I know right Jeff......an experienced contractor should know better.
Are you kidding me??? Cost vs reputation ----why would these professionals take the chance?
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Yes gorja it has been 8 years. But here is the catch, structurally, the builder is responsible according to the statue in NYS -- 7 years. I'm a year too late. I'm always a dollar short too...LOL
We did check with our homeowners insurance and they said only sudden weather related incidents are covered. This structural problem is supposedly our responsibility because it passed the statured 7 years:(
The LVL beams will be replaced the next couple of weeks. They start the project today, they have to build support walls to support the upper deck and then remove the beams, secure the deck by replacing new ones and then they will wrap the beams to prevent them from weather exposure. I believe the main emphasis on this project is to make sure the beams are weather protected & the upper deck is secure. How much this will entail will be in the thousands. The builder is aware and he does not care:(
Update: Code Enforcement Officer has been made aware of the situation and now has become concerned that these homes are having structural problems, less than tens years old. The residents are being made aware and are now contacting their CEO and it looks like a lawsuit might occur. Definitely my issue has opened up a can of worms. I'll keep everyone posted, but in contacting one homeowner, they told me that the builder upon completion of their home said to the homeowner that he knows the LVL beams should be covered planned on covering them but never did it. The homeowners apparently let it slip their mind to make the builder do it, now they are upset. So the builder knew, didn't do it, now his homes are collapsing. Crazy!
An update:
The LVL's and structural project has been completed. Ivy Lea Construction did an amazing job. If anyone is interested in a professional contracting company that does stellar work, Ivy Lea is great.
While they were doing the construction, they found that the columns that hold up the roof to the upper deck was not attached. As dumfounded as they were/ ourselves, they were proactive in securing the column that holds up the roof. Not a company that does just what they see. Very thorough.
A lesson to be learned here....:(
Glad to hear, it's all done
To add to this, years ago according to the CEO, LVL beams like the ones used on our home prior to the replacement, was common. In fact, they actually had no data or concerns that the interior LVL beams would not last for exterior use for an extended period of time. That said, upon years of use in different situations, they are not used for exterior use today, but the current builder still uses it, because of the problems that have existed I believe the CEO will have a closer look upon any home he builds moving forward. The new LVL beams put in are extremely heavy and much wider than the original LVL's. We had to retrofit the ceilings and create a better support throughout the upper deck due to the weight differential.