Plumbing Problems Force Large House to be Rebuilt

Case Overview

This case involves a house that was built with plumbing defects, inciting severe rat colony infestations and allegedly forcing the homeowners to rebuild the home entirely. The plaintiffs had a large Spanish-style manor them, complete with iconic rust-colored shingles and stucco walls, and an appraisal valued the property at $2,000,000. After three years, however, it became apparent that the house suffered from serious plumbing, pest infestation, and PEX pipe corrosion problems, which could not be fully repaired unless the house was torn down and rebuilt. There is a dispute as to the appraisal of the house and the cost of the project and both are needed to calculate damages.

Questions to the Real Estate expert and their responses

What is the cost of rebuilding the home?

For a large house, appraisals can be difficult because there are more factors to consider. Additionally, an appraisal may need to be retroactive because the law in some jurisdictions is that the appraiser needs to establish what the value of the house was at the time the problem was discovered. I have been in the real estate profession for over nineteen years, and I have worked in several different capacities. I feel like my experiences make me well suited for an appraisal like this.

About the expert

This expert has been in the real estate profession for 19 years, and has worked in several different capacities. His clients have included several nationwide lending institutions, asset management firms, and relocation companies.