Florida man spent $43K on windows, but the installation caused leaks. What to do if a home reno goes wrong

3 months ago 40

In November 2024, Florida nonmigratory Dominic Lampos paid $43,000 for 22 windows and a sliding solid doorway from Home Depot for a location renovation. He told Tampa’s WFLA News Channel 8 that, speech from his house, it’s the largest acquisition he’s ever made.

Home Depot sent subcontractors to instal the windows — but, unfortunately, they botched the job, resulting successful harm to the interior trim and h2o leakage astir the windows. Lampos believes the concern was made worse by a 2nd acceptable of subcontractors who were sent retired to hole the shoddy work.

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Pinellas County inspectors past failed the project, according to Channel 8. There were reportedly a fig of issues, including nail holes that didn’t look similar they could clasp the windows successful place.

A fewer days later, things went from atrocious to worse. During a play of airy rain, Lampos told Channel 8 “it hardly rained and it [the water] poured in, determination was a puddle connected my windowsill.”

But Lampos’ communicative is not unique. Each year, a fig of Americans woody with botched location renovations and repair projects. In a caller survey, 22% of homeowners said they recovered it challenging to find a reliable contractor, portion 15% of those who remodeled their homes cited mediocre workmanship.

Choosing the close contractor for the job

Taking the clip to cautiously vet a contractor doesn’t warrant determination won’t beryllium immoderate problems, but it does trim your hazard a just bit. Almost each ample projects volition impact immoderate hiccups on the way, but moving with a reputable contractor tin marque it easier to resoluteness immoderate issues that mightiness arise.

A bully spot to commencement is by asking for recommendations from reliable sources specified arsenic family, friends, neighbors oregon co-workers who’ve had reno enactment done. You tin besides cheque assorted referral and standing websites, arsenic good arsenic nonrecreational organizations specified arsenic the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

It’s besides adjuvant to talk to much than 1 contractor since you’ll beryllium moving with them for a decent play of clip and — akin to hiring a caller worker astatine enactment — getting the close acceptable tin beryllium a origin successful however the narration and the task progresses.

Once you’ve landed connected a fewer imaginable contractors, cheque with your section Better Business Bureau (BBB) and section oregon authorities user extortion agencies to guarantee determination are nary glaring issues. Then telephone the contractors to spot if they person acquisition with your benignant of project, whether they person the clip to give to your reno, and whether they’d beryllium consenting to supply references.

The adjacent happening you should bash is telephone their references and inquire astir their work. You should besides analyse the contrators to verify that they're licensed for the benignant of enactment you request and marque definite they person liability and workers’ compensation insurance. Also, inquire if they connection a workmanship warranty — besides known arsenic a craftsmanship oregon contractor warranty — which means defects volition beryllium addressed without immoderate further cost.

Before the enactment starts, marque definite to gully up a written declaration to guarantee some parties recognize and hold upon the timeline, prime standards and outgo schedules. The declaration should besides outline however changes volition beryllium handled and however disputes volition beryllium resolved, arsenic good arsenic tackle ineligible issues specified arsenic lien releases and gathering permits.

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What to bash erstwhile things spell wrong

Many issues betwixt contractors and homeowners boil down to mediocre communication, truthful beryllium definite you are getting predominant updates connected advancement and imaginable problems from your contractor.

If you bash tally into issues, getting aggravated and straining the narration further won’t assistance the situation. And if the narration is deteriorating, pass successful writing, papers each communications and effort to enactment retired a program for moving forward.

If the concern inactive doesn’t improve, you could withhold outgo until the problems are resolved oregon record a ailment with the BBB. You besides whitethorn request to question ineligible counsel, particularly if a batch of wealth is connected the line.

Depending connected the quality of the issue, your authorities user extortion laws whitethorn beryllium of help. While they thin to woody much with fraud and financing issues, immoderate states — specified arsenic Illinois — person laws specifically governing location contractors. If it comes down to it, you whitethorn beryllium capable to writer for breach of contract, breach of warranty oregon negligence.

Home security could besides screen immoderate of the costs if the renovation causes harm to your location oregon belongings. It’s a bully thought to interaction your insurer earlier immoderate enactment begins to recognize what your argumentation volition screen and to adhd immoderate further coverages that whitethorn beryllium deemed prudent.

As for Lampos, Channel 8 contacted Home Depot, which past sent retired a unit to hole the issue, assuring Lampos that a “comprehensive checklist” volition beryllium utilized to code and resoluteness the situation.