The homeowners association of a condominium in Mountain House near Stockton, Calif., has filed a lawsuit against Pulte Home Corp. and unnamed contractors, suppliers, and designers of the project asking them to remedy a laundry list of construction defects and related damage.
The lawsuit, filed Oct. 2 in San Joaquin County Superior Court by Cambridge Place Association, claims that the condominium complex has major water intrusion damage caused by stucco cracks, faulty trim installation, and failed or absent sealant. Plumbing leaks, including leaking valves, water mains, irrigation pipes, wax toilet rings, and shower enclosures are also a problem, the suit said.
The complaint also claims there are malfunctioning electrical circuit breakers, breaches in fire-proofing between units, and insufficient fireplace vent clearance throughout the project. In addition, the project has corroded painted metal railings on balconies, exterior metal doors, and hinges and hardware, as well as excessive cracking in gypsum wallboard finishes, failed grout joints in tile flooring, and open miter joints in doorway trim throughout the project.
Some vinyl garage doors are also defective, appearing to have been distorted by the extreme heat of the valley where the project is located, said Thomas E. Miller, the association’s attorney.
The lawsuit also says the homeowners association expects to find problems with the design and construction throughout the project as the investigation continues.
It's the project's water meters, whch make it impossible to determine each unit's use for proper billing, that sparked the homeowners association's decision to hire an attorney to address all the grievances, said Miller.
He said Pulte has been “extremely responsive to the association’s building defect notice.” And that he expects the issue to be resolved within 18 to 24 months.
Given Pulte’s cooperation, company spokeswoman Petroulakis said the company is “disappointed that the HOA and the law firm filed the lawsuit.
“Consistent with Pulte’s commitment to its homeowners, the company proposed to work cooperatively with the association and its consultants in jointly investigating the claims and addressing any legitimate issues. Such proposal was agreeable to the association and its attorney, and, as such, the parties are currently working cooperatively with each other," Petroulakis said in an e-mail responding to the lawsuit.
Teresa Burney is a senior editor for Builder magazine.
Learn more about markets featured in this article: Stockton, CA.
