In Great American Fidelity Insurance Company et al v. JWR Construction Services, Inc., Great American – the insurance company for JWR Construction Services (who is being sued for properties they built with Chinese drywall) must immediately reimburse JWR for its defense costs thus far incurred in the underlying suits, establish a continual defense fund to provide for JWRs future defense costs, and pay attorneys fees for this action to JWR pursuant to Section 627.428, Florida Statutes.

As a homeowner with Chinese drywall you may read this and think “Why exactly am I supposed to feel good that a builder who used Chinese drywall is now being compensated for their legal costs?”.  It is significant because insurance companies are refusing to defend builders who installed the Chinese drywall with fundamentally the same reasoning that they are refusing to help homeowners with Chinese drywall – the dreaded Pollution Exclusion.  Although the judge declined to decide whether the insurance company has a duty to indemnify (yet), the fact he is compelling the insurance company to pay the legal fees of the builder client is some positive news.

One of the two major obligations of an insurance company is their duty to indemnify an insured in the event of a claim. The insurance company’s duty to indemnify is usually triggered when the insured’s legal obligation to pay damages is established either through a court judgment or a settlement.  The judge has decided no further action will be taken until the underlying cases against the builder are settled.

Tampa Chinese Drywall Video Series – The video series walks step-by-step through an entire Chinese drywall remediation project.  It also covers other issues homeowners should consider before beginning a remediation project.

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog – The blog focusses on those issues directly relevant to any homeowner with Chinese drywall.

Tampa Chinese Drywall Twitter Feed – This twitter feed also focuses on those issue directly relevant to homeowners with Chinese drywall.  The blog contains more in-depth information while the twitter feed contains the more timely issues relating to Chinese drywall.

Charter Bay Home Builders is a full-service Tampa Chinese Drywall Contractor and Remediator, Remodeler, and Custom Home Builder working throughout the greater Tampa Bay area including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, and Sarasota.  Charter Bay can help with your Chinese Drywall Problems and Remediation, Custom Home Building, Additions, Kitchen Remodeling, Bath Remodeling, Renovation, and Remodeling needs.

In addition, as one of the few Tampa custom home builders, or remodelers, with multiple green building and green remodeling certifications (FGBC Certifying Agent and NAHB Certified Green Building Professional), Charter Bay can also assist those clients who want green features and sustainable building practices incorporated into their projects.

Visit our website – www.CharterBayHomes.com – today to learn how “The Charter Bay Way” delivers:

“Yesterday’s Values • Today’s Technology • Tomorrow’s Vision”

(813) 357-9030

(CBC1255041)

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog | Remodeling | Home Building - Charter Bay Home Builders - Tampa, Florida

The collection of the evidence will be one of the most important aspects of your whole project. Charter Bay can perform the evidence protection portion of your restoration project. Evidence collection must be performed in strict accordance with Judge Fallon’s most current Evidence Protection Order (E.P.O). At the time of this writing, the most current E.P.O is Pretrial Order 1(I) dated 1/24/2012. Collection of evidence must also be done in accordance with your attorney’s requirements. Unfortunately, and more than once, attorneys have shared with us that contractors did not perform the EPO correctly. When it comes to collecting the evidence, there are no do-overs. Those homeowners will not know until their trials begin whether or not the mistakes made in the EPO collection will negatively effect their ability to receive compensation. Charter Bay has developed a specific set of processes to ensure all aspects of your evidence collection are done correctly. All data is then compiled in a proprietary digital portfolio, and is then distributed to all parties.

The video can be seen at this link:

Chinese Drywall Demolition With Evidence Protection (EPO) Tampa Chinese Drywall

Tampa Chinese Drywall Video Series – The video series walks step-by-step through an entire Chinese drywall remediation project.  It also covers other issues homeowners should consider before beginning a remediation project.

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog – The blog focusses on those issues directly relevant to any homeowner with Chinese drywall.

Tampa Chinese Drywall Twitter Feed – This twitter feed also focuses on those issue directly relevant to homeowners with Chinese drywall.  The blog contains more in-depth information while the twitter feed contains the more timely issues relating to Chinese drywall.

Charter Bay Home Builders is a full-service Tampa Chinese Drywall Contractor and Remediator, Remodeler, and Custom Home Builder working throughout the greater Tampa Bay area including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, and Sarasota.  Charter Bay can help with your Chinese Drywall Restoration and Remediation, Custom Home Building, Additions, Kitchen Remodeling, Bath Remodeling, Renovation, and Remodeling needs.

