Lakemont Ridge Homeowners v. Lakemont Ridge

131 P.3d 905
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedApril 6, 2006
Docket76850-1
StatusPublished

This text of 131 P.3d 905 (Lakemont Ridge Homeowners v. Lakemont Ridge) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lakemont Ridge Homeowners v. Lakemont Ridge, 131 P.3d 905 (Wash. 2006).

Opinion

131 P.3d 905 (2006)
156 Wash.2d 696

LAKEMONT RIDGE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, a Washington nonprofit corporation, Petitioner,
v.
LAKEMONT RIDGE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, a Washington limited partnership; Polygon Builders Company, a Washington general partnership; Crescent Beach, Inc., a Washington corporation; Lakemont Ridge II, L.L.C., a Washington limited liability company; Polygon Northwest Company, a Washington general partnership; Brentview, Inc., a Washington corporation; and John and Mary Does, one through two hundred, Respondents.

No. 76850-1.

Supreme Court of Washington, En Banc.

Argued March 2, 2006.
Decided April 6, 2006.

*906 Robert Kendall Goff, Daniel J Dewalt, Goff & DeWalt LLP, Gig Harbor, Kenneth Wendell Masters, Wiggins & Masters, PLLC, Bainbridge Island, for Petitioner/Appellant.

Mark F. O'Donnell, David M Poore, Lori Kay McKown, Preg O Donnell Et al, John Tyler Eckert, Real Networks, Seattle, for Appellee/Respondents.

C. JOHNSON, J.

¶ 1 This case involves statutory construction of two notice provisions of chapter 64.50 RCW relating to construction defect claims. RCW 64.50.020(1) requires a homeowner to give at least 45 days' notice to a construction professional before filing a construction defect lawsuit, giving the construction professional an opportunity to cure defects. RCW 64.50.050(1), however, requires the construction professional to give notice to the homeowner of the prelitigation notice requirement when the parties enter into a contract for sale, construction, or substantial remodel of a residence.

¶ 2 The condominiums at issue were constructed before chapter 64.50 RCW took effect and thus, the construction professionals (Lakemont Ridge) did not give the homeowners notice of the prelitigation requirement. Lakemont Ridge Homeowners Association (Association) did not give prelitigation notice before filing the lawsuit. Lakemont Ridge appealed the trial court's denial of its motion to dismiss. The Court of Appeals reversed. We reverse the Court of Appeals and hold that the prelitigation notice requirement becomes operative only where the construction professionals have given prior notice to the homeowner of the requirement.

FACTS

¶ 3 The Lakemont Ridge Condominium is a multiunit residential development constructed in several phases between 1994 and 1997 in Bellevue, Washington. The Association is comprised of owners of condominiums and common areas in the development. Defendants are construction professionals who participated in the construction of the development.

¶ 4 Chapter 64.50 RCW, the construction defect claims act (Act), contains several notice requirements. The Act became effective June 13, 2002, and thus was not in effect when the construction professionals started the development. Accordingly, Lakemont Ridge did not provide the Association or individual condominium purchasers with notice under RCW 64.50.050(1). The Association filed a lawsuit on October 29, 2002, asserting several claims relating to construction defects. The Association did not provide Lakemont Ridge with prelitigation notice under RCW 64.50.020(1). Thus, we must decide whether the statute requires the Association to give prelitigation notice.

*907 ANALYSIS

¶ 5 Statutory interpretation is a question of law which we review de novo. Our primary duty in interpreting any statute is to discern and implement the intent of the legislature. Our starting point must always be the statute's plain language and ordinary meaning. "`Statutes must be interpreted and construed so that all the language used is given effect, with no portion rendered meaningless or superfluous.'" State v. J.P., 149 Wash.2d 444, 450, 69 P.3d 318 (2003) (quoting Davis v. Dep't of Licensing, 137 Wash.2d 957, 963, 977 P.2d 554 (1999) (internal quotation marks omitted)).

¶ 6 The legislature enacted chapter 64.50 RCW in 2002, after finding that "limited changes in the law are necessary and appropriate concerning actions claiming damages, indemnity, or contribution in connection with alleged construction defects." RCW 64.50.005. The legislature stated, "It is the intent of the legislature that this chapter apply to these types of civil actions while preserving adequate rights and remedies for property owners who bring and maintain such actions." RCW 64.50.005. The statute applies to construction defect "actions," defined as "[a]ny civil lawsuit or action in contract or tort for damages or indemnity brought against a construction professional to assert a claim ... for damage or the loss of use of real or personal property caused by [a construction defect]." RCW 64.50.010(1).

¶ 7 The statute has two notice requirements. The requirement placed on the claimant is found in RCW 64.50.020(1), which provides:

In every construction defect action brought against a construction professional, the claimant shall, no later than forty-five days before filing an action, serve written notice of claim on the construction professional. The notice of the claim shall state that the claimant asserts a construction defect claim against the construction professional and shall describe the claim in reasonable detail sufficient to determine the general nature of the defect.

The requirement placed on the builder/contractor is found in RCW 64.50.050(1), which states in relevant part:

The construction professional shall provide notice to each homeowner upon entering into a contract for sale, construction, or substantial remodel of a residence, of the construction professional's right to offer to cure construction defects before a homeowner may commence litigation against the construction professional.

RCW 64.50.050(2) provides that the notice required by this subsection shall be in substantially the following form:

CHAPTER 64.50 RCW CONTAINS IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS YOU MUST FOLLOW BEFORE YOU MAY FILE A LAWSUIT FOR DEFECTIVE CONSTRUCTION AGAINST THE SELLER OR BUILDER OF YOUR HOME. FORTY-FIVE DAYS BEFORE YOU FILE YOUR LAWSUIT, YOU MUST DELIVER TO THE SELLER OR BUILDER A WRITTEN NOTICE OF ANY CONSTRUCTION CONDITIONS YOU ALLEGE ARE DEFECTIVE AND PROVIDE YOUR SELLER OR BUILDER THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN OFFER TO REPAIR OR PAY FOR THE DEFECTS.

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Related

Lakemont Ridge Homeowners Ass'n v. LAKEMONT RIDGE LTD. PARTNERSHIP
104 P.3d 22 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2005)
Davis v. Department of Licensing
977 P.2d 554 (Washington Supreme Court, 1999)
State v. J.P.
69 P.3d 318 (Washington Supreme Court, 2003)
Lakemont Ridge Homeowners Ass'n v. Lakemont Ridge Ltd. Partnership
131 P.3d 905 (Washington Supreme Court, 2006)
Lakemont Ridge Homeowners Ass'n v. Lakemont Ridge Ltd. Partnership
125 Wash. App. 71 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2005)

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