A myriad of test kits, inspections and quick fixes on offer for contaminated Chinese drywall has drawn a warning from the Federal Trade Commission.

But amid the claims of dubious merit, South Florida construction firms offering full remediation are looking for business — and legitimacy. A recent quick Google search for “Chinese drywall remediation construction firms in Florida” turned up 8,830 results in .22 seconds.

But can the Chinese drywall problem really be remediated or are construction firms with idle crews merely looking for a new revenue stream in a South Florida economy where new projects have all but come to a screeching halt?
[more]

As South Florida Chinese drywall lawsuits head to trial in federal court, local construction companies are rushing to market with offers to remediate properties affected by the material.

But legal experts debate whether or not homeowners are signing their legal rights away in exchange for a property that can never be truly remediated.

In late December, Homestead residents Jason and Melissa Harrell saw movement in their lawsuit against Palm Holdings, Banner Supply, South Kendall Construction and Keys Gate Realty over Chinese drywall issues that forced them out of their home in 2006.

Their victory could open the door to a wave of new suits — if homeowners don’t let builders attempt to remediate, according to Allison Grant, a member of the commercial litigation and construction litigation practice groups at the law firm Shapiro, Blasi, Wasserman & Gora in Boca Raton. [more]

Homeowners who have drywall made by Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. only have until Dec. 2 to prove it. Knauf agreed to accept a class-action legal complaint for one month,which Boca Raton attorney Allison Grant said means a settlement is very possible. However, those who don’t make the deadline for the class-action suit will be faced with large expenditures of time and money if they still want to sue Knauf. [Sun-Sentinel]