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.
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.
Here’s why William Leys Waterproofing Consultants, LLC stands out as your best choice for balcony (SB-326) inspections:
What Makes Us the Ideal Choice
1. Strong Experience & Genuine Expertise
A deep background in waterproofing. Bill Leys brings more than two decades of hands-on experience, beginning in 2003 as a waterproofing contractor and working for a leading engineering/architect firm- Allana Buick & Bers in Palo Alto.
2. Trusted Bill has been a licensed deck waterproofing contractor since 2007, actively installing waterproof deck coatings across California for HOAs, apartment complexes, and residential projects. Hundreds of clients over the years have trusted Bill to waterproof their decks.
3. Extensive deck inspection history Since 2007, Bill has conducted deck inspections for HOAs, apartments, and real estate transactions—bringing 17+ years of field knowledge to each inspection.
4. Ethical Integrity & No Conflicts of Interest
5. Strict ethical standards We guarantee in writing that there are no conflicts of interest—we do not bid on repair work, nor are we tied to any alternative revenue streams.
6. Transparent and fair bidding Instead of pushing repair contracts, William Leys encourages clients to obtain three competitive bids, maintaining the free market and transparency.
7. Compliance with SB-326 Requirements
8. Engineer-led inspections We require that a licensed structural engineer be physically present during inspections—this ensures full compliance with SB-326, which mandates a qualified professional conduct the inspections.
Supplemental waterproofing reports While the structural engineer handles the official inspection and report, we provide a supplementary waterproofing report that is appended to the engineer’s sealed report—creating a comprehensive and technically rigorous report.
9. Comprehensive, Client-Focused Service
100% sampling on EEEs (Exterior Elevated Elements) Unlike some providers meeting only minimum statistical thresholds, we inspect 100% of all categories (decks, stairs, walkways), delivering a thorough, confidence-building evaluation.
Specialized for HOA needs Bill’s previous experience as a CMCA-certified HOA manager gives him insight into reserve studies, ongoing maintenance concerns, and association priorities.
Relevant geographic coverage Serving a wide area—from Paso Robles to Bakersfield, Orange County, and Palm Springs—we’re locally accessible and familiar with regional building conditions.
Insurance and protection We carry robust General Liability, Workers’ Compensation, and Errors & Omissions insurance—valuable safeguards for HOAs and associations.
10. Proven Reputation & Client Trust
Positive client feedback One HOA manager shared:
“I’ve received high praise from the Board that they really respect your findings and knowledge of the inspection process.”
Trusted repeat selection We’ve been chosen by multiple HOAs—such as in Santa Barbara and Palm Springs—because of our reliability, ethical stand, and expertise.
In Summary
Experience & Expertise 20+ years in waterproofing, licensed, deeply technical Ethical Integrity No repair bidding; transparent client-focused approach SB-326 Compliance Engineer on site; dual-report method for structural and waterproofing insights Thorough Service 100% EEE inspection; HOA management savvy; wide service area Client Trust & Reputation Praised by HOAs; chosen repeatedly for key projects
In short, William Leys Waterproofing Consultants excel through their blend of deep technical knowledge, unwavering ethics, regulatory compliance, and client-centric service. They provide both peace of mind and exceptional quality—making them a standout choice for balcony inspections under SB-326.
Reach out today for a free quote on your inspection.
It is always nice to get unsolicited compliments from our clients and the one that we received yesterday from Joseph in Los Angeles is very appreciated.
We try very hard to bring the best in service and stay on top of current trends in the industry to make sure our clients get the very best advice that we can give.
If your HOA needs help in balcony inspections, roof consulting or building envelope water intrusion issues, let me help you. Reach out today for a free discussion on what William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC can bring to the table in value for your community.
From an HOA client in Los Angeles, we sincerely appreciate the compliments!
Long term leaks into this building has destroyed the framing behind the siding and because it is so rotted, the siding doesn’t have anything left to be attached.
As building envelope consultants we are often hired to determine where why and how a roof, siding or windows are leaking. After doing destructive testing and finding what caused the problem, it’s often an installer error that created the problem. Yes sometimes it’s defective waterproofing products, but that’s the exception, not the rule.
For architects and their home building clients, one way to ensure that the building envelope is going to perform correctly for it’s expected life span is to hire a waterproofing consultant to review the architects building envelope details, and to perform quality assurance inspections while the building is being dried in. Drying in a building entails roofs, below grade waterproofing, building paper over the plywood covered walls, window and door flashing for example. All of these need to be installed in a sequence to work together for the building to remain leak free.
