If you own a home in California with Monier roofing tiles, a class action lawsuit may affect your rights.
A class action lawsuit has been certified in a class action lawsuit against Monier Inc. (“Monier” or “Defendant”) in the Superior Court of Placer County, California (styled McAdams v Monier, Class Action Case No. SCV16410) alleging, among other things, that Monier failed to disclose to California home owners that the color and exterior surface of Monier brand slurry-coated roofing tiles (“Tiles”) would not remain on the tiles for the expressly warranted life of the product, according to the class action lawsuit notice.
The Monier Roofing Tile class action lawsuit complaint reportedly alleges that Monier, a manufacturer and marketer of roof tiles until August 14, 1997, made false and misleading representations over a period of years that its tiles:
(1) are free from manufacturing defects and will remain structurally sound for a period of 50 years; are warranted for 50 years; and will last a lifetime and do not wear out
(2) have a permanent color glaze that requires no resurfacing; have a virtually impenetrable color glaze; have color that will last as long as the tile, with red tiles remaining red and brown tiles remaining brown (with some softening of color to a uniform finish); will always look good and have permanent color; and never lose their basic aesthetic appeal; and
(3) need no care at all; and require no maintenance.
Judge Charles D. Wachob of the Placer County Superior Court reportedly certified the Monier Roofing Tile Classes to include the following persons:
UCL CLASS: (i) all individuals or entities in the State of California who own structures with slurry-coated roof tiles sold by Monier Company, Monier Roof Tile, Inc., or Monier Inc. between January 1, 1978, and August 14, 1997 (the “Tiles”); and (ii) all California individuals and entities who paid to replace or repair such Tiles. Membership in the
Class is limited to those who, prior to purchasing or obtaining their Monier roof tile product, were exposed to a statement along the lines that the Tiles would have a 50 year life, permanent color, or would be maintenance free. The Class excludes the trial Judge and his family, and Defendants and their Counsel.
CLRA CLASS: (i) all individuals in the State of California who own, for personal, family or household use, structures with slurry-coated roof tiles sold by Monier Company, Monier Roof Tile, Inc., or Monier Inc. between January 1, 1978, and August 14, 1997 (the “Tiles”); and (ii) all California individuals who owned such homes for personal, family or household use and who paid to replace or repair such Tiles. Membership in the Class is limited to those who, prior to purchasing or obtaining their Monier roof tile product, were exposed to a statement along the lines that the Tiles would have a 50 year life, permanent color, or would be maintenance free. The Class excludes the trial Judge and his family, and Defendants and their Counsel.
Unless class members exclude themselves or opt out of the class action lawsuit by February 21, 2011, any judgment or settlement of the lawsuit, favorable or not, will bind all members of the Class who do not request exclusion.
For more information on the Monier Roofing Tile class action lawsuit visit the website at www.RoofingTilesClassAction.com, where can find the Court of Appeals Opinion on Remand, the Second Amended Complaint, Monier’s answer to the Second Amended Complaint and other relevant documents, call toll-free at 1-877-797-6085 for more information, or write to the Monier Tile Class Action Administrator, P.O. Box 4068, Portland, OR 97208-4068.
If You Have Thoughts On The Monier Roofing Tile Class Action Lawsuit, Share Your Class Action Comments Below.
We bought our house in Oct of 1999. The roof was a light grey
color. Many of the tiles were cracked. We were told the tiles were
installed when the house was built in 1980. They are Monier cement
tiles. We were concerned about this roof. We discovered that none were
being made so we visited many roofing suppliers until we found half
a pallet and bought all of them. We then had a roofer replace the
cracked tiles, pressure wash the roof and painted the tiles to match
the house which had redwood siding. The old tiles looked like a cement color. There were 27 cracked tiles. We replaced 10 of the worst. About 3 years later we had a bad rainstorm and water came
in around the flashing which appeared to be too short. Insurance had
to pay over $3000.00 for damages. We continue to have problems
when someone goes on the roof for repairs because the tiles crack
so easily. This is not a lifetime or 50 year roof with permanent color
Our tract home residence in Rancho Bernardo, CA was constructed in in the late 1970’s, by the mid 1990’s the roof tiles looked in terrible condition. All of the roofs in the entire tract looked discolored, cracked, and ready to disenegrate other than on those houses where the roofs had already been replaced, resurfaced, or the house remodeled.
The houses with views overlooking the roofs that had not been fixed complained continuously to the HOA or about the neighbors who had not yet repaired or replaced the tiles.
In mid 2007 we spent a considerable sum to replace the cracked/deteriorated tiles, clean the entire roof surface and then topcoat the all of the tiles. The concrete roofing material is substandard, continually deteriorating and will not last for 50 years.
Dear Sir:
I installed the Monier tiles in 1982. They were guaranteed for 70 years (lifetime). It is obvious that they are not going to make it.
