Regardless, did you file a claim with your homeowner's insurance? If so, they have probably suffered greater financial loss than you. Ask them if they would consider pursuing a subrogation claim on your behalf. They will have more experience in this than you, rather than trying the "lone ranger" routine. This costs you nothing, and most state's insurance laws require that the insurance company reimburse the homeowner's deductible out of any money that they recover.
: We have our washing machine in a laundry room on the second floor of our house. The connection to the hose started leaking when we were out of town, causing a lot of water damage to the ceiling of the floor below. (about 5-10 gallons of water accum. in ceiling.)
: The washing machine does not have a catch pan, although (as I've found out) this *was* code when the house was built in '94. (housing code requires catch pan, draining to exterior of house.) Would having a catch pan have prevented the damage? Does it sound like the builder and the town housing inspectors that obviously didn't enforce code should take responsibility for the damage?
: Thanks! Vicki