Re: Bullock's home -stachybotrus mold

[Guest guest]

I had Letterman on the other night and Bullock

appeared as a guest and she was talking about problems

with her new home. She never really said just what all

was happening. I finally found an article about it. I

apologize is this is a repost.

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http://realtytimes.com/rtcpages/20041019_bullockvictory.htm

Grassroots Groups Claim Bullock Victory As Their Own

by Broderick Perkins

Grassroots consumer advocacy groups say a movie star's

real life courtroom drama is a symbolic victory for

all homeowners who've suffered construction defects --

and the movie star appears to agree.

Experts claim serious new-home construction defects

turn up in as many as 15 percent of all homes built.

The home building industry disagrees and says defects

are isolated events that become headlines because of

over-zealous attorneys and other factors.

In any event, a celebrity court suit took the issue to

center stage.

After four days of deliberations, an Austin, TX jury

last week awarded actress Bullock, 40, nearly

$7 million in a long-awaited verdict that pitted " Miss

Congeniality " against her former architect and builder

who constructed her lakefront home in Austin.

Bullock said, in a written statement after the verdict

was reached, " I felt firmly committed to see this

process through to a just conclusion, no matter what

the outcome, especially for all those homeowners who

could never afford to come this far. "

Three years ago, not Bullock, but the architect, M.B.

" Benny " Daneshjou, 52, sued the actress claiming she

owed money to his company for designing and building

her $6.5 million, 10,000-square-foot home.

Bullock counter-sued, claiming much of Daneshjou's

construction work wasn't good enough to be a stand in

for real craftsmanship.

During the two-month-long trial, witnesses testified

to a multitude of problems including construction that

caused water damage, poor roof framing, faulty wiring

within the drywall and damage to the masonry. Because

of the problems, Bullock elected not to live in the

home built in 1997. Construction on the home remains

incomplete.

Testimony centered on non-compliance with Austin's

building codes, construction defects including

problems with flashing that caused excessive water

intrusion, defectively installed rock work, stucco and

roofing materials, damage to framing, rotting wall

board, and the presence of toxic stachybotrus mold.

Bullock also took the stand in the case.

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