Tag Archives: Berkeley balcony collapse

SB 326 Balcony Inspections, SB 721 Inspections

The Balcony Inspection Transparency Project is Coming!

We document. We disclose. You decide.

Is the HOA industry ready to demand transparency? We are!


Introducing the Balcony Inspection Transparency Project

http://www.balconytransparency.org (coming soon)


William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC is a founding member—and we are inviting other California inspection companies to participate.


California homeowners associations, apartment owners, community managers, and building owners are being asked to make important decisions about balcony and exterior elevated element inspections. Those decisions can affect occupant safety, association finances, reserve planning, repair priorities, and long-term property maintenance.


Consumers deserve to know exactly who they are hiring.


That is why William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC is a founding member of the Balcony Inspection Transparency Project, or BITP.


BITP is being developed as a source-based consumer-information project focused on companies offering balcony, deck, and exterior elevated element inspection services in California. Its purpose is straightforward: make important information about inspection providers easier to find, understand, compare, and correct.

I don’t want to do this just on my own, so if you would like to volunteer as a participant to ensure a fair and even process across the board, feel free to let me know!


We document. We disclose. You decide.


We Are Seeking Cooperation Across the Industry
BITP should not be a directory in which one company gets to ask questions of everyone else while avoiding those same questions itself.
William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC intends to complete the same transparency questionnaire offered to every participating company. We will identify our company’s ownership, services, professional relationships, role in SB 326 projects, relevant licenses and qualifications, business affiliations, and whether we or another participant may have a financial interest in related services.


We are inviting balcony inspection companies, engineering firms, architectural firms, contractors, consultants, and other businesses offering exterior elevated element inspection services to participate voluntarily and without charge.


Participating companies will have an opportunity to:
Describe their company and inspection process in their own words;


Identify who performs field inspections;


Explain who prepares, reviews, signs, or seals the final report;


List applicable California professional and contractor licenses;


Explain certifications and professional designations they advertise;


Disclose relationships with credentialing organizations, training companies, associations, engineering firms, contractors, and repair providers;


Describe insurance and conflict-of-interest practices;


Provide supporting records and links; and
Correct, clarify, or update information appearing in their profile.


Download the Fillable BITP Company Questionnaire


Submit a Company Profile Online


What Consumers Should Be Able to Learn


A company profile should answer more than, “Does this business advertise balcony inspections?”


Consumers should be able to determine:


Who is actually performing the fieldwork?


Who exercises the professional judgment required by the applicable law?


Who is responsible for the final report?


What California licenses do those people hold?


Is an advertised certification governmental, private, association-issued, manufacturer-issued, or simply evidence of completing a training course?


Who created and controls the organization issuing that certification?


Does the inspection company—or a related business—perform repairs arising from its findings?


Are referral fees, commissions, reciprocal referrals, or other financial relationships involved?


Are important advertising claims supported by current, identifiable sources?


These questions do not assume that a particular business arrangement is improper. Inspection companies can be structured in many legitimate ways. Engineers, architects, contractors, consultants, technicians, and specialty firms can each have appropriate roles depending on the property, applicable statute, agreement, supervision, and scope of services.


The important point is that the consumer should not have to guess what those roles and relationships are.


Participation Is Not Certification or Endorsement


BITP will not call participating companies “BITP Certified.” Participation will not mean that BITP has approved, recommended, ranked, accredited, or guaranteed a company’s work.


A participating company will be identified as having supplied standardized information. Individual fields may be labeled:


Company supplied;


Company representation;


Corroborated by identified source;


Not independently reviewed;


Not disclosed; or


Disputed information.


Profiles may be published after private administrative review even when every factual field has not yet been independently corroborated. Unreviewed information will be labeled accordingly. That distinction allows companies to participate promptly without causing consumers to mistake company-supplied information for government verification or BITP endorsement.


What If a Company Does Not Participate?


Participation is voluntary. A company’s decision not to complete the questionnaire does not prove that the company has done anything wrong.
BITP may nevertheless create a Public-Information Profile using identified sources such as government licensing databases, Secretary of State records, company websites, archived webpages, published advertising, organizational records, and other material that can reasonably be authenticated.


Those profiles will be conspicuously labeled:


Public-Information Profile


This profile was compiled from the identified public sources. No completed, authorized company questionnaire has been incorporated as of the date shown.


