Florida Pulte Home Stucco Construction Defects Settlement

Homeowners have secured a $78.7 million settlement in a state lawsuit lodged over the condition of Florida Pulte Home stucco.

Class Members include original purchasers of one of the more than 23,000 homes and condos built by PulteGroup Inc., who had to pay out-of-pocket repair costs related to stucco problems.

The Florida Attorney General’s Office filed the Pulte Home stucco enforcement action alleging the company built homes with defective means that resulted in damage to stucco, mold, and wood rot.

Many of the homes that suffered the alleged construction defects were sold in Florida in the following communities; Shoreview at Lakewood Ranch Waterside, Trevesta in Palmetto, The Woodlands in North Port, Willowbrook Townhomes in East Manatee, and Harrison Ranch in Parrish.

According to the lawsuit, the Florida Pulte home stucco was not installed properly in more than 23,000 homes built between 2008 and 2016. Additionally, the company reportedly failed to properly inspect the homes after the installation in violation of building codes.

As a result, alleged the Attorney General’s Office, the stucco failed to stand up over time, leading to serious problems for homeowners. Homeowners were stuck paying for expensive repairs as well, after PulteGroup reportedly refused to pay repair claims.

Court documents state that during the Attorney General’s investigation, Pulte spent more than $64 million to repair homes with stucco defects. In addition, Pulte spent $10 million in training its employees and upgrading its building materials. Another $4.7 million will be set aside for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by homeowners to repair damaged homes, bringing the total payout to $78.7 million.

The company has also agreed to change their construction practices by having a third-party inspector at the “lath and drainage plane stages.” Additionally, Pulte employees will receive further training from a stucco installation expert.

“Home repairs can be daunting and expensive,” Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody noted in a statement announcing the settlement. “Many homeowners in this case paid out-of-pocket for repairs that should have been covered under warranty. Thankfully, we secured a multimillion-dollar settlement to help repay homeowners and repair ongoing issues with faulty construction.”

Under the terms of the settlement, Class Members may qualify to have their home repaired by PulteGroup, along with reimbursement for expenses related to cracks and other damage to stucco on their home.

Class Members will need to submit a written claim online or by mail or email by Feb. 15, 2020. The claim must include either a repair request or documentation of expenses related to repairs due to the condition of the stucco on the Pulte home or both.

Who’s Eligible

Class Members include current and former original owners of Florida Pulte homes from April 17, 2005 to Dec. 28, 2018, who have either paid for stucco repair or need to have repairs due to stucco problems.

Potential Award

Varies depending on the cost of the repair necessary.

Proof of Purchase

Class Members must submit a claim online, by email, or in writing and provide documentation related to the repairs and/or repair request. This could include receipts, photographs, repair records or other documents that shows out-of-pocket expenses.

Claim Form

CLICK HERE TO FILE A CLAIM »

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

02/15/2020

Case Name

Office of the Attorney General, Department of Legal Affairs, State of Florida v. PulteGroup Inc. and Pulte Home Company LLC, Case No. 82632246, in the Circuit Court for the Second Judicial Circuit in and for Leon County, Florida

Final Hearing

N/A

Settlement Website

www.Florida-AG-PulteSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Pulte Settlement
A.B. Data Ltd.
P.O. Box 170500
Milwaukee, WI  53217
1-800-232-3154

Pulte email: FLStuccoSettlement@Pulte.com
Pulte phone: 844-947-4234

Class Counsel

Pamela Jo Bondi
FLORIDA OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

Patricia Conners
CHIEF DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL

Gregory Slemp
SENIOR ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL

R. Scott Palmer
CHIEF OF COMPLEX ENFORCEMENT

Colin Fraser
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL

Rachel Michelle Steinman
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL

Defense Counsel

John H. Dannecker
James P. Terpening III
SHUTTS & BOWEN LLP