HADD says they exist because "No one buys a new home looking for a lawsuit", unfortunately when there is a construction defect "that is exactly what homeowners face."

HADD started as a support group for those experiencing problems with their builders.  Out of that came the sharing of the issues these homeowners faced and methods to bring resolution.  Working alone was not effective.  Working as a group helped, although not always as much as they wanted. 

What can you expect to get from HADD?  It is a volunteer organization and whether you are a member or not, seems to make no difference as to the services available.  There is a wealth of information on their website.

The headline news section is very good.  It includes news releases from around the country about builders and construction issues and they are noted by state.  There are news stories about construction techniques and general construction and mortgage issues that affect us all.  There are also articles on building energy efficient houses.

The building materials section primarily lists defective building materials where there is an official settlement by the manufacturer.  A few consumer safety warnings on specific products are listed as well.

There are sections on getting your house inspected, mold health issues, predatory lending, manufactured homes and a recommended reading list.

The most touching part of the whole website is to follow the homeowner website links to personal stories of construction defects.  The efforts people went through to be made whole again, usually to fail.  Some of the sites are no longer active, perhaps because a final settlement was made.  Let's hope so.

If you are faced with a construction defect, this is a good resource to get a really strong picture of the issues you are about to face.  Go check them out and see for yourself.