Orndorff v. Christiana Community Builders
California Court of Appeal
266 Cal. Rptr. 193 (1990)
Relevant factsFree
The Orndorffs' home, otherwise loved by them, suffered from defective soil compaction requiring a $221,792.68 pier-and-grade repair system plus $21,747 in related relocation costs, while the home was worth $238,500 undamaged but only $67,500 in its defective state; the trial court awarded the full repair costs of $243,539.95 despite this exceeding the home's undamaged value.
IssueFree
Whether costs of repair that exceed the diminution in value may be awarded in a construction defect case if the plaintiffs have a personal reason to repair and the costs of repair are not unreasonable in light of the damages to the property and the value after repair.