January 1st is almost upon us and every year in California we see new laws come into effect on the first of the year and this year is no different.
You can watch our video here if you prefer
Deck Expert Bill Leys Discusses SB 410 & How It Effects HOAs & Deck Inspection Firms Reports
Notably for HOAs and balcony inspection companies SB 410 will take effect on January 1st and impose certain requirements on HOAs and on balcony inspection companies.
For HOA Boards of Directors, you are affected in several ways; the first being that SB326 reports are now considered to be HOA records, which means an owner can request and review them at any time. Secondly, reports cannot be withheld or redacted and third sellers of a common interest development property now must provide buyers with the most recent SB326 inspection report.
In regards to inspection companies, their reports must include as of January 1st, the date of the inspection, the total number of units in the community. How many exterior elevated elements there are? And I think it would be a good idea to break down how many of each type there are IE stairs versus balcones versus walkways. How many units have exterior elevated elements? How many exterior elevated elements were inspected and whether any safety concerns were identified.
Our engineering partner is already in compliance with these requirements and so we are ready to forge ahead and set the bar with our superior inspections and inspection reports.
Lastly But probably the most important part of sb410 is the requirement for HOAs to have an engineer issue a final report after repairs are made to life safety issues. This final report is needed to be able to enable buyers of property obtain mortgages and sellers of properties to be able to sell without undue delay. Personally, I expect that we will see legal claims brought against HOAs that fail to obtain final inspection reports and unnecessarily delay there homeowners to be able to close a sale.
As always, this is not legal advice. Please obtain the advice of your HOA attorney related to SB 410 sb326 and any other bills that may affect common interest developments related to balcony inspections.
Please contact us for a quote on a final inspection to be able to close out your documents related to your 326 inspections.
The other home inspector missed this “little” issue
A recent inspection we performed for a prospective buyer of a condominium in San Luis Obispo demonstrates perfectly, why you as a buyer need to have your own inspections done at your own cost. This particular inspection found many issues that were glossed over as simply needing patching and painting rather than complete replacement of major components such as windows, doors, decks and subflooring under a shower.
The seller had a pre sale inspection done at their expense and provided that report to the prospective buyer. He had questions and doubts about the report and reached out to us after searching for a waterproofing and building consultant.
Our inspection found that many items the other inspector glossed over in his report as needing “patching and painting” or minor repairs were far from the real situation which was that all the doors and windows were past their useable lifespan and needed to be completely replaced. We found dry-rotted framing on decks, open and exposed framing on columns, dry-rot in the substrate below a shower floor which requires the substrate to be replaced due to fungus infestations.
Major issues that will require tens of thousands of dollars in repairs are now known issues that will need to be disclosed by the seller if the client who hired us doesn’t complete the purchase. This example illustrates perfectly why inspections don’t cost money, they save you money.
If the prospective buyer does move ahead with the purchase they can negotiate concessions, a lower price or credits to account for the costs necessary to fix the problems we found.
Take a look at the photos below to see what we found, and then give us a call at 805-801-2380 to get a quote on your building envelope inspection on the home or building you are considering purchasing.
When you hire William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC, you are hiring an ethical, experienced company who puts our clients interests ahead of our own.
I keep seeing some firms offering 20% off a competitors lower price to steal the deck inspection job away.
That should not inspire confidence in their capabilities as inspectors, in fact it should cause your board concern.
We allow ample time to perform the on-site balcony inspections, giving ourselves the ability to really stop and review EEEs that raise our suspicions that something maybe ain’t right as we say in these parts lol. This method has proven to us over and over that careful Inspections take time and by taking our time, we often find hidden problems that a cursory inspection would miss.
Your balcony inspection is not something you should take lightly; there’s a lot of liability and if something goes awry, selecting the wrong deck inspector company with a contract that heavily favors them with clauses that excludes them for their errors and omissions will cause your HOA to assume liability.
I’ve heard of one company that has a forty page contract; ours is nine for comparison. A forty page contract sounds like a nightmare that no average consumer can reasonably understand in my opinion.
Don’t rush to the conclusion that all balcony inspection companies are the same; they aren’t. Let us show you why we are setting the bar in performing #SB326 inspections in Southern California. Reach out for a free proposal and a conversation on how we approach this critical inspection with you.
Watch this quick video about using fire pits, turkey fryers and grills on combustible decks… To ruin the plot line, do not use turkey, fryers, fire pits or grills on any decks.
