What is the prescripción for construction defect reclamacións in Florida?

Florida has a 4-year prescripción for construction defect reclamacións under F.S. 95.11(3)(c), running from when the defect was discovered or should have been discovered. However, there is a 10-year statute of repose under F.S. 95.11(3)(c) that bars reclamacións more than 10 years after substantial completion, regardless of when defects are discovered.

Do I need to give the contratista a chance to fix defects before suing in Florida?

Sí. Florida's Construction Defect Notice and Cure Law (F.S. 558) requires property owners to provide written notice to contratistas at least 60 days before filing a demanda judicial for residential construction defects, or 120 days for commercial projects. The contratista has the right to inspect the property and propose reparacións.

What is the Florida Construction Lien Law and how does it affect my reclamación?

Florida's Construction Lien Law (F.S. Chapter 713) governs mechanics liens and contratista payments. If you've paid in full but received defectuoso work, the contratista cannot place a lien. However, if there's a payment dispute, the contratista may file a lien against your property within 90 days of final work. Counter-reclamacións for defects can offset lien amounts.

Florida Contratista Did Defectuoso Work? Lien Law + DBPR Demanda (Free Letter)

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Flat Fee Letter

$575

Professional carta de demanda drafted by abogado

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Hourly Rate

$240/hr

Complex cases & litigio preparation

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Contingency Fee

33-40%

No recuperación, no fee for qualifying cases

⚖ Florida Construction Defecto Law Descripción General

Florida's construction defecto framework involves multiple statutes that protect propietarios and property owners while also providing contratistas with specific procedural rights. Understanding these laws is essential before sending a carta de demanda or filing suit.

📚 Key Florida Construction Statutes

Several Florida statutes govern construction defecto claims:

F.S. Chapter 713 - Construction Lien Law

Governs mechanics liens, contratista payments, notice requirements, and lien enforcement. Protects both contratistas' right to payment and property owners from improper liens.

F.S. Chapter 558 - Construction Defecto Notice and Cure

Mandatory pre-suit notice requirements. Property owners must notify contratistas of defects and allow opportunity to inspect and reparación before filing demanda judicial.

F.S. 95.11(3)(c) - Prescripción

4-year prescripción for construction defecto claims from discovery of defecto. 10-year statute of repose from substantial completion of the improvement.

F.S. Chapter 489 - Contratista Licensing

Requires state licensing for contratistas. Unlicensed contratista work can void contract enforceability and trigger additional remedies for property owners.

Florida's Modified Comparative Negligencia

As of March 2023, Florida follows a modified comparative negligencia standard. If the property owner is found more than 50% at fault (tales como for improper maintenance or unauthorized modifications), they are barred from recuperación. This applies to construction defecto cases where the owner's actions may have contributed to the damage.

💡 DBPR Licensing Verification

Before hiring or pursuing claims against a contratista, verify their license status with Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Visit myfloridalicense.com to check license status, seguro requirements, and any disciplinary history. Unlicensed contratistas face criminal multas and cannot enforce contracts in tribunal.

Florida Building Code Cumplimiento

Florida has adopted the Florida Building Code, which is based on the International Building Code with Florida-specific amendments. Construction must comply with:

Florida Building Code (Residential & Commercial) - Structural, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical requirements
Florida Fire Prevention Code - Fire safety and prevention standards
Florida Energy Conservation Code - Energy efficiency requirements
Local Amendments - County and municipal modifications to state codes
High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) Requirements - Enhanced standards for Miami-Dade and Broward Counties

⚠ Critical Deadline Alert

Florida's 10-year statute of repose is absolute - no construction defecto reclamación can be filed more than 10 years after substantial completion, even if the defecto wasn't discoverable. Some latent defects may not manifest until years after construction. Document any issues promptly and consult an abogado immediately if you're approaching either deadline.

🛠 Types of Construction Defects

Construction defects in Florida fall into several categories, each with different responsabilidad implications and evidencia requirements.

