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Updated over 3 years ago,
Looking for some advice - building failure; partial collapse
Very weird situation we have got ourselves into. We purchased a major rehab building in New York about a year ago. The real estate agent was also in property management, ran his own PM firm and his family has run a construction company for several decades. We've used him before in the past to purchase properties, but never to manage and head construction on a six story rebuild. It was completed recently and tenants signed the leases and were to move in on Sept.15th; opening day. Well, about a week prior we had a bad storm, flooding and high winds. The main pipe couldn't handle all of the water and just sat on the new roof; which failed. All floors below were flooded and needed to be rebuilt. I sent the info to my attorney, and he sent a demand letter; which no on responded to. We then went after the contractor who did the work that the realtor hired; but they declined as they do not cover poor workmanship. The attorney estimates that it will cost between 50k - 75k to file suit, and I've already given him around 6k for legal fees. He suggests writing a complaint against his license with the New York Department of State and see if they will force his E & O to pickup the claim. The 1st building rehabilitation cost around $650k. Tp repair the building a second time cost around an additional 110k.
Certainly in a pickle here. Open to some possible solutions.