In addition, as one of the few Tampa custom home builders, or remodelers, with multiple green building and green remodeling certifications (FGBC Certifying Agent and NAHB Certified Green Building Professional), Charter Bay can also assist those clients who want green features and sustainable building practices incorporated into their projects.

Visit our website – www.CharterBayHomes.com – today to learn how “The Charter Bay Way” delivers:

“Yesterday’s Values • Today’s Technology • Tomorrow’s Vision”

(813) 357-9030

(CBC1255041)

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog | Remodeling | Home Building - Charter Bay Home Builders - Tampa, Florida

The video can be seen at this link:

Chinese Drywall Time Lapse # 1- Tampa Chinese Drywall

Tampa Chinese Drywall Video Series – The video series walks step-by-step through an entire Chinese drywall remediation project.  It also covers other issues homeowners should consider before beginning a remediation project.

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog – The blog focusses on those issues directly relevant to any homeowner with Chinese drywall.

Tampa Chinese Drywall Twitter Feed – This twitter feed also focuses on those issue directly relevant to homeowners with Chinese drywall.  The blog contains more in-depth information while the twitter feed contains the more timely issues relating to Chinese drywall.

Charter Bay Home Builders is a full-service Tampa Chinese Drywall Contractor and Remediator, Remodeler, and Custom Home Builder working throughout the greater Tampa Bay area including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, and Sarasota.  Charter Bay can help with your Chinese Drywall Problems and Remediation, Custom Home Building, Additions, Kitchen Remodeling, Bath Remodeling, Renovation, and Remodeling needs.

In addition, as one of the few Tampa custom home builders, or remodelers, with multiple green building and green remodeling certifications (FGBC Certifying Agent and NAHB Certified Green Building Professional), Charter Bay can also assist those clients who want green features and sustainable building practices incorporated into their projects.

Visit our website – www.CharterBayHomes.com – today to learn how “The Charter Bay Way” delivers:

“Yesterday’s Values • Today’s Technology • Tomorrow’s Vision”

(813) 357-9030

(CBC1255041)

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog | Remodeling | Home Building - Charter Bay Home Builders - Tampa, Florida

The video can be seen at this link:

Completed Chinese Drywall Remediation Home Tour

Tampa Chinese Drywall Video Series – The video series walks step-by-step through an entire Chinese drywall remediation project.  It also covers other issues homeowners should consider before beginning a remediation project.

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog – The blog focusses on those issues directly relevant to any homeowner with Chinese drywall.

Tampa Chinese Drywall Twitter Feed – This twitter feed also focuses on those issue directly relevant to homeowners with Chinese drywall.  The blog contains more in-depth information while the twitter feed contains the more timely issues relating to Chinese drywall.

Charter Bay Home Builders is a full-service Tampa Chinese Drywall Contractor and Remediator, Remodeler, and Custom Home Builder working throughout the greater Tampa Bay area including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, and Sarasota.  Charter Bay can help with your Chinese Drywall Problems and Remediation, Custom Home Building, Additions, Kitchen Remodeling, Bath Remodeling, Renovation, and Remodeling needs.

In addition, as one of the few Tampa custom home builders, or remodelers, with multiple green building and green remodeling certifications (FGBC Certifying Agent and NAHB Certified Green Building Professional), Charter Bay can also assist those clients who want green features and sustainable building practices incorporated into their projects.

Visit our website – www.CharterBayHomes.com – today to learn how “The Charter Bay Way” delivers:

“Yesterday’s Values • Today’s Technology • Tomorrow’s Vision”

(813) 357-9030

(CBC1255041)

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog | Remodeling | Home Building - Charter Bay Home Builders - Tampa, Florida

On the surface the article that follows (see link below) seems like a good thing – The Chinese government is “cracking down” on Chinese manufactures who are producing a product that poisons it’s users (sound familiar?) – batteries in this case.  So far, so good.  However, if we can’t learn from history we are destined to repeat it (or in this case have it happen to us) again.  The Chinese government is INCAPABLE of policing itself.  What is acceptable to the Chinese government would be regarded as a pathetic standard to most of us.  When will we learn?  Really?  When are we going to put a stop to this?