🏠 Structural Defects

Defects affecting the structural integrity of the building:

Foundation cracks, settling, or failure
Roof truss or framing deficiencies
Load-bearing wall problems
Concrete spalling or deterioration
Hurricane strap and tie-down failures
Post-tension cable issues

💧 Water Intrusion Defects

Florida's climate makes water intrusion particularly damaging:

Roof leaks and improper flashing
Window and door installation failures
Stucco and exterior coating defects
Waterproofing membrane failures
Improper grading and drainage
Balcony and deck waterproofing issues

⚡ Mechanical & Systems Defects

HVAC sizing and installation errors
Electrical code violacións
Plumbing leaks and improper connections
Fire sprinkler system deficiencies
Pool equipment and plumbing failures
Elevator and escalator defects

Common Causes of Construction Defects

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Design Deficiencies Architect or engineer errors in plans and specifications

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Poor Workmanship Substandard construction practices or untrained workers

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Defectuoso Materials Substandard or inappropriate materials for Florida's climate

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Code Violacións incumplimiento with Florida Building Code requirements

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Inadequate Supervision Lack of proper quality control during construction

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Environmental Factors Failure to account for Florida's humidity, salt air, and storm exposure

🔍 Expert Inspección Recommendation

For any significant construction defecto reclamación in Florida, obtain an inspección from a licensed professional engineer (P.E.) or registered architect. Their written report will be crucial for quantifying daños, establishing causation, and meeting the specificity requirements of F.S. 558 pre-suit notice.

📜 Florida Pre-Suit Notice Requirements (F.S. 558)

Florida law requires property owners to follow specific pre-suit procedures before filing a construction defecto demanda judicial. incumplimiento can result in dismissal or abatement of su caso.

⚠ Mandatory Pre-Suit Notice

Under F.S. 558, you MUST provide aviso por escrito to the contratista and allow time for inspección and response before filing suit. Skipping this step can result in your demanda judicial being stayed or dismissed.

Chapter 558 Timeline

Step 1: aviso por escrito to Contratista

Enviar detailed aviso por escrito describing each defecto with reasonable specificity. Include location, nature of defecto, and known or suspected cause. Serve via correo certificado or personal service.

Step 2: Contratista Response (30 Days)

Contratista must respond dentro de 30 días for residential or 45 días for commercial projects, indicating intent to inspect and proposing inspección date/time.

Step 3: Property Inspección

Property owner must allow reasonable access for inspección. Contratista may perform destructive testing if they agree to reparación damage. Both parties may have experts present.

Step 4: Acuerdo Offer (Residential: 25 Days / Commercial: 30 Days)

After inspección, contratista must serve written response offering: (a) monetary acuerdo, (b) reparación proposal, (c) combination of money and reparaciones, or (d) dispute of reclamación.

Step 5: Owner Response (15 Days)

Owner must accept or reject offer dentro de 15 días for residential or 25 días for commercial. If rejected or no response, owner may proceed with demanda judicial.

Step 6: Filing Demanda Judicial

After completing the Chapter 558 process, owner may file suit. Total pre-suit period: approximately 60 días (residential) or 120 días (commercial).

📄 Required Notice Contents

Your F.S. 558 notice must include:

Property address and legal description
Name and address of property owner
Descripción of each claimed defecto with reasonable specificity
Location of defecto within the property
Any known or suspected cause
Observed damage resulting from defecto
Statement that this is a notice de conformidad con F.S. Chapter 558

✅ Benefits of Chapter 558 Process

While the pre-suit process may seem like a delay, it often results in faster resolution. Contratistas face increased responsabilidad if they reject reasonable acuerdo offers. The process creates a record showing buena fe efforts at resolution, which can influence tribunal decisions on abogado fees.

