Moss & Associates begins fixing homes tainted by Chinese drywall Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/14/2090911/moss-associates-begins-fixing.html#ixzz1I4SREQkI

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/14/2090911/moss-associates-begins-fixing.html

In her Lauderhill home, Eleanor Aguilar began experiencing horrendous migraines, insomnia and sinus infections.
Looking back, signs that something was wrong with her home were there from the beginning.
“When we closed in 2007 and did the walk through, I noticed a smell coming from the master closet on the second floor. The inspectors told me it was just a new house smell,” she said.
Two years later, Aguilar, 49, received a letter from developers Centerline stating her home may have been built with defective Chinese drywall. An inspection confirmed the suspicion.
Aguilar’s home is one of thousands nationally that was built with the defective, high-sulfur Chinese drywall, which is believed to corrode copper and other metals and cause electrical problems.
Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin, responsible for producing one-fifth of the tainted drywall, agreed in a federal court settlement to pay for rebuilding the insides of selected homes, relocation and attorney fees.
Fort Lauderdale-based construction firm Moss & Associates was selected to head the remediation that covers replacement of electrical wiring, fire safety equipment, home equipment and other fixtures damaged by the drywall.
The program, which started in January and initially included 300 South Florida homes, is now in the preliminary construction phase.
Aguilar’s entire home will be gutted to the concrete walls and rebuilt according to set standards over the next three months.
According to Knauf attorney Gregory Wallance of Kaye Scholer, as of Feb. 9, 115 work authorizations had been sent to homeowners, 34 work authorizations have been executed as the next step toward remediation and 97 permits have been issued.
The slow implementation of the program, “is not because of a lack of willingness from Moss,” said Victor Diaz, senior partner of V.M. Diaz & Partners and attorney for some affected homeowners.
“For some homeowners, this may be an attractive program, but others don’t find it as appealing as being compensated with monetary damages and completing the work themselves,” he said.
Aguilar, who temporarily relocated to Miami, said that getting her home back is all that matters. “I’m ecstatic. It could take years for monetary compensation to come; but with the remediation, I will have my house back now.”

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/14/2090911/moss-associates-begins-fixing.html#ixzz1I4vRcSae