Companies will be encouraged to respond, submit corrections, provide additional context, or complete the full questionnaire.


Why Hesitation Deserves Closer Attention


Balcony and exterior elevated element inspections can involve life-safety concerns and significant financial consequences. A credible provider should be prepared to answer reasonable questions about identity, qualifications, responsibility, and financial relationships.


If a company is hesitant or unwilling to identify who performs the inspection, who signs the report, what license the responsible professional holds, who issues an advertised certification, or whether affiliated businesses may profit from resulting work, a prospective client should pause and investigate further before signing a contract.


That hesitation is not proof of illegality, incompetence, dishonesty, or an improper conflict. There may be a reasonable explanation. But unanswered questions involving professional responsibility and financial interests are relevant warning signs. Consumers should request written clarification, verify public records, compare other providers, and decide whether they are comfortable proceeding.


Transparency does not require every company to use the same business model. It requires the company to describe its model accurately.


Why We Believe Transparency Improves the Industry


Clear disclosure rewards companies that are willing to identify the people performing the work, explain credentials accurately, disclose affiliations, and distinguish inspection services from repair opportunities.


It also helps consumers compare proposals on something more meaningful than price alone.
An HOA board should be able to compare:


The actual inspection scope;


The qualifications and role of each participant;


The applicable sampling approach;


The person responsible for professional findings;


The report and follow-up services included;


Potential additional charges;


Credential and association relationships; and
Any financial interest in subsequent testing, design, construction, or repair work.


When those facts are clear, responsible providers compete based on documented qualifications, defined scope, professional accountability, and the value they provide.


BITP Will Accept Corrections, Responses, and Consumer Evidence


The Project is also being designed to accept documented corrections, company responses, and private consumer-experience submissions.
Consumer submissions will not appear automatically as anonymous reviews or star ratings. BITP may privately verify the submitter, examine supporting documents, redact personal information, seek a company response, and distinguish between firsthand experience, company statements, public records, and BITP analysis.


The goal is not to create a complaint wall. The goal is to build a useful, fair, and correctable information resource.


Our Own Interest Will Be Disclosed


BITP is founded and published by William Leys and William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC. WLWC operates in the waterproofing consulting and balcony inspection-related industry. We therefore have a commercial and professional interest in the subject matter.


We will disclose that interest rather than describe BITP as an independent review website. When BITP discusses a person or company with whom the publisher has had a material business, regulatory, legal, or competitive relationship, that relationship should be specifically disclosed on the relevant page.


The credibility of the Project must come from consistent questions, identified sources, fair attribution, meaningful responses, visible corrections, and standards applied to WLWC as well as everyone else.


An Open Invitation to California Inspection Providers


If your company provides SB 326, SB 721, balcony, deck, waterproofing, or exterior elevated element inspection services in California, we invite you to become part of the Balcony Inspection Transparency Project.
Participation is free.


Tell consumers who you are. Identify the people responsible for your work. Explain your credentials. Disclose relevant affiliations. Provide sources that allow important information to be checked. If something in a profile is incomplete or wrong, help us correct it.
We are not asking other companies to disclose information that we are unwilling to disclose ourselves.


Download the Fillable Questionnaire (Coming soon)


Learn More About the Balcony Inspection Transparency Project


Publisher disclosure: The Balcony Inspection Transparency Project is founded and published by William Leys and William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC, which provides waterproofing consulting and balcony inspection-related services in California. Participation in BITP does not constitute certification, approval, ranking, recommendation, or endorsement.


William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC
805-801-2380
wleyswaterproofingconsultants.com

SB 326 Balcony Inspections, SB 721 Inspections

Notice to HOAs in Need of an SB 326 Inspection

“California does not issue or require a credential called a ‘Certified Deck Inspector’ for SB 326 inspections. Private organizations may issue their own certificates, but consumers should determine who issued the credential, whether the certifying organization is independent of the inspection company, and whether the credential actually qualifies the individual to perform the inspection required by the applicable California statute.”

If you see the term “certified” in any advertising, website or stated orally by a salesperson, owner or company representative, all we can say is “Caveat Emptor” or in plain English, buyer beware.

Just because they say you inspection is “certified”, doesn’t mean it is. This website as shown above in this screenshot may mislead consumers into believing that this firm is more qualified to do EEE Inspections than others who don’t advertise as being “certified”.