DBPR Demanda Process

además de civil remedies, puede presentar a demanda with DBPR against licensed contratistas for:

Abandonment of project
Diversion of funds (using your money for other projects)
Incompetence or misconduct
Failure to honor garantía
Fraude or declaración falsa
Working without proper license

📞 DBPR Información de Contacto

Online: myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/demandas
Phone: 850-487-1395
Email: Call.Center@myfloridalicense.com
DBPR can issue fines, suspend/revoke licenses, and order restitution to consumers.

💰 Daños & Recuperación in Florida

Florida law allows recuperación of various daños in construction defecto cases. The measure of daños typically depends on whether the defecto can be repaired or requires replacement.

💲 Recoverable Daños

Damage Type	Descripción
Cost of Reparación	Reasonable cost to correct defectuoso work, typically the primary measure of daños
Diminution in Value	Reduction in property value if reparación is impossible or cost exceeds value reduction
Loss of Use	Rental value of property during reparación period or while uninhabitable
Daños Consecuentes	Related costs: temporary housing, storage, damaged personal property
Interest	Prejudgment interest from date of breach under F.S. 687.01
Honorarios de Abogado	Prevailing party fees under contract or F.S. 713.29 for lien-related claims

Sample Damage Calculation

Typical Residential Construction Defecto Reclamación

Roof replacement due to improper installation: $35,000 Water damage reparaciones (interior): $12,500 Mold remediación: $8,000 Temporary housing (3 months @ $2,500): $7,500 Storage fees: $1,200 Personal property damage: $3,500 Engineering inspección/expert fees: $4,500 ---------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL ECONOMIC DAMAGES: $72,200 Prejudgment interest (2 años @ 6.52%): $9,415 Estimated abogado fees: $25,000 ---------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL CLAIM VALUE: $106,615

⚠ Betterment / Offset Rules

Contratistas may argue for "betterment" offsets when reparaciones result in improvements beyond the original specifications (e.g., new 30-year roof replacing defectuoso 20-year roof). Courts may reduce daños to account for the extended useful life of replacement materials.

Daños Punitivos

Punitive daños are available in Florida construction defecto cases where the contratista's conduct was:

Intentionally fraudulent
Grossly negligent showing reckless disregard
Involved knowing violacións of building codes
Part of a pattern of similar conduct

Florida caps punitive daños at the greater of 3x compensatory daños or $500,000, with a $2 million cap for intentional misconduct.

💳 Recuperación Against Contratista Bonds

Florida licensed contratistas must maintain surety bonds. If the contratista is unresponsive or insolvent, usted podría recover from the Construction Industries Recuperación Fund (up to $50,000 per reclamante) or directly from the contratista's surety bond. Contacto DBPR for reclamación procedures.

📝 Florida Construction Defecto Letter Templates

Use these templates as starting points for your construction defecto carta de demandas. Customize with your specific facts and daños.

Chapter 558 Pre-Suit Notice (Residential)

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, FL ZIP] [Date] VÍA CORREO CERTIFICADO CON ACUSE DE RECIBO [Contratista Name] [Contratista Address] [City, FL ZIP] RE: NOTICE OF CONSTRUCTION DEFECTS de conformidad con FLORIDA STATUTES CHAPTER 558 Property: [Your Property Address] Dear [Contratista Name]: This letter constitutes formal notice de conformidad con Florida Statutes Chapter 558 of construction defects at the above-referenced property. PROPERTY INFORMATION: Owner: [Your Name] Property Address: [Address] Legal Descripción: [Lot/Block info if available] Date of Substantial Completion: [Date] Contract Date: [Date] Contract Amount: $[Amount] DESCRIPTION OF DEFECTS: Defecto 1: [Specific location, e.g., "Master bathroom, south wall"] Nature: [Descripción of defecto] Suspected Cause: [If known] Resulting Damage: [Descripción of damage] Defecto 2: [Continuar for each defecto...] INSPECTION REQUEST: de conformidad con F.S. 558.004, you have thirty (30) days from receipt of this notice to serve aviso por escrito of your intent to inspect the property. You must complete your inspección within the timeframes specified in F.S. 558.004(3). Following inspección, you have twenty-five (25) days to serve a written response offering: (a) a monetary acuerdo; (b) a reparación proposal; (c) a combination of monetary and reparación offer; or (d) a statement disputing the reclamación. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS: This notice is provided de conformidad con statutory requirements and does not waive any claims or defenses. If the Chapter 558 process does not resolve this matter, I reserve the right to pursue all available legal remedies including tribunal action to recover the cost of reparaciones, consequential daños, abogado fees, and costs. Please direct all communications regarding this matter to: [Your contact information or abogado information] Atentamente, [Your Signature] [Your Printed Name] Anexos: [Photos, inspección reports, contract, etc.]