Please be safe this Thanksgiving holiday and don’t grill, use a fire pit or fry the turkey on your deck!
We’re pleased to announce that we were awarded the contract to perform a SB 326 inspection for a condominium complex on Pacific Street in Santa Monica. The three story building with decks stairs and walkways requiring inspection received several bids from competitors.
The Board after reviewing the bids and each firms credentials, selected our bid over the others, citing that our bid included a guarantee that our engineer will personally inspect the EEEs, that we don’t perform repairs and that our inspection team’s bonafides gave them the confidence in awarding the job to William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC.
These walkways and stairs are EEEs as defined in SB 326 and will be inspected by the best inspection team in the industry.
Of course it might also have helped that the Associations Board has an engineer serving as president and recognized that qualifications matter. Our engineer is an award winning structural engineer with years of experience doing structural inspections.
Don’t leave your critical inspections to the lowest priced inspection company, there’s too much risk in thinking all inspectors are the same. They are not.
Our team has a waterproofing expert with over 20 years of experience in waterproofing and inspections. We guarantee in writing that an engineer will perform the inspection personally and that we don’t bid on any repairs as it’s a conflict of interest. Call today and ask for Bill Leys 805-801-2380.
We aren’t the biggest inspection company, but we are rated highly by our clients and peers as being one of the most diligent.
A client reached out to William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC to ask about what we know about Roof Maxx after getting a quote from them to treat the 15 roofs the condo association has. The reserve study says that they have to replace the roofs in about 5 years and at the current rate of savings and the amount of money in the reserves, they will not have enough money to pay for a roof replacement. Their thought was that they would have the roofs “roof maxxed” (our term) and extend the life of their roofs so that they can continue to put money into reserves instead of having to pass a special assessment to replace the roofs.
Watch our video on YouTube!
Certainly this is a noble idea and one that is worth considering at the least. The client had met Roof Maxx at an HOA event and the sales person at the luncheon was certainly persuasive selling the supposed virtues of Roof Maxx to my client.
However, my client recalled that I had impressed them with my deep knowledge on roofing and waterproofing and trusted me to get them information that they weren’t getting from Roof Maxx. So I started doing a dive into this newer product on the market here in California for them.
I started by reviewing roofMaxx.com and reading what they were saying on the website. One thing that stuck out to me was it says scientifically proven to restore moisture to aging shingles… It also says that Roof Maxx met ASTM e108 class a fire resistant standards.
So I found a copy of a technical report, apparently written by the Ohio State University college of food, agricultural and environmental sciences pertaining to ASTM testing of roofmaxx. The report pertains to information regarding ASTM testing of roofmaxx and describes roofmaxx as a soy methyl Esther based water emulsion used on asphalt roofing shingles that restores flexibility and therefore extends the service life of the roof.
Interestingly, this report doesn’t say roofmax actually does something. Instead they use language such as “The improvement observed in the Roof Maxx treated samples suggests that roof Max improves the durability of asphalt shingles and their wind resistance.” In another section that tested granule adhesion, the statement was that “the average weight of displaced granules decreased 46% after treatment with Roof Maxx in comparison to an untreated shingle. This implies a significant improvement in granule adhesion…”
Relating to spread of flame testing the company retained to perform testing used their own proprietary test that “simulates ASTM e108 Class A spread of flame testing”. The report says “the test showed that there was no visual difference between the spread of flame and the untreated shingles and the roof Max treated shingles, suggesting that roof Max application does not increase fire risks.” PRI Construction Materials Technologies performed the testing for the Ohio soybean council not roofmax. There are ASTM protocols and several tests for testing shingles and a testing lab can select which ones they want to use. By doing so, they can possibly manipulate the results to give the client what they want to hear. One thing that concerns me is they did their own proprietary flame spread test instead of an ASTM e108 test. ASTM e108 is basically the industry’s only accepted method of determining if a roof is Class A, B or c rated. In the report results from their proprietary spread of flame test, it states “initial flame was more intense with the roof Max treated specimen even though the resultant flame spread was not appreciably different from the untreated specimen. Post testing, the plywood deck of the roofmaxx sustained a flame, whereas the untreated flame extinguished quickly upon removing the gas torches.” If the roofmaxxed shingles plywood decks sustain the flame after the torches were put out, then that indicates that in a real-life wildfire situation that could pose a problem for homes treated with roofMaxx in my opinion.