Great inspection firms don’t need to puff themselves up with dubious certifications no one has ever heard of. We don’t claim that our reports are “certified” because there’s no such thing. Certified by whom? A private entity? A recognized non profit building & construction group such as NADRA or IIBEC? Don’t be fooled by the term certified as thrown about on some inspection companies websites. If someone claims their report is certified, ask them by whom is it certified and under what standards and can I see those standards? If you dig, you may find that the claim of “certified reports” is self serving.

Continue reading Notice to HOAs in Need of an SB 326 Inspection →
Deck Inspections, SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Balcony Collapse in Hawaii Injures Seven People!

We’re still trying to get more information, a balcony collapsed in Hawaii with 7 people on it. The balcony appears to have only been nailed to the building from what we can see.

As seen here, the deck appears to have fallen off the building. It appears to have been nailed into the building instead of bolted. An inspection probably would have caught that flaw.
Photo used under the fair use doctrine for education.

This is why inspections matter! The 11th anniversary of Berkeley was two days ago, and here we are again, another collapse. For the people on this balcony, they were injured but they will all be going home from reports I’ve read.

Please schedule your inspection ASAP, if you are renting property either through Airbnb or long-term, protect yourself and your tenants with an inspection.

We serve San Luis Obispo County as well as Santa Barbara and Ventura County for deck inspections under SB326 and general inspections for rental and personal property.

Call today 805-801-2380

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

This Is How We Think Some of Our Competitors Do Their Balcony Inspections for The Price They Charge…

Does your inspection company have 1099 contractors using Pogo sticks to perform your balcony inspection? This might be a little exaggerated, but the point is, a cheap inspection is a cheap inspection. Hiring the wrong inspectors could cost your HOA dearly. Read on…

Not actual footage of a deck inspection company doing SB326 inspections, but it seems that this method is used in many cases. Blurry photographs, unclear reports, inspections done by 1099 contractors, that low fee for a Stage 1 SB 326 inspection is a loss leader that turns into sky-high engineering and repair fees.

There are still quite a few HOAs out there that haven’t had a balcony inspection done yet. Many are smaller, self managed HOAs that haven’t heard of SB326. These smaller associations are easy prey for unsavory unethical inspection companies that need to feed their never ending high overhead.

By offering ridiculously low initial inspection fees, they Hoover up the unsuspecting HOAs into their pipeline. Once the HOA is in their grasp, they ratchet up the pressure on them; saying you have deck problems and the City is going to fine you $500 a day if you don’t immediately comply… And then they tell you that you need their engineering services, which might be true, although often times it’s not.

This is where the cheap bid the company gave you turns into a high cost engineering job, often costing thousands more than what ethical firms charge. Don’t fall for low fees; all it means is there won’t be an engineer present doing the inspection. That low fee, that’s hundreds or thousands less than legitimate engineers and waterproofing experts fees means there’s going to be a guy on a Pogo stick getting paid $280 a day (we have the help-wanted ads to prove it!) to bounce around your HOA going as fast as he can. He’s probably received very little training, has zero experience in actually building, waterproofing or inspecting decks, yet some people believe that the inspection is just as good as the experts inspections are.

At William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC, we  coordinate the independent engineering company to perform are dedicated to providing the very best inspection possible. We know that inspections save lives, protect property and more importantly, reduce liability for the HOA, the HOAs insurance company and the management company.

Bill Leys has performed hundreds of SB 326 waterproofing observations since 2020, and with our independent structural engineer, provides peace of mind to our clients.

Call us today for a free conversation about how we inspect, why we’re better and why your HOA is in good hands with us! Call 805-801-2380 today!

Our peers know who the best inspectors are!
SB 326 Balcony Inspections

SB 326 Inspection Coordination Specialists William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC Discovers Hidden Dangerous Railing Defects at a Redondo Beach Condo

As deck inspection experts who concentrate on SB 326 waterproofing observations for condos, we see a lot of defects in our line of work.

This week was no different, at an inspection we performed with our  independent engineer the engineer found numerous railings that were structurally compromised. The wood railings on 16 decks were assembled using nails to fasten the stiles to the railing frame.

Engineers don’t like nails for fastening structural railings meant to prevent falls from the deck. In the past, nails were the method most often used, whereas today structural screws are required. At this property the engineer checks the railings by pushing on them and with a light kick at the bottom. To our horror, the engineer discovered numerous railing stiles were not able to withstand a light kick without pushing out with the nails.

