[UptownBee]

Hi everyone,

Our patio villa sustained water damage when a company installed so much mulch in our neighbors flower bed it was above our siding. This forced water into our patio villa after a heavy rain. The reason I'm posting is I'm looking for a company that can assess the unseen damage. We were able to soak up the visible water on the carpet and the middle of the kitchen floor, but in terms of water damage under the siding and behind the kitchen cabinets, we aren't able to get at those.

Do you have any suggestions as to a good company that can assess that damage and determine if there is mold.

Thank you.

[Orvil]

Call your insurance agent. They will have the name of a remediation company. If it came into the house and got behind the drywall, you have mold. It's going to be a big issue. You will need a professional remediation company to deal with fall out. Start taking pictures for the claim.

[Velvet]

If this damage happened to me I’d have D’Angelo, home inspector, to look at it; 352-250-7818. I bet he’d have some suggestions for you how to proceed too.

[UptownBee]

Thanks, we did have them do the yearly inspection so we'll give them a call. Now the landscape company is trying to say it's a grading issue....so we called The Villages and of course they say it's the landscapers fault.

[UptownBee]

We're calling our Agent now because the landscaper (which is one of the major players in The Villages) is trying to blame the grading and when we called The Villages they just say the grading is fine (without actually inspecting it). We wanted to avoid a claim and potential increase in premium but we definitely need someone interested in our best interests at this point.

[Topspinmo]

I be looking for lawyer.

[Velvet]

If insurance has to pay for the damages, I assume they’d be using their lawyers against the landscaper to get their costs back. And insurance companies generally have their own army of lawyers.

[Retired gal]

Orvil is correct; your insurance company should cover the damage and inspect for any mold remediation needed. If they pay for repairs, they will surrogate against the landscaper to recoup their money.

I think you need to speak to the ARC. There is something in the restrictions that state:
B. IMPROVEMENTS SHALL NOT BLOCK, INTERRUPT OR REDIRECT ANY EXISTING DRAINAGE FLOW.
C. IMPROVEMENTS SHALL NOT CAUSE ADDITIONAL DRAINAGE FLOW ON ADJACENT PROPERTIES.
D. PROPERTY OWNER IS LIABLE FOR ANY RESULTING BLOCKAGE, INTERRUPTION, OR REDIRECTION OF
EXISTING DRAINAGE FLOW, ANY ADDITIONAL DRAINAGE FLOW OR ANY TYPE OF EASEMENT
ENCROACHMENT(S) ISSUES.
See bottom of page three.

https://www.districtgov.org/departme...pplication.pdf

I expect you can file a complaint with the ARC and have that mulch fixed, avoiding further damage.

[Kelevision]

Originally Posted by UptownBee

Hi everyone,

Our patio villa sustained water damage when a company installed so much mulch in our neighbors flower bed it was above our siding. This forced water into our patio villa after a heavy rain. The reason I'm posting is I'm looking for a company that can assess the unseen damage. We were able to soak up the visible water on the carpet and the middle of the kitchen floor, but in terms of water damage under the siding and behind the kitchen cabinets, we aren't able to get at those.

Do you have any suggestions as to a good company that can assess that damage and determine if there is mold.

Thank you.

Call your insurance co. Asap. They’ll send someone out.

[frtlinr]

Take a look at your Homeowner's policy, but I suspect that coverage for damage as a result of this type of water entering your dwelling is excluded. If you, your neighbor, and the landscaper can't come to an agreement, you will likely have to persue the matter in civil court.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by UptownBee

Hi everyone,

Our patio villa sustained water damage when a company installed so much mulch in our neighbors flower bed it was above our siding. This forced water into our patio villa after a heavy rain. The reason I'm posting is I'm looking for a company that can assess the unseen damage. We were able to soak up the visible water on the carpet and the middle of the kitchen floor, but in terms of water damage under the siding and behind the kitchen cabinets, we aren't able to get at those.

Do you have any suggestions as to a good company that can assess that damage and determine if there is mold.

Thank you.

I would take some pictures so you can show the cause. If, the landscape company removes some or all the mulch, you have no proof.

Siding down too close to the soil level is an invite for termites. That does not sound that it was correctly done in the first place.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by UptownBee

Thanks, we did have them do the yearly inspection so we'll give them a call. Now the landscape company is trying to say it's a grading issue....so we called The Villages and of course they say it's the landscapers fault.

How truly sad. It is so rare that in any issue someone says it is my fault and I will PAY FOR all damages. "They say," -insist on getting it in writing. Important-are you and the neighbor talking about this or has it devolved into a war? As far as grading. A villa is on a small piece of land. Grading or regrading, not much room to do that.

I am on no ones side in this. I do not have the information as to who is right and who is wrong. Long term, having end well, that will take a great deal of artistic actions on all sides and perhaps some compromise that none of the 3-4 sides will be happy with.

[RICH1]

Mold, Termites and Future unforeseen issues! You need an Attorney Good luck, sorry to hear about this unfortunate circumstance..

[TNGary]

There are specific building codes regarding the distance of the grading from the header beam. My last home was 8" but that was up north. Perhaps 6 in TV's. See link below as an example, but prudent to check the codes, my builder was professional enough to regrade to meet the specs. However if the grading was within codes, the landscaper may have dumped X? inches on top of the grading,
Please be so kind as to update this post when determination of culpability has been established as it could impact many other homeowners, thank you
Keep us posted

Link
Siding to soil clearance | Spot On Inspection

[thevillages2013]

Originally Posted by UptownBee

Hi everyone,

Our patio villa sustained water damage when a company installed so much mulch in our neighbors flower bed it was above our siding. This forced water into our patio villa after a heavy rain. The reason I'm posting is I'm looking for a company that can assess the unseen damage. We were able to soak up the visible water on the carpet and the middle of the kitchen floor, but in terms of water damage under the siding and behind the kitchen cabinets, we aren't able to get at those.

Do you have any suggestions as to a good company that can assess that damage and determine if there is mold.

Thank you.

Ok so you need to take pictures of the exterior and interior of the home then next the mulch needs to be removed immediately so you won’t get flooded again. There are water remediation companies that deal with drying out and repairing damage but you should immediately be running floor fans constantly in there. The carpet should be pulled back from the wall if it is soaked and the kick plates (bottom board on cabinets) can easily be removed so that air can get in there