San Diego Construction Law Blog

Issues with roof installations can produce serious problems

On behalf of Law Office of Bryan R. Snyder, APC posted in Construction Law on Thursday, March 14, 2019.

Having a new roof put on a building is sometimes necessary to help keep the interior of the structure protected from the weather. Failing to get it done properly and in a timely fashion can mean that the inside of the building suffers damage. This can be costly.

While many roofing jobs are successfully completed, there are times when the contractor doesn't handle things in the correct manner. They might use shoddy materials or might try to rush through the job and make errors in the workmanship. Unfortunately, these both mean that the building's owner may have to deal with damage later.

Hold contractors accountable for defects

On behalf of Law Office of Bryan R. Snyder, APC posted in Construction Law on Friday, March 1, 2019.

Building contractors have a lot of responsibility to the people who hire them. They need to make sure that they understand the project, have the skills to do the work and can get the proper supplies for the job. Most of the time, they do what they have to do and the client is satisfied upon completion of the project. In the other cases, if some facet of the project didn't go as it should, there can be disagreements about how to resolve the matter.

When you hire a building contractor, you count on them to let you know if there are any issues. Some contractors don't inform clients that something is amiss. If you discover that there are any defects in the worksmanship, you can confront the contractor about correcting the issue. This could mean having to completely redo the project or allow the contractor to attempt to fix the problem.

Think about your options when a construction project goes awry

On behalf of Law Office of Bryan R. Snyder, APC posted in Construction Law on Friday, February 15, 2019.

Issues with construction can be difficult to deal with because often you are working on a large project that's worth a lot of money. The last thing that you should have to deal with is delays or subpar work. There are many things that can go wrong when you are erecting a building. We can help you look into possible ways that you might be able to rectify the situation.

The ultimate goal is to finish the project without going over budget, even if that money is coming from expenses that aren't directly tied to the project. For example, if the project is for your business, you might have a loss of income if you can't use the structure or the area under construction.

Signs that a contractor isn't the right for your job

On behalf of Law Office of Bryan R. Snyder, APC posted in Construction Law on Friday, February 1, 2019.

Modifying your home is a huge project. Whether you are trying to update it or adding on, you need to ensure that you are working with a contractor who is going to get the job done the way you want it. Finding out later that you hired someone who does shoddy work or who doesn't show up at all can be the start of a very difficult situation.

There are several things that you can watch for when you are vetting out contractors. There might be little things that just make the situation seem off. Pay attention to those because they might be the thing that saves you from working with someone who is just out to scam you.

Don't get overpowered by a pushy contractor

On behalf of Law Office of Bryan R. Snyder, APC posted in Construction Law on Friday, January 18, 2019.

Construction projects are bound to have some hiccups as they proceed. When anything amiss happens, your contractor should alert you to the issue and find ways to overcome the problems. The real issue comes in when they aren't willing to do this. In these cases, you might have to turn to legal remedies to rectify the situation.

You might feel as though you aren't being heard when you speak to the contractor. Sometimes, they will try to overpower the client by reinforcing what they think about the issues. When this happens, it might be best to take a step back and review what is going on. If you think that you can get the contractor to see your side of the issue, you might try to approach it again. If you don't think it will work, it might be time to call in reinforcements.

Seek legal remedy for foundation problems in your new home

On behalf of Law Office of Bryan R. Snyder, APC posted in Construction Law on Friday, January 4, 2019.

You finally bought that house you've been dreaming of in San Diego. It's the new construction property you wanted with that sliver of a Pacific Ocean view. It's perfect.

After a few years of living there, however, you begin to notice some strange things. You could be looking at foundation problems, and knowing the early signs of them could help you make fixes before problems spiral out of control. These are the four simple indoor signs of potential foundation problems.

Cracks show up in walls. They are most likely to be seen over windows or doorways, or where the walls and ceilings meet.
A door jams or won't latch when you try to close it.
The vinyl or ceramic tile over the concrete floor shows cracks.
Windows that once were easy to open and close get stuck or no longer can close.

Construction defect? Know the options and possible outcomes

On behalf of Law Office of Bryan R. Snyder, APC posted in Construction Law on Friday, December 21, 2018.

Construction defects of all sorts must be treated seriously. These are matters that can lead to you not being able to use the building without running the risk of someone being injured or harmed in some way. The fact of the matter here is that you didn't pay for something with defects. You paid for quality workmanship using appropriate materials.

There are a couple of ways that construction defects might be resolved. The easiest occurs when you point out the issue to the contractor, and they correct it without delay. This happens when the company or individual you used is reputable and wants to keep that reputation. We know many people who have issues with a construction project hope this will be the outcome of the matter.

Attempts to prevent landslides must be vetted carefully

On behalf of Law Office of Bryan R. Snyder, APC posted in Construction Law on Friday, December 7, 2018.

Landslides are a risk for many homes in California, but most people aren't going to avoid homes where this is possible. There are some ways that you can protect your home, so speak to a professional about what options are present for your home. They should be able to give you an idea of how effective certain things that will be.

Sometimes, the answer to stopping landslides is building retaining walls. This isn't going to prevent larger landslides from occurring, but it might help keep the ground stable to help keep shifts from causing serious problems. These retaining walls must be shored up properly in order to be as effective as possible.

Water in the basement is a sign of a serious issue

On behalf of Law Office of Bryan R. Snyder, APC posted in Construction Law on Wednesday, November 21, 2018.

Homes built with basements have some risks that other types of homes don't have. One of these is water leaks. These are problematic because they can signal very serious problems. In some cases, you won't know that there are any issues until you start to see puddles on the floor. If the basement is finished, this can cause damage.

Sometimes, basement leaks are due to normal wear and tear on the home. In other cases, defects in the construction or materials are what causes the problem. Because there are so many possibilities, it can sometimes be an intensive search to find out the root cause of the problem.

Construction lawsuits can sometimes resolve problems

On behalf of Law Office of Bryan R. Snyder, APC posted in Construction Law on Friday, November 9, 2018.

Construction problems are to be expected in many cases. Reputable and experienced contractors will plan for these issues. It is imperative that anyone who is going to have a project done finds out what kinds of delays, if any, the contractor has planned for. Even if this isn't discussed in the contract, you can ask about it when you are discussing the project's specifications and terms.

When there is an unexpected delay that occurs, you have to think about the reason for it. Was it something the contractor could have prevented or planned for? If the answer is "yes," than you might need to read your contract to determine what recourse you have. As we recently discussed, this might be going through arbitration, but it might also entail filing a lawsuit in court.