If you own a Louisiana construction company, these are worrying times. Your projects may be halted, clients may be unable to pay their bills and new projects may get canceled. The last thing you need is a past client threatening legal action for what they claim are construction defects.
You cannot change the past; all you can do if a client is claiming is to find yourself a Louisiana attorney who understands construction law. However, there are some ways you can reduce the risk of a future construction defect claim:
- Give people responsibilities: Giving people specific responsibilities avoids things falling between the gaps.
- Ensure materials are suitable: Choose the right materials for the job and make sure they are in optimal condition.
- Choose the right sub-contractors: If you subcontract work out, the client will still consider you responsible. Your reputation rests on the people you use, so choose wisely: Make sure they are qualified, have the necessary experience, are reliable, and will not disappear halfway through the project because of financial issues.
- Insist on high-quality work: Ensure you are proud of the work done under your name.
- Carry out regular inspections: Regular checking can also catch minor errors before they turn into major problems.
- Document everything and file it: Documents are your evidence to defend yourself should you ever end up in court. The more you have, the better it shows diligence. Do not throw documentation away after a few years; you never know when you will need documentation from old projects.
Like most things, prevention is better than cure. Avoiding a construction defect claim is much easier than defending it.