A construction defect claim can make you want to give up and find a career where people are less liable to blame you for everything that goes wrong. If you work in construction long enough, you will come across issues. To reduce the chance that a client can hold you responsible requires forethought.
Being proactive reduces the chance of construction defect claims
Here are some steps you should take to lower the risk of problems:
- Do not be afraid to say no: Clients can have unrealistic ideas about what is and is not possible. However many times you tell a client that “castles made of sand fall in the sea,” they may still insist you build one. When the waves wash it away, they will claim you were the one at fault.
- Have an attorney check your contracts: Some people see contracts as a way to look after themselves at the expense of everyone else. You need to be careful of falling into the traps clients set in the numerous hard-to-read clauses they include.
- Check your materials: While it takes time to check the materials you are using are satisfactory, it will take far more time and money to redo work if the client later discovers some of the materials used are defective.
- Supervise work constantly: Trusting that employees or sub-contractors will carry out work as you expect is a recipe for disaster. To protect your reputation, you and your supervisory team need to be on top of the work going on at all times. That is the only way to ensure that workers are meeting the required standards.
Defending against a construction dispute will cost you time and money. It could also damage your reputation. Seek legal help to reduce the chance of problems and defend yourself if they occur.