Continue reading SB 326 Inspection Coordination Specialists William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC Discovers Hidden Dangerous Railing Defects at a Redondo Beach Condo →
SB 326 Balcony Inspections

A Client Asks Us “There Are So Many Deck Inspection Companies, Aren’t They All The Same?”

The answer in short is no, all inspection companies are not the same. Here is an explanation on why inspection companies are not at all equal in experience, ethics and in following the balcony bill requirements.

The SB 326 balcony inspection bill failed to ban inspectors from owning construction companies and failed to ban inspectors who own waterproofing and construction companies from bidding on jobs they inspected, so unscrupulous individuals are popping up to take advantage of unsuspecting and unknowledgeable consumers. 

Without a doubt, during your Google search you are bound to come across  deck inspection companies advertising on the world wide web which are run by individuals who opened a deck inspection company to take unfair advantage of HOAs despite their contractors licenses having complaint disclosures listed on their license for such offenses such as failing to complete work for the price quoted in their contract, taking a deposit in excess of $1,000, hiring unlicensed sub contractors and departing from trade standards.

We personally know of one deck inspector/deck inspection company who is under active investigation by the Board of Engineers for practicing engineering without an engineering license. That investigation was opened in July 2025 and remains active today.

Continue reading A Client Asks Us “There Are So Many Deck Inspection Companies, Aren’t They All The Same?” →
SB 326 Balcony Inspections, Uncategorized

Is Dr Balcony Competent to Discover Defects? We Have Doubts After Our Re-Inspection of EEEs Found Multiple Defects They Failed to Identify!

We were recently hired to do a follow-up inspection at a condo in the Los Angeles area. The client, an individual homeowner, had serious concerns about the report the association received from Dr Balcony. Their concerns began when the inspection was done, saying that a person showed up, said they weren’t licensed but that “someone” who was a licensed architect would review their photographs and information before signing the report.

We got a copy of the Dr Balcony report and reviewed it before we did our own inspection. (Please note our inspection was not an SB326 inspection.) Many of the photographs in the report were blurry and weren’t marked up to identify a defect that supposedly was in the photograph (we mark up all our photographs to show you exactly what defect we found) and the report was difficult to read. We completely agree with our client, I’ve read more than a few reports from other companies and Dr Balcony’s report is a tough read. Defect codes that are for their internal use confuse readers, information on an EEE are in different places and many photographs are of irrelevant subjects.

An example of that is Dr Balcony inspectors seem to obsess over code issues that SB 326 doesn’t require us to concern ourselves with. (We do check railing heights & railing stiles and note that they may not meet current code, same with stairs, but these aren’t noted as defects, rather we advise that the HOA may wish to address these in the future and that your insurance company may require upgrading in order to renew a policy).

Continue reading Is Dr Balcony Competent to Discover Defects? We Have Doubts After Our Re-Inspection of EEEs Found Multiple Defects They Failed to Identify! →
SB 326 Balcony Inspections

SB-410 Takes Affect January 1st 2026, Is Your Inspector Compliant With Its Requirements? We Are!

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.

Continue reading SB-410 Takes Affect January 1st 2026, Is Your Inspector Compliant With Its Requirements? We Are! →
SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Don’t Take the Bait

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 waterproofing observations,p 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 inspection 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 twelve pages for comparison. A forty page contract sounds like a nightmare that no average consumer can reasonably understand in my opinion. Without an attorney to review this kind of contract, you are probably signing something that is not beneficial to your Association. We recommend that all contracts be reviewed by an attorney prior to executing them, including ours.

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 waterproofing observations for independent structural engineers in Southern California. Reach out for a free proposal and a conversation on how we coordinate this critical inspection with you.

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Santa Monica Condo Board Selects William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC to Coordinate Their SB 326 Inspection

We’re pleased to announce that we were awarded the contract to coordinate 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 a licensed independent structural 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 independent structural engineer is an award winning engineer with years of experience doing structural inspections.

Continue reading Santa Monica Condo Board Selects William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC to Coordinate Their SB 326 Inspection →
SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Signal Hill Condo Selects William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC To Coordinate Their SB 326 Inspection

  • Board Treasurer Says Our Detailed Proposal Stood Heads Above Competing Firms
  • Our Expertise & Guarantee That An Independent Structural Engineer Performs the Inspection Stands Out Over Other Firms

We’re happy to announce that we were selected to coordinate 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 an independent 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 coordinating SB 326 inspections in the 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 whatsoever.

