Houston Court Awards $48,811 in Negligent Tile Installation Case

In Houston, Texas, a homeowner filed a lawsuit against a remodeling contractor after newly installed tiles detached from their property. The incident occurred in March 2014, nearly two years after the July 2012 project completion, when exterior tiles fell onto the plaintiff's recently purchased car, causing damage. Tiles installed on the home's balcony and interior steps also subsequently began to fail. The plaintiff alleged the defendant was negligent in the tile installation, failed to perform the work in a good and workmanlike manner, and violated the Texas Residential Construction Liability Act and the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

The defendant denied all allegations of negligence. The contractor argued that the plaintiff had purchased their own tiles, suggesting a potential material defect, and further contended that the one-year warranty for the installation work had expired by the time of the tile failures.

Following a bench trial, the court found in favor of the plaintiff. The plaintiff was awarded $23,811.16 in actual damages and an additional $25,000 for reasonable legal fees incurred in bringing the suit.