Katie Comstock’s video presentation, “How to Protect Yourself From Bad Contractors” is now a featured answer among the “Top Legal Questions from Consumers Planning Home Improvement Projects,” on Avvo, Inc., the web’s largest expert-only legal Q&A forum.
An all risk insurance policy provides coverage for all risks unless the specific risk is excluded. For example, if an all risks homeowner’s policy does not expressly exclude flood coverage, then the house will be covered in the event of flood damage. Some exclusions may include “ensuing loss” clauses. An ensuing loss clause limits the…
Selecting the Contractor 1. Use your resources. Seek referrals from your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers, but DON’T STOP THERE. One good reference is not enough. Search for contractors on the Better Business Bureau website. Search for reputable contractors with the National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. Never forget…
Often homeowners rely on their contractor to include all items necessary in the scope of work to ensure the work is done properly and up to code. But, what if the contractor fails to include the necessary items? For example, a homeowner hires a contractor to install a driveway for $6,000. The contract simply states…
If you’ve explored buying a new home recently, you are undoubtedly familiar with the many articles and press accounts that have appeared over the past few years regarding the battered state of the residential real estate market. There is a glut of inventory of new homes that stretches across the country, and Washington is no…
As a result of two new cases – one from the Washington Supreme Court and another from our Division I Court of Appeals – homeowners may now have additional legal avenues to pursue if they experience personal injury or damage to property, regardless of whether they have a contract with the wrongdoer. In Eastwood v. Horse…
It may seem unremarkable that the Washington Supreme Court would approve a claim by an equipment operator, in this case the Seattle Monorail, against an engineering firm that provided services to the monorail’s owner, the City of Seattle. It seems only logical that if an engineer provides engineering work for the City on the monorail,…
In a recent, unreported decision, Division III of the Washington Court of Appeals upheld a trial court’s award of damages to a homeowner that included a $26,000 “contingency” to address unforeseen problems that might be uncovered during the repair work. Although not a reported case, the decision is very instructive and interesting for homeowners who…
As you know, buying a home, whether it’s your first or your tenth, can be a very stressful experience. The buying process will arouse emotions that you didn’t even know you had. Are you looking for a new home because you are relocating to a new city, or are you moving to get into a new neighborhood? Do you view a home purchase as a form of investment, or just a home? Do you think bigger homes are better investments?
Is your company licensed? Did you know that contractors are required to be licensed and bonded in California? Perhaps you do know thatcontractors are required to be licensed, but you may not be aware of who, exactly, is considered a contractor under the law. For example, it might surprise you to learn that in California, not only are general…