Subcontractor found liable in construction-defects suit

Friday, Nov. 17, 2000 | 11:18 a.m.

A Clark County jury Wednesday found one of three subcontractors liable for $143,000 in a construction defect case that lasted four weeks.

Durable Homes took Allied Underground, Western Landscape and Gale Insulation to court last month in connection with defects found in the Sunset Bay Condominiums, a 140-unit complex near Tamarus Street and Warm Springs Road.

The condominium owners association sued Durable Homes over numerous construction and design defects in the project and ultimately settled for $3.3 million.

On Wednesday, after more than three days of deliberations, the jury found Gale Insulation liable for $143,000 and Allied Underground liable for $57,000.

Because Durable Homes was held responsible for 85 percent of the defects linked to Allied Underground, those damages were declared null.

The jury found that Western Landscape was not accountable for any of the defects.

The three subcontractors were the only ones left after dozens of other subcontractors settled with Durable Homes.

William Killip Jr., the attorney for Allied Underground, credited the jury for its diligence and hardwork.

"You can never be surprised by what a jury is going to do in a case like this, which was highly technical," Killip said.