If you run a construction company, you may discover that you and your clients do not see eye-to-eye on what constitutes a defect or a mistake. This can lead to disputes and could even land you in court as you try to sort everything out.
So, what is a defect? There are three main types:
- Design
- Material
- Workmanship
The first two may be out of your hands. If they had an outside party produce the designs, the blame for the defect could fall on that architect. If you ordered parts and materials from a trusted source and did not get the high quality that was expected, it may be the manufacturer who is at fault.
With workmanship defects, the client is essentially saying that you did not do a quality job. If you agreed to install six can lights in the kitchen, for instance, and then your drywall team accidentally drywalled over one of them, that’s your fault.
Where this gets tricky is just when the client does not like the results, but you followed the plan. Maybe they originally wanted hardwood floors. You said that was fine and quoted them a price. They balked and decided to go with fake wood instead. Once you got them installed, the client didn’t like the look and decided it was your fault. You contend, of course, that you simply installed the product they told you to install, and if they don’t like the aesthetic choice, that’s not on you.
People care a lot about their homes and businesses. These cases can get contentious. Make sure you know your rights.