The production – and our purchasing – of inferior Chinese products, and our massive trade deficit, has literally crippled this county’s manufacturing industry.  We no longer make anything.  Since we no longer make anything it should come as no surprise that we no longer employ any Americans to make the things we buy.  The viscous cycle goes round and round, and none of us seem to do anything about it.  No, scratch that, each of us fully support it with our purchasing dollars.  Sitting right in the center of this multi-faceted Chinese-based problem is the product distribution arm of the People’s Republic Of China – Walmart.  There are others of course, but Walmart is the grand-daddy of them all.

At first, the cheaper and cheaper products and convenience offered by Walmart certainly seemed like a good thing.  However, the far-reaching negative impact of this retail behemoth should be getting more and more clear to each of us.  Do we want to be part of the solution to get our country back on track, or are we willing to give the whole problem a pass if it only means we can continue to buy our t-shirts for $6?  If we decide to start being part of solution then we need to start buying less and less Chinese (foreign) products from Walmart.  Yep, Walmart is as bad as you have heard (not enough space to go into all the reasons here).  Start finding alternative American made sources for the things you need.  Start buying from small local companies.  Start to think more locally.  It won’t be easy though.  We struggle with this every day.  It turns out that buying American-made products these days is at times really, really difficult.  None of us can be perfect in this, but we can at least think before we buy.  We can start to recognize that our purchasing dollars can either support American workers, and the values that America stands for, or our dollars can support poorly paid Chinese workers and the values (no free speech, no free will, no democracy, worker exploitation, etc) that the Chinese government stands for.  We are all guilty of being part of the problem – and we recognize that the solution to the problems are much more complex than those outlined here – but taking personal responsibility for our own purchases can be done.

The following story is from All Headline News and was written by Kris Alingod

Chinese Battery Producers Halt Operations In Pollution Crackdown

For additional information on Chinese drywall, please visit the following Chinese drywall resources:

Tampa Chinese Drywall Video Series – The video series walks step-by-step through an entire Chinese drywall remediation project.  It also covers other issues homeowners should consider before beginning a remediation project.

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog – The blog focusses on those issues directly relevant to any homeowner with Chinese drywall.

 

Tampa Chinese Drywall Twitter Feed – This twitter feed also focuses on those issue directly relevant to homeowners with Chinese drywall.  The blog contains more in-depth information while the twitter feed contains the more timely issues relating to Chinese drywall.

Charter Bay Home Builders is a full-service Tampa Chinese Drywall Remediator, Remodeler, and Custom Home Builder working throughout the greater Tampa Bay area including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, and Sarasota.  Charter Bay can help with your Chinese Drywall Problems and Remediation, Additions, Kitchen Remodeling, Bath Remodeling, Renovation, Remodeling, Home Design, Cabinets, Design Build, and Custom Home Building needs.

In addition, as one of the few Tampa custom home builders, or remodelers, with multiple green building and green remodeling certifications (FGBC Certifying Agent and NAHB Certified Green Building Professional), Charter Bay can also assist those clients who want green features and sustainable building practices incorporated into their projects.

Visit our website – www.CharterBayHomes.com – today to learn how “The Charter Bay Way” delivers:

“Yesterday’s Values • Today’s Technology • Tomorrow’s Vision”

(813) 357-9030

(CBC1255041)

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog | Remodeling | Home Building - Charter Bay Home Builders - Tampa, Florida