My age is now 68 and I do NOT want to face this problem later. What are my remedies? I can be flexible…
Please advise: James A. Zeller, 6365 Capellino Ct. Stockton, CA 95215-1840 zeller12@comcast.net & jzeller@deltacollege.edu
During the summer of 1978, we bought a new house in Morgan Hill, Ca. with a beautiful tile roof. I thought he tile roof was actually the most attractive feature of house, giving it real curb-appeal. Thus it was a deciding point in buying the house. The housing tract salesperson said this would be a life-time roof and would be trouble-free. No maintenance would be required and it would look great for as long as we owned the house. Wrong, wrong, wrong! I have contacted Monier many times and they refuse to take responsibility. It isn’t right that they can get away without taking responsibility. I have had cracked tiles, slurry coat problems, repeated roof leaks since the first year of home ownership. The roof looks terrible. I have spent lots of money trying to fix the problems, but can’t get the leaks to stop. I fix one problem and another comes up. I believe Monier owes me the cost of a brand-new roof. They had an inspector assess my roof and are trying to place the blame elsewhere. They have offered a “good will gesture” of 50 new tiles. I want money so I can get a composite roof. I will never purchase a tile roof again. I am really upset about this totally defective roof and no one should get stuck with such a product without recourse.
m lamb
mariepsych@aol.com
I too live in Rancho Bernardo and have been waiting for one year with a claim with Monier. Our tiles are like potatoe chips and break. We had many, many tiles replaced, and they were due to the professional roofers breaking them when up on the roof. We had 2 roof companies tell us the tiles were defective. The first person we dealt with @ Monier lied to us and told us that he put a claim in for us and he, in fact, never had done that. The new, Monier guy said he took tiles to a lab to analyze and that was six months ago. The company is so unethical. I am so stressed out with my husband disabled, I have had to deal with all of this for a year, and be worried about our roof. It’s unforgiveable that this conpany is doing this to me.
We purchased a Monier roof in Federal Way WA. and it is failing. Is there a class action suit in the state of Washington or can I participate in the suit in California?
Well it is about time! I have been in the roofing industry for 41 years, a licensed C-39 roofing contractor contractor since 1976, an industry consultant since 1980 and a court-qualified expert since 1984. I have been retained by every major liability insurance carrier in over seven hundred (700) construction defect litigation’s. Of that number, over 95% have involved concrete, interlocking tiles.
Attorneys and experts have become wealthy at the expense of blindsided homeowners thinking they had purchased a “lifetime, maintenance-free, fireproof roof.” Ask any roofer west of Salt Lake City where they make the lion-share of their money (when the rains hit) and without hesitation they will answer “repairing tile roofs”; specifically concrete tile roofs. I have watched hundreds of good, upstanding roofing companies sued out of business as their insurance companies paid hundreds’ of millions of dollars in construction defect claims, driven mostly by “defective” concrete tile roofs. I have even experienced the suicide of a client, contractor/defendant unable to cope with the stress. Using the tile industry standards that roofers attempted to follow from 1980 – 2000, I would not have recommended nor installed a concrete tile roof if Jesus Himself asked me to!
Interlocking concrete tile roofs, installed to published manufacturer guidelines are failures waiting to happen. The underlayment is totally inadequate. The flashing details vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and comply with no known construction standards. The tiles themselves are fragile and predictably allow water to run under the surface unlike any other known roofing system or application.
Roofing has been a very rewarding and lucrative career. I have owned three companies, employed hundreds and made millions. And I can proudly attest to the fact that I have never recommended or installed a complete new concrete tile roof. I have repaired hundreds (if not thousands) but I will go to my grave without having installed a single one. It’s about time the truth be told!
Bought new house in 1990 with these tiles. Have , and continue to have roof leaks. The building contractor, who is still around, laughed me off yesterday when I suggested both the tile and installation were problematic. He sent an independent roofer out who gave me a price to fix the leak without even going onto the roof. The builder, who installed these 50 year tiles claims it’s all my problem. In fact, he claims he doesnt keep any construction records more than 10 years. The roofer who installed them is long since out of business. I explained he was the builder and contractor and needs to honor the 50 year warranty. His answerafter dismissing my 25 year professional credentials as a Purchasing Director at both a University and County, was an angry and hostile ” no, I’m not” followed by hanging up.
Question: I just noticed this website and would like to be identified as a class action participant. How do I do this?
I just took the last Monier 400 slate tile off of my mothers house. The tiles were bought and put on the house about 1980. In order to warranty the tiles my parents had to pay a certified installer to put the tiles on. Unfortunately I am in Florida. The Finish failed within 5 years and the roof has been a nightmare since. Since I have removed the tiles the errors made in installation are obvious. If anyone wants pictures of a product that has failed in finish and installation… I will send you pictures
We, (my husband) and I recently signed documents w/a claim specialist from Agoura Hills, CA., claiming we bout the house in 2001 ’cause the Monier tile roof would be maintenance free for @ least 50 yrs. or so, as claimed by the real estate broker, being that the house was built in 1988.
Roof maintenance is a major problem, especially if the roof warranty is short term and leaks rainwater into the house. Hopefully, all of us w/this leaky roof problem will benefit from this class action suit vs. Monier roofs. Good luck to all of you, especially those who suffer from leaky roofs and the stress of dealing w/it when, or if it rains.
I purchased my home in1987 and was told the roof would last 50 years. I need to know why I haven’t received my share of the class action lawsuit money?