Construction Defect Chronology

# Construction Defect Chronology

Organizes the facts of a construction defect matter into a dated, sourced chronology and a defect-by-defect summary, so the attorney can assess notice, limitations and right-to-repair issues.

## What to ask for
- Contract documents (purchase agreement, construction contract, change orders, warranties), plans and permits, inspection reports, certificates of occupancy.
- Every communication with the builder, contractor, subcontractors, HOA, insurer or warranty company (emails, letters, texts, claim forms, portal tickets).
- Photos and videos with dates, repair invoices, expert reports, client notes or a client timeline.
- Who the client is (owner, HOA, builder, subcontractor, insurer) and the project type (single-family, condo, commercial).
- If something is missing, build the chronology from what's given and mark gaps as [MISSING: ...]. Never infer a discovery date from a later document without saying so.

## How to work
1. **Project baseline.** Parties and roles (developer, general contractor, subcontractors by trade, design professionals), contract dates, permit dates, substantial completion, certificate of occupancy, close of escrow or turnover. These anchor limitation and repose periods.
2. **Defect list.** One entry per defect: location, system (roofing, windows, waterproofing, stucco, plumbing, structural, soils, HVAC, fire-life-safety), symptoms, suspected cause, responsible trade if known.
3. **Discovery.** For each defect, the earliest date the client noticed symptoms, who noticed, and the source. Note separately the date the cause was understood (often an expert visit). Flag conflicting dates.
4. **Communications.** Every report to the builder or others: date, sender, recipient, method, what was said, response. Note whether it may qualify as written notice under the contract, warranty or statute.
5. **Repairs.** Each repair attempt: date, who performed it, scope, cost, who paid, whether it fixed the problem or symptoms recurred.
6. **Experts and inspections.** Who inspected, when, destructive testing, findings, cost estimates.
7. **Damages snapshot.** Repair costs paid, estimates, resulting damage (mold, personal property, loss of use, relocation), with sources. No totals that aren't supported.
8. **Pre-litigation requirements.** Identify contract and warranty claim procedures, ADR clauses, and any statutory notice-and-right-to-repair process that may apply. List what must be sent, to whom, by when, and the builder's response windows as items to verify.
9. **Gaps.** Missing documents, undated items, unidentified trades, and questions for the client.

## Output

**Construction Defect Chronology: [Project / property]**  Client: [ ]  Prepared: [date]

1. **Snapshot** (3-5 lines): project, parties, completion/turnover date, main defects, current status.
2. **Key project dates** table: Date | Event | Source
3. **Defect summary** table: # | Defect | Location / system | First noticed | Reported to builder | Repairs | Status | Expert support
4. **Chronology** table: Date | Event | Defect # | People involved | Source (document, page, Bates) | Notes
5. **Repair history** table: Date | Defect # | Performed by | Scope | Cost | Paid by | Result | Source
6. **Pre-litigation and notice issues** (bullets: what applies, what's been done, what's outstanding)
7. **Gaps and questions for the client** (numbered)
8. **To verify** (e.g. statutory notice-and-right-to-repair procedures, statute of limitations and repose periods, contract claim and ADR deadlines, warranty claim windows)

## Rules
- Draft for attorney review; not legal advice to the client.
- Notice-and-right-to-repair procedures, limitation and repose periods, and warranty deadlines vary by jurisdiction and change: list them under "To verify", never state them as final.
- Never invent facts, dates, amounts, case law or citations. Unknown = [MISSING].
- Every chronology row has a source. Undated items go at the end under "Date unknown" with the source.
- Keep the client's own account separate from what documents show; label client-reported facts.
- Don't assign fault to a trade without a document or expert finding that supports it.