1. Make Sure They Are Licensed – Go to www.myfloridalicense.com.  If the contractor is not licensed, move on to the next one!
2. Background Check – Everyone says they are honest, dependable, and capable, but The Palm Beach Post article clearly proves you should never take anyone’s word for it.  A Chinese drywall remediation project is going to involve several months of work, and thousands and thousands of dollars.  Before committing to any company, go to www.USSearch.com to perform a background check on the principle of the company you’re considering for the job.  For around $40 you can get a full background check, which includes a state criminal background check.  For around $80 you can get a national criminal background check.  Scammers who are felons, child molesters, and the like do not advertise themselves as such.  In fact, they are very good at convincing their victims they are the exact opposite.  The investment of less than $100 can easily be the best investment you make on your remediation project.   (Note: Charter Bay Home Builders is not affiliated with USSearch).
3. Insurance – Chinese drywall remediation work requires special insurance above and beyond a normal Builder’s General Liability Insurance Policy.  A Commercial Pollution Policy is required to be carried by your contractor.  If the contractor you hire doesn’t carry this insurance you will be exposing yourself to significant financial risks.  If your contractor only carries general liability insurance, and someone gets injured on your project, you and contractor will quickly see there is a difference between paying for insurance, and actually being insured.  Upon learning that the contractor was performing Chinese drywall remediation work, the insurance company will notify the contractor that they will not cover any injuries.  What you don’t want to do is move forward with your Chinese drywall remediation only to get sued by an injured worker who isn’t covered because the contractor did not carry adequate insurance.
4. Local, Statewide, or National – In an effort to cast a very wide net, many companies advertise that they can perform Chinese drywall services throughout Florida.  If this is the case, you need to ask more questions.  If the company’s headquarters are located somewhere else, but they have an established branch office located in your area then this should not be a problem; however, a company based in Cape Coral that says they can mobilize to Tampa to perform your remediation work should raise a a major red flag.  A general contractor is only as good as the quality of their sub-contractors.  You want to work with someone who has well-seasoned relationships with quality sub-contractors from your area.  You don’t want to see your construction manager introducing himself to his sub-contractors on the first day of your job!
5. Check References – Calling the references provided by contractors is a critical part of the “hiring” process.  Most people choose to skip this important step, buy you shouldn’t.  References are one of the best ways for you to ensure the contractor you’re hiring is capable of managing your project.  Try to speak to at least three references.  Here are a few things to ask:

• What can you tell me about XXX company and the work they did for you?  Project size?  Scope? (Did their project take three days, while yours is going to take four months?)  Specification level (Is your house a mansion, while their home was a mobile home?)?  When was your project completed (if all  of their references are from four years ago you should be wondering why they don’t seem to have any current satisfied customers to share with you)?
• How do you know them?  The idea here is to make sure you’re not talking to a relative, or friend (It does happen!).
• On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate the quality of their work?  Their subcontractors?  Their service?  Their organization skills?  The overall process?  Their professionalism?
• Did they finish on time?  On budget?
• Were there any surprises?
• Would you hire them again?

By following these basic guidelines, homeowners can effectively choose a contractor who will help make their project a success.  Note that this topic was also covered in video #2 of our Chinese Drywall Remediation Series on Youtube, which can be seen here:  How To Choose A Chinese Drywall Contractor (Tampa, Florida).  Also note that the information in the article is focused on hiring a Chinese drywall contractor, but it applies just as well to a remodeling or custom home building project.

Charter Bay Home Builders is a full-service Tampa Chinese Drywall Remediator, Remodeler, and Custom Home Builder working throughout the greater Tampa Bay area including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, and Sarasota.  Charter Bay can help with your Chinese Drywall Problems and Remediation, Additions, Kitchen Remodeling, Bath Remodeling, Renovation, Remodeling, Home Design, Cabinets, Design Build, and New Home Building needs.

In addition, as one of the few Tampa remodelers, contractors, or home builders with multiple green building and green remodeling certifications (FGBC Certifying Agent and NAHB Certified Green Building Professional), Charter Bay can also assist those clients who want green features and sustainable building practices incorporated into their projects.

Visit our website – www.CharterBayHomes.com – today to learn how “The Charter Bay Way” delivers:

“Yesterday’s Values • Today’s Technology • Tomorrow’s Vision”

(813) 357-9030

(CBC1255041)

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog | Remodeling | Home Building - Charter Bay Home Builders - Tampa, Florida

The two aspects regarded as most relevant for green kitchen design are integration into a net-zero energy home and choosing components of your kitchen which are not detrimental to the health of the family who lives in the home.

A “net-zero”, or “zero energy”, home simply means that the home produces as much energy as it uses.  This is accomplished by incorporating components which require less energy and work more efficiently, like quality Energy Star appliances (not all Energy Star appliances are created equal), and by utilizing technology such as solar power to supply the needs of the home.

Indoor Air Quality is the second factor we are most concerned with.  Offgasing of VOCs (Volitile Organic Compounds) from items such as particle board cabinet bases can lead to health problems for the families living in the home.  In addition, without proper cooking appliance ventilation the home can accumulate cooking byproducts.  Smoke from cooking that does not get vented outside is not healthy.  Indoor air quality from VOC’s can sometimes be difficult to pin down; however, the proper sizing of the range hood is easy and should not be an item that is skimped on.

