According to Robert Irwin, in his book "Tips and Traps When Buying a Home", there is no national clearinghouse to protect a consumer from residential construction disaster. The reality is that unless the builder is willing to fix the problem, the homebuyer is on his/her own and his/her only recourse is to go to court, resulting in aggravation and financial hardship. In fact, as a consumer you get better protection if you buy a TV or a dishwasher then a new house.
And why is that? Most states are regulating buildings but not contractors who most of the time practice without being licensed. It is shocking that home inspectors now need to be trained to be licensed to practice but not contractors.
Another reason is profit. A small builder who hire a local contractor with untrained workers for his project faces the risks of expensive mistakes such as structural or design flaw. In general consumer's complaintes are totally ignored by the builder and if sued, the builder will most likely declare bankruptcy. The homeowner has almost no chance to collect.
Anyone can become a victim of defective construction.
