When a Biloxi dentist tried to get hurricane damage repaired, he says a new disaster hit
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A Biloxi dentist with a roof damaged by Hurricane Zeta wound up with a much larger bill after he called in a roofer to make repairs, according to a lawsuit he has filed.
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 claims 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’s fees.
The lawsuit says that Eustice paid the roofing company $24,000 for “an unfinished and uninhabitable structure.”
He demanded the roofers stop work after a “catastrophic rain event” in June 2021, when roof leaks damaged the office interior, equipment, flooring and fixtures, the lawsuit says. An inspection revealed the roofer “had attempted to actively conceal leaks and other defective construction,” 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 that he would refer all questions to the company’s attorney, whom he would not name. The Sun Herald will update this story if the attorney responds.
Pride Roofing’s legal response to the lawsuit is not yet due to the court. Eustice’s claims represent only one side of the case.
Contractor licensed in Mississippi
Pride Roofing’s home 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 on the downtown business where he practices dentistry suffered damage during Hurricane Zeta in October 2020. He hired Pride based on the qualifications and experience a company representative shared with him, his lawsuit says.
As the roof repairs started, so did the roof leaks, the lawsuit says. Pride determined the roof would need to be replaced. One of the company’s owners, Alex Martinez, inspected the roof and designed a new one, the lawsuit says.
The new design included a hip-like gable that would cover flat surfaces on the roof. The design also had to account for an A/C condenser unit on the roof. Problems were evident, the lawsuit said, where the new roofing system tied into the old one.
The lawsuit describes “defective workmanship, constant delays, faulty construction, questionable billing practices, and attempts . . . to conceal their defective workmanship.”
As work progressed, the leaks continued. After the June downpour, Eustice’s insurance company came to inspect the property, including all the interior damage from roof leaks.
A restoration company had to be called in to mitigate the water damage, the lawsuit says.
Eustice has spent an additional $26,537 to determine the extent of the construction issues and make temporary repairs. The dental office also was closed for an extended period, the lawsuit says, because of office and equipment damage.
Eustice’s attorney told the Sun Herald the building now has a new roof and the dentist has been working in the building again for some time.