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog | Remodeling | Home Building - Charter Bay Home Builders - Tampa, Florida

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Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog | Remodeling | Home Building - Charter Bay Home Builders - Tampa, Florida

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Source: eLocal.com

Tampa Chinese Drywall Removal Contractor

Charter Bay Home Builders is a full-service Tampa Chinese Drywall Contractor, Remodeler, and Custom Home Builder working throughout the greater Tampa Bay area including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, and Sarasota.  Charter Bay can help with your Chinese Drywall Problems and Remediation, Additions, Kitchen Remodeling, Bath Remodeling, Renovation, Remodeling, Home Design, Cabinets, Design Build, and New Home Building needs.

In addition, as one of the few Tampa remodelers, contractors, or home builders with multiple green building and green remodeling certifications (FGBC Certifying Agent and NAHB Certified Green Building Professional), Charter Bay can also assist those clients who want green features and sustainable building practices incorporated into their projects.

Visit our website – www.CharterBayHomes.com – today to learn how “The Charter Bay Way” delivers:

“Yesterday’s Values • Today’s Technology • Tomorrow’s Vision”

(813) 357-9030

(CBC1255041)

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog | Remodeling | Home Building - Charter Bay Home Builders - Tampa, Florida

Kitchen Remodel With Wolf And Sub-Zero Appliances

In this blog we’re sharing the photographs from our most recent kitchen remodel.  The kitchen turned out beautifully and showcases high-end appliances, cabinet storage upgrades, different lighting upgrades, and much more.

A complete slideshow of the kitchen photographs can be seen at Flicker:

CLICK HERE FOR FLICKER PHOTO SLIDESHOW

In this kitchen we installed Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Miele appliances.  The cooktop was a 36″ Wolf Unframed Induction Cooktop (CT36IU) with a 36″ Wolf Wall Hood (CTWH36).  The refrigerator was a beautiful 36″ Sub-Zero All Refrigerator (all refrigerator with no freezer).  For the freezer we installed an under-counter Sub-Zero freezer (700BFI).  The oven was a Wolf E Series and the microwave was a Wolf MW24.  Finally the dishwasher was a Miele.  The combination of all of these high-end appliances really created an incredible looking new kitchen.

In the photos you will notice that we played around quite a bit with the lighting options to get different effects for the photographs.  We were able to do this because in this kitchen we installed numerous types of lighting, including toe-kick rope lighting, under-cabinet LED ribbon lights, and puck lights in the glass cabinets.  All lights, including the recessed cans and point lights, were installed with dimmers, which allows for many different lighting looks in the space.

You will also notice in the photos that the kitchen features many cabinet storage options.  One of the highlights of these options are the spice-rack pull-outs to each side of the cooktop.  In addition, it also has a garbage can pull-out, super suzan, baking sheet organizers, a knife drawer, sink base tilt-outs, a custom above-counter pantry, and every base cabinet in the kitchen was equipped with pull-out drawers.  The addition of these storage options means that every space within the cabinets is easily accessed and utilized.

Also shown is the stunning glass tile backsplash.  The tile has a metallic backing which gives the backsplash a very chic look.  The floor tile was done in an Italian porcelain with a beautiful tile medallion at the foyer (not shown)  Another interesting feature was the new Delta Pilar faucet.  The faucet operates on touch technology, which means your faucet never gets dirty from dirty cooking hands.

The kitchen came out beautifully and the homeowner is excited to begin cooking in their new space.

You can see all of the photos with a slideshow at Flicker:

CLICK HERE FOR FLICKER PHOTO SLIDESHOW

Charter Bay Home Builders is a full-service Tampa Remodeler and Custom Home Builder working throughout the greater Tampa Bay area including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, and Sarasota.  Charter Bay can help with your Additions, Kitchen Remodeling, Bath Remodeling, Renovation, Chinese Drywall Remediation, Remodeling, Home Design, Cabinets, Design Build, and New Home Building needs.

In addition, as one of the few Tampa remodelers, contractors, or home builders with multiple green building and green remodeling certifications (FGBC Certifying Agent and NAHB Certified Green Building Professional), Charter Bay can also assist those clients who want green features and sustainable building practices incorporated into their projects.

Visit our website –www.CharterBayHomes.com – today to learn how “The Charter Bay Way” delivers:

“Yesterday’s Values • Today’s Technology • Tomorrow’s Vision”

(813) 357-9030

(CBC1255041)

Tampa Chinese Drywall Blog | Remodeling | Home Building - Charter Bay Home Builders - Tampa, Florida