Other claims that are made on the roof Max website are difficult to support such as that roof Max can cost up to 80% less than the full cost of replacing a roof. That may be or it may be significantly less than that depending on many individual circumstances. They say the roofmax takes just a few hours while roof replacement often takes a week or more. That may be true once the roof is clean but cleaning the roof is an essential part of a roof Max application and that requires a roof to be soft washed thoroughly and then allowed to dry before applying the roof Max product. It is also essential to the success of the roof Max product that it be applied at 100 square feet per gallon. Some of the videos I’ve seen in their advertising show a guy just spraying stuff around all up and down the roof without any idea of what kind of coverage he’s getting.
The other item that I found from the asphalt roofing manufacturers Association is a technical bulletin titled “Coating of asphalt shingles after installation” revised April 2021, and they State there that many asphalt shingle manufacturers specifically do not recommend field coating of their shingles. Additionally, state or local building codes may prohibit this practice as the field applied coatings may negatively impact the performance characteristics, including fire classification, lift p resistance, impact resistance, etc. of the roof assembly. Some of the problems reported after asphalt shingle roofs have been field coated include shrinking of the coating, which may result in curling and or cupping of the shingles or loosening of the granule surfacing of the asphalt shingles. In addition, non-permeable roof coatings may create a vapor retarding layer by sealing the boys around in between the shingles. If this occurs, it may contribute to moisture accumulation within the roofing system. It goes on to say there is limited available documentation showing the extent to which field coating of asphalt shingles provides any of the benefits claimed, but their risk and concerns mentioned about remains very real. In summary, the application of a coating may be detrimental to asphalt shingles. Be sure to check with your asphalt shingle manufacturer before terminating a specific rose coating, particularly if there is any warranty left on your roof that could possibly be voided if you treated the roof. You should also check with your local building and zoning department if this application is allowed.
We advised the client of all of this and gave them a quote to perform a thorough review and evaluation of their roofs complete with a report and photographs of our findings. The reason we offered to do this is so that they have a independent expert who is not trying to sell them a roof or a roof coating, but instead giving them independent information that allows them to make a good decision on how to proceed on their roof problem.
Our opinion is that we would be very hesitant about spending money on the Roof Max product and we would provide guidance to our clients that they should evaluate the pros and cons very carefully before committing to a pie in the Sky dream that may blow up in their face. If we recall from a few years ago, there were many pipelining companies saying that they could fix HOA, condo buildings, leaky pipes without replacement and all those companies are gone now. We don’t see them at trade shows or pumping white coatings through pipes anymore. I predict that we’ll see Roof Maxx blow up as a scheme that doesn’t perform as it is sold.
Please reach out to us for a free quote on doing a roof evaluation of your condo buildings and let us help you develop a scope of work to put out to bid for repairs or replacements of your roofs. Call today 805-801-2380.
Termed controversial by one well known attorney in the HOA industry, Bill pulls no punches when it comes to seeing what’s going on and calling out the grifters that flooded the inspection market. We’ve made multiple complaints to state agencies, pissing off the bad apples, been sued to shut us up by POS pretend deck inspectors who use the bill to sucker HOAs into expensive repairs, we’re going to remain controversial and wear that label as a badge of pride.
Watch our video on our thoughts on CLACs plans to fix SB326. We’ve seen so many issues, from insurance companies denying associations insurance coverage if they have structural issues with their EEEs, to banks denying buyers mortgages on condos with EEE issues to the grifters plaguing the balcony inspection industry using the bill to literally steal from HOAs.
Had enough of the companies that are unethical, devious and sordid? Find out why William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC gives written guarantees that our award winning structural engineer will inspect the EEEs, that we will not bid on any repairs because that’s unethical and why with our experience and professionalism your HOA will be in good hands.
Call today 805-801-2380 and start your SB 326 inspection with William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC.
We’re pleased to announce that we were recently hired by a Redondo Beach HOA that desperately needs to replace a failing waterproofing system on their podium deck.
The HOA sought several proposals from building envelope consulting firms and after interviewing and researching, the Board of Directors selected us, citing their previous experience working with us on their SB326 inspections and our detailed proposal and experience as waterproofing consultants.
Failing Waterproofing on a Podium Deck in Redondo Beach Will be Renovated
We will be writing a scope of work to put it to bid with several highly experienced contractors, perform non invasive testing of the deck to determine if there are any issues of concern and when the work begins, we will do quality assurance inspections to ensure the work is being done correctly.
