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Contractor refuses to fix insulation void from a Closing Repair. Claims "Warranty doesn't transfer" & "It was just a top-off". Am I crazy?

The Situation: I live in Seattle WA. I have a South-facing bedroom on the 2nd floor that is significantly COLDER than my North-facing rooms. I finally bought a thermal camera and checked the ceiling. Result? A massive blue (cold) spot covering half of the ceiling. It turns out the attic insulation is completely MISSING in the half furthest from the attic hatch.

  • Ceiling Temp (Insulated side): 64°F
  • Ceiling Temp (Missing side): 37°F (Outside temp is 33°F)

The Background (Closing Repair): This insulation work was done in June 2025, as a condition of the home sale (Closing Repair).

  • Invoice says: "Fill ALL insulation cavities" and "Achieve depth equivalent to R-49".
  • Original condition: Inspection report says attic was less than R-19.
  • Reality: They were supposed to add at least 10+ inches of blown-in insulation everywhere. They clearly skipped this corner.

The Contractor's Response: I contacted the company with the invoice and thermal images. Their excuses were mind-blowing:

  1. "New Owner, No Warranty": They claim the warranty is non-transferable.
  2. "It was a Top-off": They said since it was a "top-off" over old insulation, they can't warranty it.
  3. "We did what we were told": Implied the previous owner asked them to leave it like that(?).

My Argument:

  1. Incomplete Work, Not Warranty: I'm not claiming a defect on old material. I'm stating they failed to install the product in that corner. The spot is still <R-19, meaning they never added the material they were paid for.
  2. Code Violation: Leaving a void violates WA State Energy Code (WSEC) and manufacturer instructions ("No voids or gaps").
  3. No Certificate: I checked the attic hatch and panel, and there is NO Insulation Certificate posted, which is required by code in WA.

Question: The contractor is stonewalling me. Is it valid for them to deny fixing a "missed spot" just because ownership changed? Some 'untrustworthy' AI told me that I can report this to L&I (Labor & Industries) and the City Building Dept for code violations. Is this true? Any advice on how to handle this effectively? Thanks!

submitted by /u/Sweaty_Treat_9028
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/RealEstate/comments/1qmd1ux/contractor_refuses_to_fix_insulation_void_from_a/
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