Our best clients are educated clients!

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

What Are the Biggest Red Flags  Consumers Should Look For When Hiring an  SB326 Deck Inspection Company?

Great question — SB326 inspections (balcony/deck inspections for multifamily housing in California) are a big deal, and unfortunately, not every company advertising them is legitimate. The biggest red flag consumers should watch for is:

🚩 If the company performing inspections also performs repairs.

Here’s why:

Conflict of interest – The law (SB326/SB721) was designed so that inspections are objective and not influenced by profit motives from repair work. If the same company inspects and repairs, they may be financially motivated to exaggerate problems or recommend unnecessary work.

At William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC we guarantee in writing that we do not have any conflicts of interest. 

🚩 Compliance issues – The statute is clear: inspections must be done by a licensed architect, structural engineer, or a qualified building inspector who is not associated with a repair contractor. If someone is offering both, they may not be following the law.


Other red flags to watch for:

🚩No license disclosure (can’t prove they’re an architect, engineer, or building inspector). Who will be inspecting? An engineer or architect, or just some rando’s who may not be qualified in any way shape or form.

At William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC we guarantee that a structural engineer that we partner with will perform the physical inspection. Some companies flirt with danger by hiring subcontractors who do the inspection, and then those companies have an engineer robo sign your report.

🚩 Low-ball pricing far below market rates — often a sign they’re using inspections as a “loss leader” to sell repair work.

This is exactly right, and that’s what they are doing. We’ve done second inspections for clients and they were very happy to learn that the repairs the other company said had to be done in an emergency basis was exaggerated.

🚩Vague or incomplete reports — a proper SB326 inspection requires documented findings, photographs, and repair recommendations (if needed).

🚩 High pressure sales tactics — pushing you to sign a repair contract right after the inspection.


👉 Bottom line: Choose an independent, inspection-only professional who has no stake in whether repairs are needed. That independence is what protects you and your HOA from unnecessary costs.

At William Leys Waterproofing Consultants, as our client, we only work in your best interests.

Reach out today to get a quote and see the difference in our professionalism, due diligence and expertise. This is why we’re known as the deck experts.

Deck Inspections, SB 326 Balcony Inspections, SB 721 Inspections

You Gotta Read the Fine Print! HOA’s Need to be Careful of Companies Advertising “Free” or “20% Off” Type Offers on Balcony Inspections

Many companies are offering deals that have hidden motives behind them. Before buying, you need to know what it’s really going to end up costing your HOA.

William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC was recently contacted by a member of an HOA in Ventura County where that member had learned that his association’s Board of Directors were considering passing a special assessment in the range of 2 million dollars for repairs to balconies and stairs.

Information we got from the owner was that a large nationwide HOA reconstruction firm told the HOA that they had 13 emergency repairs and 300+ non emergency repairs to do and the budget was apx 2 million dollars for this work.

Continue reading You Gotta Read the Fine Print! HOA’s Need to be Careful of Companies Advertising “Free” or “20% Off” Type Offers on Balcony Inspections →
SB 326 Balcony Inspections

In Somber Remembrance of The Tenth Anniversary of the Berkeley Balcony Tragedy

A chilling tragedy at Library Gardens in Berkeley occurred ten years ago today, June 16th, 2015 when a deck collapsed with thirteen people on it, killing seven people and leaving six people permanently injured. This is why we inspect.

Take a moment to remember the victims of Berkeley who lost their lives that terrible night on June 16th 2015 – Ashley Donohoe, Olivia Burke, Eoghan Culligan, Niccolai “Nick” Schuster, Lorcán Miller, Eimear Walsh and Aoife Beary and the survivors, who remain permanently injured, Clodagh Cogley, Seán Fahey, Conor Flynn, Jack Halpin, Niall Murray and Hannah Waters.

This should never have happened, yet it did. Poor construction practices and in my opinion outright negligence caused this accident..

In somber remembrance of the victims of the Berkeley balcony tragedy, we want to remind everyone that this is accident is why we inspect. This can never happen again, this is why SB326 and SB721 are now in effect. As professional inspectors, we take our duty to save lives and property very seriously.

Please get your decks inspected, the life you save could be your own.