Stuck on Stucco Claims

Consider the multi-million-dollar settlements for stucco claims in recent memory from homebuilders such as DR Horton, Pulte Group, and KB Home. Claim value, claim frequency, and settlement demands around stucco continue to rise—it is now more commonplace to see new homeowner/condominium associations or newly constructed buildings have multi-million-dollar construction-defect claims for stucco damage and repairs.

And it would appear, at least in how we talk about stucco claims and litigation, that there must be something different about Florida stucco compared with just about everywhere else. Stucco design and installation has evolved through the years, but the requirements have been in the Florida Building Code for decades. By now, it is reasonable to think that most designers and contractors know the nuances of stucco design and installation methods, yet the construction-defect claims and litigation continue.