you may be entitled to.