Experienced Litigators. Dedicated Advocates.

Experienced Litigators.
Dedicated Advocates.

When your custom-built home isn’t what you paid for, take action

On Behalf of | Oct 6, 2019 | Firm News

Building a home designed to meet your exact wishes is a dream come true for many people in Colorado. You may have spent much of your adult life saving or accruing equity in a starter home with the hope of eventually building the house of your dreams.

It is common to have specific preferences about your custom home, from the color of the walls and each individual room to the kind of flooring you want. When you pay top dollar for a custom-built home, you deserve to get exactly what you pay for. Unfortunately, there are some people working in the real estate and development world who will put profits over the satisfaction of their customers.

Companies may cut corners and even lie to consumers about the products or supplies they utilize during construction so that they can charge a premium price for a mediocre product. Whether a builder put in the wrong kind of flooring and won’t correct the issue or there are defects in your brand new home, such as a leaky roof or a slanting porch, you have the right to take action against the builder responsible under Colorado law.

Obvious defects shouldn’t occur in a brand new home

The first time it rains after you move into your new home, you should be able to sit back and listen to the pleasant sound of rain pattering against your roof. You shouldn’t wind up running around, trying to stop the water coming down your walls from staining your brand new hardwood floors. You also shouldn’t have to worry about damage to your possessions because of a brand new roof that leaks for some reason.

Similarly, you shouldn’t have to worry about failures in your plumbing or electrical systems, a foundation that settles when you move in and begins to crack or other major defects that will cost thousands of dollars to repair.

If there is a major defect in the construction of your home, you can likely take legal action against the contractor or company responsible for the issue. After all, these issues affect not only your enjoyment of the home you bought but also its value for resale.

You have rights if a builder doesn’t fulfill your expectations

Custom-built homes often offer a broad range of options, from premium cabinet finishes to upgrades such as professionally-installed skylights or real tile backsplashes in the kitchen.

Whether your contractor used cut-rate vinyl tile instead of ceramic tile or installed laminate flooring instead of hardwood, if you can prove that the material your contractor or builder used was not what you agreed on and paid for, you may be able to claim the difference in price. You may even be able to claim the cost of removing the substandard work and having it replaced with what you originally paid for.

Photo of Attorney Phillip A. Geigle

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