With all the non-stop fast construction in Denver, there is no surprise there is a significant issue with construction defects that are highly prevalent in Denver and the surrounding areas of Colorado.
Construction defect lawsuits are common in Colorado, with homeowners suing builders over issues like faulty foundations, water intrusion, structural problems, and use of cheap, deficient materials. So while new homeowners think that their newly built homes will be problem-free, they often suffer major defects that require expensive repairs. In fact, there is an entire industry of companies that focus solely on FIXING construction defects now. And this is often at the new homeowner's expense.
Unfortunately, there are ongoing legislative battles in Colorado over reforming construction defect laws, intensely lobbied by developers' to quench their desire to absolve themselves of any responsibility for their shoddy work and cheap materials. They say if they are not held responsible for poor construction, that this will help keep new housing more affordable, but affordable housing isn't affordable if the walls leak or if the foundation's soil wasn't properly compacted and the building settles. Some proposed bills aim to make it harder for homeowners to sue over defects, which is terrifying for future homeowners who find themselves with a poorly built overpriced new home or condo and cannot afford to fix the construction defects themselves. Other bills seek to strengthen consumer protections for homeowners impacted by shoddy construction work – let's hope that we can keep pushing for the good of all to make sure developers are held responsible for their work and materials.
The prevalence of construction defects and the associated litigation appears to be a major issue impacting both homeowners and the housing construction industry in the Denver metro area and across Colorado – so don't believe the hype, a newly constructed home or condo is NOT guaranteed to be well-built. In fact, it's more likely the developer cut every corner and cost they could to maximize their profits.
Buying an older established home is likely be a much safer bet than new construction. This is also why it's ever important to preserve existing structures that were built before this era of high cost materials and the desperation of the current developers who are only in it to make money, not to build quality housing. Sure, they'll make the kitchen look great with all the current fads like stainless steel and granite / stone countertops... but sadly, the foundation may not be built to keep all that shiny (but low-quality) materials level.
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