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    • Boca Bridges HOA is suing GL Homes for construction defects
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    Boca Bridges HOA is suing GL Homes for construction defects

    Online Niel Posted on

    GL Homes is the largest home builder in the county. Some communities he built took the developer to court for construction defects.

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    • Boca Bridges HOA Sues GL Homes Over Construction Defects In Common Areas.
    • This is the fifth lawsuit GL Homes has faced from the Palm Beach County HOA since 2008.
    • The process supports problems with roofing, stucco, plumbing, drainage and more.
    • GL Homes has settled similar lawsuits with other communities in the past.

    Another Palm Beach County Homeowners Association — Boca Bridges — has sued GL Homes over construction defects, the fifth time the county’s largest homebuilder has been taken to court by an HOA since 2008.

    The Sunrise-based developer has built more than 10,000 homes in Palm Beach County over the past 25 years.

    Once residents take control of a development, it is common for an architect and engineer to review the condition of common areas such as sidewalks, pools and clubhouses. Based on the reports, the resident-controlled HOA will then negotiate with the builder to make repairs.

    In most cases, the builder and HOA come to terms with what needs to be done without litigation. But that was not the case with Boca Bridges, a 504-unit high-end development reserve Boca Raton that GL Homes delivered to homeowners in September 2022.

    Boca Bridges filed a lawsuit this year in Circuit Court, alleging major construction defects involving the clubhouse, resort-style pool, fitness center, spa, tennis courts, indoor sports court, splash water park, roads, entrance and fountains and guard house.

    A spokesman for GL Homes said its policy is not to comment on pending litigation. He has not yet filed an answer to the complaint. In previous construction defect lawsuits, GL Homes argued that the fault for the defects lay with the HOA and the problems arose after it handed over the development to the community.

    Boca Bridges filed a 157-page complaint based on the findings of its West Palm Beach-based engineering firm, Epic Forensics & Engineering. In addition to suing GL Homes affiliate Boca Ration Associates VII, it also named as defendants contractors employed by the affiliate, including RA Kamm & Associates and Structural Design & Inspections. Kamm served as the developer’s mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer. Structural Design served as the architect. Emails seeking comment were sent to Kamm & Associates and Structural Design.

    More: Boynton’s Valencia Reserve is renovating its clubhouse for $9.3 million. Here’s what owners will pay.

    More: Tuscany, GL Homes Settle Construction Defect Lawsuit

    The lawsuit alleges that the HOA did not discover the alleged defects until after GL Homes turned over control of the community to the residents. The lawsuit alleges the homebuilder “committed material code violations” and that additional deficiencies may be discovered through more testing.

    Boca Bridges consists of 504 residential units. Single-family homes there sell for up to $3 million. The alleged defects do not involve the construction of houses. These include roofing, stucco, plumbing, water features, flooring, pavers and sidewalks. The engineering report also found problems with drainage. The defects, according to the engineering report, involve “incorrect or incomplete workmanship, defective workmanship, or design errors.”

    Similar GL Homes cases in Palm Beach County were settled out of court

    The engineering firm found exposed wiring in the clubhouse and improper installation of electrical boxes. He also reported that the pool deck was improperly sloped and pavers were installed incorrectly, creating a tripping hazard.

    GL Homes has had to dismiss other construction defect lawsuits since 2008. One involved Tuscany Homes, west of Delay Beach; the lawsuit was settled for $150,000. Another involved Valencia Reserve, which settled for $850,000. Settlement terms for the lawsuits involving Seven Bridges, located near the Boca and Valencia Pointe Bridges, have never been disclosed.

    The alleged construction defects alleged in the lawsuits filed by the other communities are similar to those filed in the Boca Bridges lawsuit.

    Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Postpart of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and issues affecting homeowners associations. You can contact him at [email protected]. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.

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