Please ANY advice would be appreciated

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for advice or insight from people who have been through something similar.

We purchased a home in Washington State less than a month ago. The seller was a flipper who is also a licensed contractor. The house was pre-inspected along with the seller, providing a home warranty. My basement bathroom had a bubble one night and it burst which led to the discovery of moisture being behind the wall and upon hiring a plumber to assess the situation they deduct that every time the toilet above the bathroom above it was causing moisture to leak behind the walls which caused the black mold.

We tried to call the home warranty however it is voided for the situation due to the fact that it was caused by improper installation/not up to code not natural breaking of things. The contractor who sold it to us initially emailed us saying that they were going to assess the situation and they would have a resolution for us, but then they never answered us for over three weeks after multiple attempts of emails.

We had a licensed plumber come out to inspect the plumbing. During that inspection, it was discovered that the toilet had been improperly installed, including:

• The use of mixed PVC and ABS piping without an approved transition, which we were told by the plumber is not up to code

• Minimal pipe glue used (approximately ⅛ inch), which the plumber stated was insufficient and contributed to the failure

• Installation practices consistent with a long-term leak rather than a sudden failure

Additionally, we confirmed with the city that no permits were pulled for the bathroom remodel, despite plumbing work being performed.

Because the damage resulted from improper installation rather than a covered system failure, the home warranty that came with the purchase is denying coverage. The total remediation and repair estimate is approximately $14,500.

We have documentation including:

• Written plumber findings

• Mold assessment

• Photos and video of the ceiling damage and plumbing

• Confirmation from the city that permits were not pulled

We are currently sending a formal demand letter and are considering filing a complaint with Washington State Labor & Industries regarding contractor licensing and code compliance.

My questions:

• Has anyone dealt with similar concealed plumbing failures or mold issues in a flipped home?

• Is filing with L&I effective in Washington for code and licensing violations?

• Are there other agencies or steps we should consider before pursuing costly litigation?

Thank you for any insight or shared experiences.