Company built two brand new extensions to existing structure in summer 2010. Within a month after construction, roof over one of the new extensions leaked. Bruce Martell (supervisor) came out and said he fixed problem.
In late January new roof began leaking in same place. Walls, ceiling and flooring of new extension became soaked. Company put tarp over part of the new roof, but there was still a leak. Tom Avallone, the owner of the company, then emailed me saying the supervisor (Bruce) thought part of the old roof became damaged during the construction of the new roof.
They re-did new roof and small part of old roof, but there's still a leak. I detailed the extent of the interior damage in numerous emails and wrote that I was concerned about mold within the first two weeks of the leak. I was told, in writing, that they were sorry this happened, it shouldn't have happened, and that they would take care of all mold remediation, interior damage, and they'd fix the roof.
Last week, 6-7 weeks after the leak first started, they sent someone in to inspect for mold. This person did not actually inspect or take samples. When I asked about mold growth, he made several questionable claims such as "mold can't grow on carpets" and "water only runs a certain way down walls, so your insulation is probably fine, no need to worry about the walls." He refused to take samples when I asked. He said I smelt mildew and not mold, and that mold can't hurt you unless you have a pre-existing condition. He didn't put anything down in writing. When I asked Tom Avallone to have this person put down what he found in writing, first Tom agreed, but he later refused.
I brought in my own, independent, board certified mold inspector two days later and he confirmed what to me was obvious — there is mold growing all throughout that soaking wet extension (walls, floor, ceiling). Black mold is in my children's bedroom (part of the new extension). He took lab samples, I'll have the full written report in a few days.
When I told Tom Avallone of the board certified mold inspector's findings, he suddenly refused to fix the roof (it was supposed to be completely redone this week) and he refuses to fix any interior damage. He refuses to pay for mediation, he changed his mind on everything he had told me in writing, and now he claims the existing roof of the original structure is the cause of everything, therefore his company is not to blame.
He says this in spite of the fact that he's already told me, a month ago, that his supervisor thought the old roof was damaged by the construction of the new roof.
We've never had a leak in our house before the extensions were put on. The leak is only in the new part of the house.
As of right now, I still have a leak, I have interior damage that's getting worse by the day, and I have black mold growing in my kids' bedroom. A significant part of my house is unlivable. I put in a claim for my homeowners insurance today, but had to explain that I didn't put in a claim earlier because the contractors had repeatedly told me, by phone and in writing, that they would make sure they took care of everything.
I do not think my insurance company should have to pay for any of this, numerous emails point to the contractor admitting culpability and making promises to fix things they never fixed.in addition, they've left a mess from the first attempt to fix the roof — broken shingles and nails litter the yard around my house.
This is just the latest trouble with the new extensions. Three other serious issues came up but we were able to work things out. Now we have the massive leak, the interior damage and mold — and this time they just plain refuse to fix anything.
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