Opinion ID: 2791710
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Balcony

Text: The district court found that the balcony was defectively constructed, which caused damage to the garage. The district court also recognized that, under Florida law, the defectively constructed balcony was not covered by the policy. However, the district court found as a fact that, in order to repair the garage (which the parties agree constituted property damage), the balcony had to be rebuilt. MidContinent does not contend that this factual finding was clearly erroneous. Rather, Mid-Continent contends that the Carithers cannot recover for any defective work, even where repairing that work is a necessary cost of repairing work for which there is coverage. We hold that the district court did not err in awarding damages for the cost of repairing the balcony. Under Florida law, the Carithers had a right to “the costs of repairing damage caused by the defective work . . . .” J.S.U.B, 979 So.2d at 889. Since the district court determined that repairing the balcony was part of the cost of repairing the garage, which was defective work, the Carithers were entitled to these damages.