(1) In this section, “exposure period” means the 7 years immediately following the date of substantial completion of the improvement to real property. (2) Except as provided in sub. (3), no cause of action may accrue and no action may be commenced, including an action for contribution or indemnity, against the owner or occupier of the property or against any person involved in the improvement to real property after the end of the exposure period, to recover damages for any injury to property, for any injury to the person, or for wrongful death, arising out of any deficiency or defect in the design, land surveying, planning, supervision or observation of construction of, the construction of, or the furnishing of materials for, the improvement to real property. This subsection does not affect the rights of any person injured as the result of any defect in any material used in an improvement to real property to commence an action for damages against the manufacturer or producer of the material. (3) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), if a person sustains damages as the result of a deficiency or defect in an improvement to real property, and the statute of limitations applicable to the damages bars commencement of the cause of action before the end of the exposure period, the statute of limitations applicable to the damages applies. (b) If, as the result of a deficiency or defect in an improvement to real property, a person sustains damages during the period beginning on the first day of the 5th year and ending on the last day of the 7th year after the substantial completion of the improvement to real property, the time for commencing the action for the damages is extended for 3 years after the date on which the damages occurred. (c) An action for contribution is not barred due to the accrual of the cause of action for contribution beyond the end of the exposure period if the underlying action that the contribution action is based on is extended under par. (b). (4) This section does not apply to any of the following: (a) A person who commits fraud, concealment or misrepresentation related to a deficiency or defect in the improvement to real property. (b) A person who expressly warrants or guarantees the im- provement to real property, for the period of that warranty or guarantee. (c) An owner or occupier of real property for damages resulting from negligence in the maintenance, operation or inspection of an improvement to real property. (d) Damages that were sustained before April 29, 1994. (5) Except as provided in sub. (4), this section applies to improvements to real property substantially completed before, on or after April 29, 1994. (6) This section does not affect the rights of any person under ch. 102.
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