Amendment SSA3-SB448

LRBs0546/1

RPN&RNK:kjf/wlj:rs

2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE

SENATE SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 3, TO 2005 SENATE BILL 448

February 15, 2006 - Offered by Senator Olsen.

SB448-SSA3,1,3 An Act to create 101.148 and 895.07 of the statutes; relating to: contractor notices, claims against certain contractors and suppliers of dwellings, and providing a penalty.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This substitute amendment requires contractors that contract to construct or remodel a person's residence to deliver to the person a brochure explaining the procedures created in this substitute amendment and that he or she must follow those procedures before suing a contractor or window or door supplier. Under the substitute amendment, if the dwelling owner, which may be a condominium association, is concerned about a possible construction defect, the owner must give a written notice of claim to the contractor at least 90 working days before starting a court action against the contractor. The substitute amendment requires the written notice to detail the nature of the alleged construction defect, including any evidence that the owner of the dwelling has that substantiates the nature and cause of the defect.

After the contractor receives the notice, the substitute amendment gives the contractor time to respond to the notice with a written offer to inspect the property, make repairs, settle the claim with a monetary payment, or reject the claim. Under the substitute amendment, if the claim is rejected at this point, or if the contractor fails to respond timely to the claim, the owner can start a court action against the contractor. If the contractor makes a settlement offer and the owner rejects the offer, the owner must do so with a written statement that includes the reasons for the rejection. The substitute amendment requires the owner to allow the contractor reasonable access to the dwelling if the contractor wants to inspect the alleged construction defect. After inspection, the substitute amendment allows the contractor to submit a settlement offer or reject the claim. If the owner rejects an offer, the substitute amendment allows the contractor to submit a timely supplemental offer and requires the owner to respond to the supplemental offer under the same procedures as for the original offer.

If the property is inspected and requires some destructive testing, the substitute amendment requires the contractor to return the dwelling to its condition before the inspection. If the owner of a dwelling agrees to a contractor's settlement offer and the contractor does not follow through as agreed, the substitute amendment allows the owner to file in the court action the offer and acceptance as rebuttable evidence of an agreement.

The substitute amendment allows an owner to repair a construction defect immediately without giving notice if the repair is necessary for health or safety.

If the dwelling owner begins a court action but fails to follow the procedures, and the contractor has provided the owner with the proper notice and brochure, under the substitute amendment the court must dismiss the action without prejudice. If the dwelling owner begins a court action but fails to follow the procedures, and the contractor does not provide the owner with the proper notice and brochure, under the substitute amendment the court stays the action and orders the parties to comply with the substitute amendment's provisions.

Under the substitute amendment, a contractor may obtain contribution from a window or door supplier for the cost of repairing the construction defect if the contractor follows procedures in the substitute amendment similar to those that apply to the contractor and owner regarding a defect, including notifying the supplier of the alleged defect and giving the supplier an opportunity to remedy the defect or to make an offer of settlement.

The substitute amendment requires the Department of Commerce to prepare a draft of a brochure that explains the process in this substitute amendment and to provide that draft to contractors. Contractors are required to give a copy of the brochure to the person whom the contractor contracts with to construct or remodel a dwelling.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB448-SSA3, s. 1 Section 1. 101.148 of the statutes is created to read:

SB448-SSA3,2,2 101.148 Contractor notices. (1) Definitions. In this section:

SB448-SSA3,3,2 (a) "Consumer" means a person who enters into a written or oral contract with a contractor to construct or remodel a dwelling.

SB448-SSA3,3,4 (b) "Contractor" means a person who enters into a written or oral contract with a consumer to construct or remodel a dwelling.

SB448-SSA3,3,5 (c) "Deliver" means any of the following:

SB448-SSA3,3,7 1. Depositing the document or written notice in the U.S. mail or with a commercial delivery service, addressed to the applicable person.

SB448-SSA3,3,8 2. Giving the document or written notice personally to the applicable person.

SB448-SSA3,3,13 (d) "Dwelling" means any premises or portion of a premises that is used as a home or a place of residence and that part of the lot or site on which the dwelling is situated that is devoted to residential use. "Dwelling" includes other existing structures on the immediate residential premises such as driveways, sidewalks, swimming pools, terraces, patios, fences, porches, garages, and basements.

SB448-SSA3,3,15 (e) "Remodel" means to alter or reconstruct a dwelling. "Remodel" does not include maintenance or repair work.

