Driveway issues in Florida

[Scott Mitchell]

Hi. Ive recently purchased a property in the Panhandle of Florida and after 12 months the driveway has massive cracks in. The builder is adamant that this is normal, however other houses in the area are older and do not have the same issues. Has anyone had similar problems and does anyone know of a rule/code where it states the builder is responsible?

Thank you in advance for any help given.

Scott

[Patricia Steiner]

The first thing I would do is to get a concrete gap filler and secure those cracks.  It's sold at Home Depot/Lowes, more.  What you don't want is for water to seep into the cracks and then cause more damage.  I've seen driveways that have had foundation issues as well as sinking and tree root lifting - and none look like those.  To make any kind of claim with the builder, you'll need an inspector to certify that it was installed improperly ("A Concrete Construction Special Inspector is a person qualified to inspect and record the results of concrete construction inspection based on codes and job specifications. The program covers inspection during preplacement, placement, and post-placement operations." End).  The driveway would have been permitted and inspected so maybe ask if that city/county inspector can take a look at it.  It will be a tough case to make but at least you'll have an expert opinion on the cause.  Best...