Acuerdo Carta de Demanda (Post-558 Process)

[Your Name or Abogado Name] [Address] [Date] VÍA CORREO CERTIFICADO Y CORREO ELECTRÓNICO [Contratista Name] [Address] RE: DEMANDA FOR SETTLEMENT - Construction Defects [Property Address] Dear [Contratista Name]: I represent [Property Owner] regarding construction defects at [Property Address]. Having completed the Chapter 558 pre-suit process without satisfactory resolution, this letter constitutes formal demand for compensación. BACKGROUND: On [Date], you contracted to perform [describe work] at the subject property for $[Amount]. Your Florida contratista license number is [Number]. The work was substantially completed on [Date]. DEFECTS AND DAMAGES: As documented in the Chapter 558 notice dated [Date] and subsequent inspeccións, the following defects exist: 1. [Defecto description] - Reparación Cost: $[Amount] 2. [Defecto description] - Reparación Cost: $[Amount] [Continuar as needed] Total Reparación Costs: $[Amount] Daños Consecuentes: $[Amount] Loss of Use ([X] months @ $[Amount]): $[Amount] Expert/Inspección Fees: $[Amount] ------------------------------------------- TOTAL DAMAGES: $[Amount] DEMANDA: Demand is hereby made for payment of $[Amount] within twenty (20) days of this letter. This demand includes consideration of my client's abogado fees incurred to date. CONSEQUENCES OF NON-PAYMENT: If this matter is not resolved, my client will file suit seeking: - All daños described above - Prejudgment interest at the statutory rate - Abogado fees and costs as prevailing party - DBPR demanda for license discipline - Consumer fraude claims if applicable Please contact me immediately to discuss resolution. Muy atentamente, [Signature] [Name] Florida Bar No. [Number]

DBPR Demanda Cover Letter

[Your Name] [Address] [Phone] [Email] [Date] Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Demanda Intake Unit 1940 North Monroe Street Tallahassee, FL 32399-0783 RE: COMPLAINT AGAINST LICENSED CONTRACTOR Contratista: [Name] License No.: [Number] Subject Property: [Address] Dear DBPR Demanda Unit: I am filing this demanda against [Contratista Name] for violacións of Florida Statutes Chapter 489 relating to construction contracting. CONTRACTOR INFORMATION: Name: [Full legal name] Company: [Company name] License Number: [Number] Address: [Address] Phone: [If known] COMPLAINANT INFORMATION: Name: [Your name] Address: [Your address] Phone: [Your phone] Email: [Your email] NATURE OF COMPLAINT: [Check applicable violacións] [ ] Abandonment of project [ ] Diversion of funds [ ] Incompetence/negligencia [ ] Failure to honor garantía [ ] Fraude/declaración falsa [ ] Work without proper license/permits STATEMENT OF FACTS: [Detailed chronological description of events] DAMAGES INCURRED: $[Amount] - [Descripción] RESOLUTION SOUGHT: 1. License discipline (suspension/revocation) 2. Restitution of $[Amount] 3. Administrative fine SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ENCLOSED: [List all attachments] I certify that the information provided is true and accurate. Signature: _______________________ Date: ___________________________

📝 Document Everything

Attach copies of: (1) Construction contract; (2) All change orders; (3) Payment records; (4) Photos/videos of defects; (5) Inspección reports; (6) Prior correspondence; (7) Reparación estimates from licensed contratistas; (8) Engineering reports if obtained.

