A Biloxi dentist whose roof was damaged by Hurricane Zeta ended up with a much bigger bill after calling a roofer to make the repairs, according to an action he took.
J. Jules Eustice is suing Pride Roofing LLC, which does business as Pride Roofing and Construction LLC, in Harrison County Circuit Court for what he alleges was negligence, breach of warranty and unjust enrichment. Eustice is asking for at least $60,000 to compensate him for his losses, plus punitive damages, interest and attorney fees.
The suit says Eustice paid the roofing company $24,000 for “an unfinished and uninhabitable structure.”
He demanded that carpenters stop work after a “catastrophic rainstorm” in June 2021, when roof leaks damaged the office interior, equipment, flooring and fixtures, the suit says. An inspection revealed that the carpenter “actively attempted to hide leaks and other construction defects,” according to the lawsuit filed by Biloxi attorney W. Mark Edwards.
A man who called after the Sun Herald emailed Pride Roofers about the lawsuit said he would direct all questions to the company’s attorney, whom he declined to name. The Sun Herald will update this story if the lawyer responds.
Pride Roofing’s legal response to the lawsuit has not yet reached court. Eustice’s claims represent only one side of the case.
Mississippi Licensed Contractor
Pride Roofing’s main office is in Hammond, Louisiana, but the company is licensed to do business as a contractor in Mississippi, according to the Mississippi Board of Contractors website.
Eustice signed a contract with Pride Roofing in April 2021 after the roof of the downtown business where he practices dentistry suffered damage during Hurricane Zeta in October 2020. He hired Pride based on the qualifications and experience that a company representative shared with him, his lawsuit says.
As roof repairs began, so did roof leaks, the suit says. Pride determined that the roof would need to be replaced. One of the company’s owners, Alex Martinez, inspected the roof and designed a new one, the suit says.
The new design included a hip-shaped gable that would cover the flat roof surfaces. The project also had to take into account an air conditioning condenser unit on the roof. The problems were evident, the lawsuit said, where the new roofing system connected to the old one.
The lawsuit describes “defective workmanship, constant delays, faulty construction, questionable billing practices, and attempts. . . to hide its faulty finish.
As work progressed, leaks continued. After torrential rain in June, Eustice’s insurance company came to inspect the property, including all internal damage caused by leaks in the roof.
A restoration company had to be called in to mitigate the water damage, the suit says.
Eustice spent an additional $26,537 to determine the extent of the construction problems and make temporary repairs. The dental office was also closed for an extended period of time, the lawsuit says, due to damage to the office and equipment.
Eustice’s lawyer told the Sun Herald that the building now has a new roof and that the dentist has been working in the building again for some time.
