Builder, Owners Patch Things Up After Roofing Dispute

The real test may be yet to come with the wind and rain of winter, but homeowners in a Mission Viejo tract are happy just to have secure roofs over their heads.

On a blustery night last December, nearly 100 new homes in the Ventana tract were swept by 63-m.p.h. winds, sending 10-pound red clay tiles flying off some of the roofs.

After the winds came, rain drenched some of the interiors. Barry and Debi Morris, who live on Ponderosa, found themselves with a soaked bedroom when rain leaked from the roof and seeped through the walls.

Immediately, the owners of these $200,000 homes demanded repairs for what they said was faulty installation of the tiles -- some of which had not been nailed into place, they said.

Subcontractors made initial repairs, but residents were not satisfied, said Karen Culver, who helped organize a neighborhood effort to get the roofs fixed.

About 50 homeowners sent county building inspectors formal complaints alleging faulty installation of tiles and other construction problems, Culver said.

“We don’t know what else transpired after that,” Culver said, but the builder, Barratt American of Irvine, “did decide it was prudent to make the repairs and hired Davey Roofing company.”

Mark Frazier, president of Barratt American, said the company spent $400,000 to make the repairs and is currently in negotiations with a Riverside roofing firm that installed some of the roofs to share the expenses. Tiles were replaced on about 89 homes on Whitebark and Ponderosa streets.

“By the time they came and fixed them, so many of us were educated on how to install the tiles that we stood out there and watched them,” said Whitebark Street homeowner Teresa Molluck. “They stripped them all the way down to the plywood. For the most part, we feel comfortable.”

Homeowner Lawrence Urbanek estimated that he lost at least 20% of his roof tiles in the high winds.

“Davey Roofing did a very very good job,” Urbanek said. “They replaced the whole roof.”

Still, Urbanek was only “somewhat” pleased.

“The roofing company did an exemplary job,” he said. “But Barratt corporation was less than cooperative in settling for the other damages . . . from tiles flying off the roof, damage to plants, landscaping. . . .

“They ultimately settled in a way, but it took a lot of calls on my part and letters they somehow seemed to lose and misfile.”

The roofers spent about 5 or 6 weeks making the repairs, residents said. However, there were some problems with heavy equipment damaging some driveways.

Kirby Hiscox, who lives on Ponderosa, said his driveway was not repaired until last month. “The loaders and forklifts broke a couple of driveways, and it took them a long time to get them replaced,” Hiscox said. “Some (neighbors) waited 6 months to have their driveways fixed and replaced.”

But, Culver said, “we’ve had no problems since. We haven’t had really strong winds, but I don’t anticipate any problems. The job was done by professionals who have done it to code.”

Frazier agreed that there has been damage to landscaping and vehicles and that Barratt and Davey are attempting to make all the repairs.

“There was some damage to grass and sprinklers, and I think we’ve been good for it,” Frazier said. “We’ve lumped it all together in our mind. Some of it is Davey’s responsibility, and they’ve been responsible, and some of it is ours, and we’ve taken care of it. If we haven’t, then those people should contact us.”

Said Hiscox: “It’s disappointing it had to happen at all. It kind of makes you wonder what else is substandard in the house, but I don’t have any fear they would not replace anything. . . . Barratt’s comfortable to work with.”

As far as the approaching wind and rain, Frazier said he’s “not worried at all.”

“Even if the wind does come up again, the roofs have been repaired to withstand that type of wind factor.”