As used in this act:

1. (a) "Action" means any civil action or arbitration proceeding between a claimant and a contractor for damages or indemnity asserting a claim for injury or loss to a dwelling or personal property caused by an alleged defect arising out of or related to the construction or a remodel of a dwelling.
2. (b) "Association" means a non-profit homeowners organization as defined in K.S.A. 60-3611, and amendments thereto.
3. (c) "Claimant" means a homeowner, including a subsequent purchaser, or association who asserts a claim against a contractor concerning a defect in the construction or in the remodel of a dwelling.

4. (d) "Construction defect" or "defect" means a deficiency in, or a deficiency arising out of the specifications, planning, supervision or construction of residential improvements that results from any of the following:

   1. (1) Defective material, products or components used in the construction of residential improvements.
   2. (2) Violation of the applicable codes in effect at the time of construction of residential improvements.
   3. (3) Failure to construct residential improvements in accordance with accepted trade standards for good and workmanlike construction at the time of construction.
5. (e) "Contractor" means any person, firm, partnership, corporation, association or other organization that is engaged in the business of constructing dwellings.
6. (f) "Dwelling" means a single-family house, duplex or multifamily unit designed for residential use in which title to each individual unit is transferred to the owner under a condominium or cooperative system and shall include common areas and improvements that are owned or maintained by an association or by members of an association. A dwelling includes the systems and other components and improvements that are part of a single or multifamily unit at the time of construction. For the purposes of this act "dwelling" does not mean manufactured home as defined in K.S.A. 58-4202, and amendments thereto.
7. (g) "Serve" or "service" means personal service or delivery by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last known address of the addressee.
8. (h) "Subcontractor" means a contractor who performs work on behalf of a contractor in the construction of a dwelling.

L. 2003, ch. 74, § 1; July 1.