Water damage repairs drain homeowners Modern materials, a less-skilled work force and lax code enforcement are blamed By PAUL WENSKE, The Kansas City Star Chagrined homeowners in relatively new subdivisions throughout the area are being stuck with house-repair bills that can hit $10,000 and sometimes much more. The culprits? Wood rot and mold caused by water leaks. With their dream homes turning into financial nightmares, homeowners are increasingly wondering: Who’s responsible? Many blame their builders for slighting precautions to keep water out, such as flashing and moisture barriers around windows, doors and roof lines. Builders acknowledge that some contractors cut corners, but they say homeowners often make things worse by failing to maintain their homes. National experts confirm the trend and cite a combination of factors, including newer building materials that make homes more vulnerable to water intrusion, construction practices that haven’t kept pace with new technologies, a less-skilled work

Problems Lurking Behind Bad Stucco Improper application may cost you in repairs By Paul Wenske – The Kansas City Star Dwight Orr suspected he had a problem when he saw water leaking into his $500,000 Parkville home — but he never dreamed it was literally rotting away. When workers tore off the exterior’s synthetic stucco in 2003, they found water damage and mold so extensive that the repair bill totaled a staggering $105,000. “It was just a god-awful mess,” said Orr, who sued the builder of his nine-year-old home and won a judgment through arbitration. “It has taken a long time to get over feeling totally irate about this.” Orr isn’t the only one steaming over bad stucco. Experts predict that because of damage caused by improperly applied stucco, hundreds of homeowners in the Kansas City area — and thousands nationwide — may end up paying millions of dollars to