Whether you are building tract homes, commercial/residential, condos or a spec home, a small add to the project budget to include a waterproofing consultant to assist in keeping your project leak free is a good investment. Consider the costs when a building does leak; there’s investigative costs, loss of use, possible mold claims, expensive repairs and everyone is aggravated.
William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC is here to help you with making your building project a success. Reach out today for a discussion on how we can help bring value to your project.
We were recently retained to perform an evaluation of a large low slope roof on a manufacturing building in Los Angeles.
The seam is splitting where it overlaps one sheet to another.
The client is interested in installing solar panels on the roof and needed to know what the buildings roof condition was, and whether they should repair or replace the roof.
For a very reasonable fee we performed a visual inspection and wrote a report for the client.
Samples of roofing to examine.
Some of our findings were that the existing roof system was splitting at seams, that multiple unsuccessful repair attempts actually were making leaks worse, and that the numerous sunlights were starting to deteriorate and would need to be replaced in the near future.
We also found a bullet, numerous nails and screws left by HVAC contractors around the roof top HVAC units that were damaging the roof as well.
Coping termination beginning to fail.
As an independent professional consultant, we’re not trying to sell you anything. We give you factual information and options on how to approach your roof and what it needs. If you then need help specifying your new roof or repairs we can assist you with that as well so that you get three bids that are comparable in the scope of work.
Reach out today for a discussion on how William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC can help your building repair needs.
A high wind event that hit Grover Beach in San Luis Obispo county on Wednesday shows us why inspections of decks are so important.
Improper connections of wood panels with glazing in them to the framing & Extensive Dry-rot at posts.
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The apartment building on Grand Ave has a walkway on the second floor, and at some point someone added large panes of acrylic sheets or glass in wood frames to help block the near constant wind that comes through.
The high winds exposed the significant dry-rot that was present in the framing and posts, along with exposing the weak connections. Unfortunately due to the structural damage several residents are not able to access their homes and are living in a motel temporarily.
Because of the damage residents could not return to their homes.
Landlords and HOAs can avoid the liability and potential injuries to residents and guests by having their EEEs inspected by the experts at William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC.
We can do your SB721 and SB326 balcony inspections for you and get you into compliance. Do not expose yourself to unnecessary liability by failing to get inspected.
Reach out today for a free EEE evaluation and proposal.
We are excited to announce that we’ve partnered with a local non profit to assist them with their waterproofing needs on a to be built low income community in Santa Barbara county. This new community will provide housing for seniors with limited incomes that will give them a safe warm place to live in a very expensive area of the country.
William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC will review the Waterproofing details on the plans, provide comments and suggestions to improve the weather resistance of the building at an economical cost, as well as specify a low slope roof system for the mechanical/HVAC systems that will provide a long term solution to keep the building dry and free of water intrusion.
We are excited to start this new project and work with one of the top architectural firms on the Central Coast.
Once construction starts, William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC will also provide Quality Assurance Observation services to ensure the Waterproofing systems are installed correctly to the manufacturers specifications so that the building will receive the warranty from the manufacturers of the waterproofing products.
We are pleased to announce that we have been retained to investigate leaks on a new addition on an Avila Beach residence by the owners of the property.
The owners of the property had hired a local contractor, who with a team of subcontractors built a dining room with a deck above to expand the living space and take advantage of the views that they have. The contractor completed the project shortly before last winter’s rains started up and the owners quickly realized that there were leak problems in several areas of the new construction.
We have performed visual inspections as well as rudimentary water testing that has found several areas of concern that will need to be further investigated via destructive testing.
Water testing a window in the search for leaks
If you’re building is leaking reach out to us today for assistance in investigating the cause and devising a solution to repair the problem. The longer you wait the worse the damage can become with water intrusion issues into structural elements.
We love getting positive feedback, I mean who doesn’t?
We don’t ask our clients to review us or praise us, we think that’s kinda cheesy. However we love unsolicited emails like this one that came in today.
“Hello Bill, Thanks again for the work done with ABC HOA. I’ve received high praise from the Board that they really respect your findings and knowledge of the inspection process.” Kevin HOA Manager
See the difference between William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC vs our competition and get in touch with us for a free EEE evaluation and proposal.
Guaranteed no conflicts of interest, competitive costs, award winning structural engineer and an expert ex Waterproofing contractor. Can they say that?
Contest us via the contact box to the left to get started.
SB 326 Deck Inspections & Building Envelope & Waterproofing Experts
SB 326 Deck Inspections * Waterproofing Consultants * Construction Defect Investigations By Bill Leys The Deck Expert 