Contractors board: Ineffective, many say

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Contractors board: Ineffective, many say

Thursday, December 08, 2005

I was encouraged to see Jeff Manning's article in The Sunday Oregonian

( " Licensed, bonded and unaccountable " ).

I have been a construction attorney for more than 21 years. I represented the

Haynes family in its case against Adair Homes [see " Sandy family wins mold

lawsuit, " March 8].

The Construction Contractors Board is worthless. Oregon consumers deserve to

have their concerns taken seriously. There are many things wrong with the

current system.

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For example, in many cases, incompetent builders (usually small-timers)

construct homes with the long-term goal of selling them to consumers. They move

into the house for a few months to circumvent the home-warranty law applicable

to new construction. Then they sell the house to a consumer and move into the

next one they just completed. This loophole must be plugged.

In many more cases, these builders construct homes in the winter rains and do

not dry them sufficiently before installing sheetrock, insulation and finish

materials. These buildings become self-composting houses that make their

occupants ill from mold exposure.

KELLY VANCE, Spokane, Wash.