News Release: Homeowners who live in the Talega community in San Clements and who purchased houses built by Standard Pacific Homes have filed a lawsuit today claiming their homes were damaged due to defective copper pipes installed by Orange County-based homebuilder. The complaint, which was filed in Orange County Superior Court, states that the copper pipes have serious defects and that the homebuilder should have used stronger resistive pipe.
“Some homebuilders have installed copper pipes in new homes which they were arguably aware would eventually become a major headache for the unsuspecting buyers,” says Richard Bridgford, who is the lead attorney in the case and has 30 years’ experience litigating construction defect cases. “The lawsuit filed by me and my partner, Mike Artinian, against Standard Pacific seeks to recover economic losses caused by defects or deficiencies in the pipes, compensation for installation of new pipes, as well as loss of use, relocation and alternative housing while the problem is resolved.”
This is the 14th lawsuit Bridgford has filed in Orange County against homebuilders for installing defective copper pipes. On August 15, Orange County Judge Thierry Colaw provided final approval of defective copper pipe settlements worth about $2 million for homeowners in Ladera Ranch in a lawsuit Bridgford filed against MBK Builders. Bridgford has also obtained preliminary court approval of a $7.1 million settlement with William Lyon Homes for homeowners who live in the same area.
Finally, on August 19, the California Court of Appeals reversed defendants’ K. Hovnanian’s and DR Horton’s demurrer contending that a class could not be certified based on Bridgford’s pleadings against them (also in the Ladera neighborhood) and allowed plaintiffs to proceed on a path to class certification of those actions.