⚖ Florida Construction Defecto Servicios de Abogado

Construction defecto cases in Florida often require legal representation due to the complexity of building codes, the Chapter 558 pre-suit requirements, and technical evidencia needed to prove causation and daños.

💼 Cuándo Contratar un Abogado

Significant Daños - Claims exceeding $15,000 typically justify legal fees
Complex Defects - Structural issues, water intrusion, or multi-system failures
Contratista Disputes - When contratista denies responsibility or files counterclaims
Lien Issues - Contratista has filed or threatened mechanics lien
Seguro Involvement - Dealing with contratista's responsabilidad insurer
Statute Concerns - Approaching 4-year limitation or 10-year repose deadlines
Chapter 558 Cumplimiento - Ensuring proper pre-suit notice procedures

Estructura de Honorarioss

Fee Type	Typical Range	Best For
Flat Fee	$575 - $1,500	carta de demandas, Chapter 558 notices, DBPR demandas
Hourly	$240 - $450/hr	Complex negotiations, litigio, expert coordination
Contingency	33% - 40%	Large damage claims where client cannot pay upfront
Hybrid	Reduced hourly + %	Moderate claims balancing risk and cost

✅ Abogado Fee Recuperación

Florida construction cases often allow the prevailing party to recover abogado fees. Under F.S. 713.29, abogado fees are recoverable in lien enforcement/defense actions. Most construction contracts also include prevailing party fee provisions. This means your abogado fees may be recoverable as part of your daños.

What a Construction Defecto Abogado Does

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Investigation & Documentation Coordinate expert inspeccións, document defects, preserve evidencia

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Chapter 558 Cumplimiento Draft and serve proper pre-suit notices, manage statutory deadlines

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Negotiation Negotiate with contratistas, insurers, and opposing counsel for acuerdo

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Litigio File and prosecute demanda judicial, manage discovery, trial preparation

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Damage Analysis Calculate full daños including consequentials, interest, and fees

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Expert Coordination Work with engineers, contratistas, and other experts to prove su caso

Need Help With Your Florida Construction Defecto Reclamación?

Our abogados understand Florida construction law and can guide you through the Chapter 558 process, DBPR demandas, and litigio if necessary.

Agendar Consulta Call (800) 555-0199

Preguntas Frecuentes

Florida has a 4-year prescripción for construction defecto claims under F.S. 95.11(3)(c), running from when the defecto was discovered or should have been discovered. Sin embargo, there is a 10-year statute of repose under F.S. 95.11(3)(c) that bars claims more than 10 years after substantial completion, regardless of when defects are discovered.

Sí. Florida's Construction Defecto Notice and Cure Law (F.S. 558) requires property owners to provide aviso por escrito to contratistas at least 60 días before filing a demanda judicial for residential construction defects, or 120 días for commercial projects. The contratista has the right to inspect the property and propose reparaciones.

File a demanda with Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) online at myfloridalicense.com or call 850-487-1395. You can report unlicensed activity, abandonment, incompetence, or fraude. DBPR can suspend or revoke licenses and order restitution to consumers.

Florida's Construction Lien Law (F.S. Chapter 713) governs mechanics liens and contratista payments. If you've paid in full but received defectuoso work, the contratista cannot place a lien. Sin embargo, if there's a payment dispute, the contratista may file a lien against your property dentro de 90 días of final work. Counter-claims for defects can offset lien amounts.

Sí, in most cases. Florida follows the 'prevailing party' doctrine in construction contracts, meaning the winner typically recovers abogado fees. F.S. 713.29 specifically allows abogado fee recuperación in lien actions. Many construction contracts also include fee-shifting provisions that apply to breach claims.

Recoverable daños in Florida include cost of reparación or replacement, diminution in property value, loss of use daños, consequential daños (temporary housing, storage), interest from date of breach, and abogado fees. Punitive daños may be available if the contratista engaged in fraude or intentional misconduct.