Contractors have a lot to keep an eye on when it comes to building replacements of any kind. However, one area they often overlook is the importance of proper drainage on existing structures, said Legal Insights expert Trent Cotney. The issue can become a profit killer for contractors if certain conditions are not part of the contract.

“There’s a lot of potential liability there because oftentimes, when you’re redoing a roof or you’re working on exteriors and you’re putting on new systems, the existing drainage may not be capable of handling whatever the new flow is,” said Cotney, a partner with Adams & Reese, in this brief video.

He added that if the customer will not allow you to change the drainage, then it is critical to disclaim it in the contract.