guest blog by Nila Ridings
In the same way homeowners are getting wiser and wiser to the nightmares of HOAs and condo associations so are the engineering professionals who get caught in the very early stages of this insanity. The HOA attorneys are wiping them out, too.
I love it when “insiders” open the can of worms on corruption. This time it’s the structural engineers and their insurers sounding the alarm about working with architects and developers on condominium projects. And their insurance agents are giving them a “heads up” on how to protect themselves against the inevitable HOA lawsuit.
Reading between the lines it seems they’re saying, “Run from condo projects! HOAs and condos are a pain in the neck to deal with even in hard times when work is scarce! Don’t let the pockets of your engineering firm be the deepest ones in the courtroom” is the message I’m hearing.
It’s disgusting to see the vast numbers of people who are being harmed by this entire HOA and condo association mess. I think we should invite the structural engineers to join our activism. They can relate to the pain and suffering that homeowners are going through… and the fear of the inevitable legal battles with the HOA attorneys.
(the legal risk of working on a condo design)
Great Idea Ward. The publicity might help slow down building more, however, they are still reproducing like rabbits here in FL.
That’s a tragedy. But there is a national slowdown in HOA building. People are getting wise!
I wish I had read these articles 2 years ago.
There are two sides to this issue, because some of the designs ARE poor from the get-go. Other times, corners get cut during construction and the original design plan is not followed.
Buyers need to be aware that defects can occur in roads, storm drainage, ponds and lakes, shared recreational amenities such as pools and decks, parking areas, etc. Buyers can get home inspections, but rely on local building code enforcement to ensure a decent product.
But think about it. If the local municipality or county does not have to maintain it, they probably do not care much if it was built well.
Your insight is always right on Deborah!
Unfortunately, there have been far too many times when the building inspectors lack knowledge or they are friends with the builders and things get passed that should not.
For those that remember the sky walks that collapsed at the Hyatt in Kansas City on July 17, 1981. That was proof enough that design/construction/inspection mistakes happen and innocent victims paid the price.