Disputes between roofing contractors
and home owners over the quality of
work are not uncommon. Not only are
roofing defects perhaps the most visible
and aggravating of any construction
defects, but they can cause substantial
damages to the interior walls and furnishings.
As a result, owners will not
hesitate to sue a roofing contractor when
potential problems appear.
Consider the case of New Zion Baptist
Church v. Mecco, Inc., 478 So.2d 1364 (La.
1985), in which a roofing contractor in
Louisiana agreed to install a new roof on
the church. The contractor specified a
built-up type of roof marketed under the
name "Ny-Clad"
Almost immediately after the contractor
installed the system, the roof began to
leak, and church officials