The association had started asking contractors to give them bids without a scope of work and quickly realized that the bids were ranging in price by $100,000. This made the board realize that they needed help getting a scope of work together that would ensure that they solve their problems.
They realize it will cost them a little bit more money, but they understand that the value that a waterproofing consulting firm brings will save them many headaches as they head into this project.
Give us a call for a free consultation on how we can help your association and guide you through major capital projects like this. Call today 805-801-2380 ask for Bill
Our Expertise & Guarantee That Our Structural Engineer Performs the Inspection Stands Out Over Other Firms
We’re happy to announce that we were selected to perform balcony inspections at a mid rise HOA in Signal Hill by the Board of Directors. Our detailed proposal and years of experience gave the Board of Directors the confidence that we were the best choice out of the five firms bidding.
Cantilevered Balcony at A Signal Hill Condo Association
We are so happy to hear strong praise like this as it reinforces our belief that we are one of the best qualified firms in the balcony inspection industry. Our guarantee of no conflicts of interest, our guarantee that a structural engineer personally performs the inspection and that our 20+ years of prior experience in waterproofing as deck contractors is a deciding factor, along with competitive rates for Boards faced with enormous pressure to get in compliance with SB326’s requirements to inspect.
Let us show you why we are one of the best firms in the balcony inspection industry and let us earn your business with our professionalism and expertise. Get in touch today by calling 805-801-2380 and talk to Bill Leys with no obligation.
Even before William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC was formed, President Bill Leys has been assisting clients throughout California recover financial damages from contractors who caused construction defects that led to water intrusion and property damage. As an expert waterproofing consultant serving San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Kern and Los Angeles counties, we’ve helped clients recoup hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past few years.
Our expertise in building technology and waterproofing methods, investigative skills and ability to document and report on the problems, the causes and suggested repairs needed have allowed our clients to convince the Contractors State License Board, the contractors at fault and their Bond companies to act. We’ve seen great success with the CSLB investigating complaints, contractors agreeing to repair defective work and have bond and insurance carriers pay on claims made by our clients.
Some recent success stories include helping a client in San Bernardino recover 5k+ in damages caused by faulty deck waterproofing work by a contractor from Palm Springs. Our investigation found that the contractors “expert witness” actually had business ventures with his client, leading to the Judge concluding the contractors witness had implicit bias in favor of his client. In other words, his testimony was rejected by the Court. Our client got a court order that the contractor had to remove a lien on their home and could not collect $5,000 they claimed our client owed.
No blocking between the old and new plywood is a defect that will cause any waterproofing to eventually fail.
Another success story found us assisting a client in Avila Beach whose recent kitchen addition was apparently leaking. Our investigation found windows were leaking from faulty installation, deck flashing that leaked from faulty installation and as a result of our testing and report, the client was able to successfully initiate a claim against the contractors general liability insurance and recover funds to repair their damages. The client made a confidential settlement with the insurance company for well over 6 figures.
Water found inside the wall of a kitchen addition from defective installation of weather resistant barriers.
One of our greatest success stories is helping a senior couple in Morro Bay CA when their deck project went south on them. We did preliminary investigative work, finding that the waterproofing product a local Grover Beach construction company who calls themselves “San Luis Obispo’s Expert Deck Contractors” was improperly applied. The client, using our report, filed a claim with the CSLB and after the CSLB investigated, was able to recover over $30,000 in financial damages.
Destructive Testing Reveals That the Waterproofing Materials Specified Were Not Installed to the Minimum Specified Thickness
We were able to help a local non profit recover for damages caused by the improper installation of a low slope roof system last year; the entity was concerned after the roof was replaced and there were still leaks occurring. Our inspection and report found numerous defects in the installation of the single ply roof and with that in hand, our client was able to convince their contractor to repair and replace defective portions of the roof.
Improper termination of roofing system under a skylight.
If your building is suffering from water intrusion, if you suspect your home has defects, if your not getting a response from your contractor and keep getting brushed off, don’t delay any longer. Put the experts at William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC to work for you.
We can perform visual inspections, destructive testing (up to $1,000 in value) document the results, write reports that are easy to read, explain the problems and why we believe the defects are caused by a contractor or from defective materials and help you recover damages. Don’t let contractors ghost you, gaslight you or try and evade responsibility. Cslb laws are strict regarding time frames for when you can attempt to recover for damages. The sooner you act, the less damage will occur and the sooner you can start recovering.
SB 326 Deck Inspections * Waterproofing Consultants * Construction Defect Investigations By Bill Leys The Deck Expert 