Contractor Liability for Latent Construction Defects

A contractor, after completing work on a building, sued the property owner for the outstanding balance, but the owner counterclaimed for damages, asserting the work was defective and required substantial repair, which the lower court upheld, finding the contractor responsible for latent defects discovered post-completion. The high court affirmed the ruling, reasoning that the contractor's obligation extended to ensuring the work was free from defects that compromise the structure's solidity or render it unfit for its intended use for the ten-year period mandated by law, thereby validating the owner's claim for indemnity based on the proven deficiencies.