Dale Alcock Homes faces defect claims

A Claremont-based entity has launched legal action against Dale Alcock Homes over allegations of "significant defects" on the construction of an apartment project.

Lighthouse Equity last week lodged a writ in the Supreme Court of Western Australia naming Dale Alcock Homes as the defendant.

In the writ obtained by Business News, Lighthouse Equity alleged Dale Alcock Homes’s construction of a 16-apartment development at 273 Fulham Street in Cloverdale was defective.

Lighthouse Equity and Dale Alcock Homes entered a contract in March 2017, for the latter to design and construct the Cloverdale project, according to the writ.

An Australian Securities and Investments Commission document shows Lighthouse Equity is registered in Claremont.

However, in the writ, Lighthouse Equity claimed Dale Alcock Homes breached the contract and was negligent by constructing the development with significant defects.

Lighthouse Equity alleged Dale Alcock Homes installed a defective fireproofing and insulation system that was not compliant with relevant standards and installed defective concrete slabs with high deflection and major cracking, the writ said.

In the writ, Lighthouse claimed Dale Alcock Homes failed to install support piling at the rear of the development site.

Lighthouse Equity claims, in the writ, damages, costs, and a court declaration that Dale Alcock Homes breached the contract.

A Dale Alcock Homes spokesperson told Business News the company was confident in its standing and would strenously defend wrongful allegations towards the business.

The Cloverdale apartments were delivered for a private client in January 2020 and has a project value of $3.1 million, according to Dale Alcock Homes’s website.

In August 2021, former North West Central MLA Vince Catania asked questions about the property at 273 Fulham Street in state parliament.

A Hansard transcript shows Mr Catania asked then commerce minister Amber-Jade Sanderson whether any defects were identified at the Cloverdale property, which was subject to an inspection report.

Ms Sanderson told parliament all serious non-compliances found during Building and Energy’s inspections were referred to relevant local authorities and that there were civil proceedings under way.