SB448-SSA3,3,21 (2) Notice required at time of contracting. (a) Before entering into a written contract to construct or remodel a dwelling, or, if the parties enter into an oral contract, as soon as reasonably possible, but before commencing any work to construct or remodel a dwelling, the contractor shall deliver to the consumer a copy of the brochure prepared under s. 895.07 (13) and a notice worded substantially as follows:

SB448-SSA3,3,23 NOTICE CONCERNING CONSTRUCTION DEFECTS

SB448-SSA3,4,8 Wisconsin law contains important requirements you must follow before you may file a lawsuit for defective construction against the contractor who constructed your dwelling or completed your remodeling project or against a window or door supplier or manufacturer.  Section 895.07 (2) and (3) of the Wisconsin statutes requires you to deliver to the contractor a written notice of any construction conditions you allege are defective before you file your lawsuit, and you must provide your contractor or window or door supplier the opportunity to make an offer to repair or remedy the alleged construction defects. You are not obligated to accept any offer made by the contractor or window or door supplier. All parties are bound by applicable warranty provisions.

SB448-SSA3,4,10 (b) The notice required under par. (a) shall be conspicuous and in writing and may be included within the contract between the contractor and the consumer.

SB448-SSA3, s. 2 Section 2. 895.07 of the statutes is created to read:

SB448-SSA3,4,13 895.07 Claims against contractors and suppliers. (1) Definitions. In this section:

SB448-SSA3,4,14 (a) "Action" means a civil action or an arbitration under ch. 788.

SB448-SSA3,4,18 (b) "Association" means a homeowner's association, condominium association under s. 703.02 (1m), unit owner's association, or a nonprofit corporation created to own and operate portions of a planned community that may assess unit owners for the costs incurred in the performance of the association's obligations.

SB448-SSA3,4,20 (c) "Claim" means a request or demand to remedy a construction defect caused by a contractor or supplier related to the construction or remodeling of a dwelling.

SB448-SSA3,4,23 (d) "Claimant" means the owner, tenant, or lessee of a dwelling, or an association, who has standing to sue a contractor or supplier regarding a construction defect.

SB448-SSA3,5,2 (e) "Construction defect," in those cases when the contractor or supplier has provided a warranty to a consumer, means the definition of "defect" in the warranty. In all other cases, "construction defect" means a deficiency in the construction or remodeling of a dwelling that results from any of the following:

SB448-SSA3,5,3 1. Defective material.

SB448-SSA3,5,4 2. Violation of applicable codes.

SB448-SSA3,5,5 3. Failure to follow accepted trade standards for workmanlike construction.

SB448-SSA3,5,7 (f) "Consumer" means a person who enters into a written or oral contract with a contractor to construct or remodel a dwelling.

SB448-SSA3,5,9 (g) "Contractor" means a person that enters into a written or oral contract with a consumer to construct or remodel a dwelling.

SB448-SSA3,5,14 (h) "Dwelling" means any premises or portion of a premises that is used as a home or a place of residence and that part of the lot or site on which the dwelling is situated that is devoted to residential use. "Dwelling" includes other existing structures on the immediate residential premises such as driveways, sidewalks, swimming pools, terraces, patios, fences, porches, garages, and basements.

SB448-SSA3,5,16 (i) "Remodel" means to alter or reconstruct a dwelling. "Remodel" does not include maintenance or repair work.

SB448-SSA3,5,18 (j) "Serve" or "service" means personal service or delivery by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last-known address of the addressee.

SB448-SSA3,5,20 (k) "Supplier" means a person that manufactures or provides windows or doors for a dwelling.

SB448-SSA3,5,22 (L) "Working day" means any day except Saturday, Sunday, and holidays designated in s. 230.35 (4) (a).

SB448-SSA3,5,25 (2) Notice and opportunity to repair. (a) Before commencing an action against a contractor or supplier regarding a construction defect, a claimant shall do all of the following:

SB448-SSA3,6,5 1. No later than 90 working days before commencing the action, deliver written notice to the contractor containing a description of the claim in sufficient detail to explain the nature of the alleged defect and a description of the evidence that the claimant knows or possesses, including expert reports, that substantiates the nature and cause of the alleged construction defect.

SB448-SSA3,6,7 2. Provide the contractor or supplier with the opportunity to repair or to remedy the alleged construction defect.

SB448-SSA3,6,11 (b) Within 15 working days after the claimant serves notice of claim under par. (a), or within 25 working days if the contractor makes a claim for contribution from a supplier under sub. (7) (a), each contractor that has received the notice of claim shall serve on the claimant any of the following: