Tag Archives: Long beach deck inspection

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

My Email To CLAC Regarding Modifying SB326 to Ban Inspectors from Bidding on Repairs

My email to CAI-CLAC  asking them to modify SB 326 to ban inspectors from bidding on repairs.

If you’ve experienced high pressure tactics, feel taken advantage of, that unnecessary work was done it you are being told needs to be done, let CLAC know by emailing them at lsrc@caiclac.com

Please see below

Good afternoon,

Here’s some documents from EMPIREWORKS, a vendor member of CAI who isliterally using SB 326 to steal from HOAs. They are considered among the the worst of the worst by my fellow inspectors and I who do not bid on repairs.

We’re being asked for second opinions by HOAs who are being told all their decks need to be replaced ( they don’t) at hugely inflated costs. These companies use pressure tactics, to threatening to report the HOA and that there’s huge penalties if they don’t comply.

Please call some of the inspection companies listed at Davis Stirling. These companies will tell you the same thing I’m telling you.

Please read some of the contracts; are they a company that you as counsel to an HOA client would advise the contract is ok to sign? Seeing these egregious clauses , which I’ve been told are unethical at best and illegal and unenforceable at worst, would you even advise a client to continue negotiating with or would you advise them to run?

This is what’s out here and what we’re dealing with on a near daily basis.

I’m sick to death of the people who will literally walk through the blood on that sidewalk in Berkeley to steal a dollar. The anniversary of Berkeley is coming up in June, and those victims must be remembered and their deaths not be in vain. That is why I am so vocal. Appreciate you listening.

Thank you,

Bill Leys President
William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC
Follow me on Twitter BlueSky Threads Insta and Tik Tok, search @deckinspector

Call or text me anytime at 805-801-2380 for fastest service.

This architect admits he didn’t inspect the EEEs, and he lives in Tennessee, so he’s literally robo-signing reports that are being inspected by a contractor who is writing the report to their advantage.
The Board of Engineers says yes it appears that the engineer violated the law, but there’s nothing we can do

SB 326 Balcony Inspections, SB 721 Inspections

Grover Beach Deck Destroyed By High Winds Reveals Why It Failed -Extensive Dry-rot & Improper Connections

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.

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Stage 2 Destructive Testing Balcony Reveals Significant Deterioration

As a balcony inspector performing #SB326 inspections on condos in California, I often hear the complaints about costs of these inspections. Stage 1 visual inspections are costly, and if the Structural Engineer determines that further Stage 2 destructive testing is necessary, it can get very expensive very quickly.

However, Stage 2 inspections are very important. When I’m doing my inspection of the waterproofing elements, I often find signs of water intrusion into the framing. My engineer and I confer and I explain what I’m seeing, what I think is the cause and we generally agree that a Stage 2 inspection ( destructive testing inspection) is necessary.

Recently we performed Stage 1 inspections in a condo building near Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. We determined that there was evidence of water intrusion into the framing and called for a Stage 2 inspection. Working with a team from Whitestone Construction, we had Whitestone remove stucco and masonite siding on 5 decks that are on the 3rd floor of the building. These decks are covered with 1″+ of concrete on them, and after the crew from Whitestone removed stucco and masonite siding, we discovered significant structural damage that was so alarming we immediately closed the decks to use.

The concrete decking and stucco siding hid serious damage that presented immediate life safety concerns to us. This meant the decks were unsafe to be occupied until repairs are made.

While looking at the damage, the Berkeley balcony tragedy came to mind. Here, as in Berkeley, students used the decks to hang out on, perhaps leaning on the railings to talk to friends below. A person in these balconies could have fallen from a railing giving way because the framing it was secured to was so rotted out wouldn’t hold.

The horrors of Berkeley can never happen again. Thirteen students in Berkeley fell 40′ to a concrete sidewalk. Seven died and six are left with serious life long debilitating injuries and the mental pain of that terrible evening.

Berkeley is why we inspect, and Berkeley is why I have become a warrior in the battle against bad contractors doing bad work that gets people killed. SB 326 needs some fine tuning, but overall it is saving lives. My peers in the industry and I stand up for keeping buildings and decks safe.

Independent inspectors, free from conflicts of interest, are your Associations best defense against another Berkeley tragedy from happening again. Yes inspections aren’t cheap, but a lifetime of being haunted by nightmares of people dying in a fall from a balcony and the costs of a lawsuit for negligence will quickly outrun the costs of doing inspections.

Reach out today to get started on your balcony inspections and get your association compliant now. Don’t delay thinking the deadline will be extended ( it might be) and even if it is, dry-rot is working on weakening your decks, putting people’s lives at risk.

Our warning notice to not use the deck until it is fixed
Don’t delay your balcony inspection! The life you save could be your own.
SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Stage 2 Balcony Inspection Shows Hidden Damage

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Stage 2 Balcony Inspection Shows Hidden Damage
Fungus damaged plywood
SB 326 Balcony Inspections

William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC Signs A Simi Valley HOA For a Stage 1 SB 326 Inspection

We are pleased to announce that we’ve just signed a contract with an HOA in Simi Valley for a Stage 1 balcony inspection.

The inspection will include 44 balconies and 32 stairs that are required to be inspected under the bill.

Citing our experience and having the best price of the 3 bidding firms, the HOA has placed it’s confidence in us by voting to hire us

See the difference when you hire William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC! Get in touch today!

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Santa Barbara County HOA Selects William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC For SB 326 Deck Inspections

We’re pleased to have been selected by an HOA in Santa Barbara County to perform their SB 326 balcony inspections.

The 32 unit association has walkways, stairs and exclusive use decks that need to be inspected, and after a competitive bidding process, selected us as the best qualified firm to perform the inspection.

William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC guarantees that we have no conflicts of interest in owning any waterproofing or construction firm and that an award winning structural engineer inspects the EEEs and as waterproofing experts, our inspection of flashings, waterproofing and related items gives Associations confidence knowing that they have retained a well qualified firm.

We invite you to experience the expertise that we offer as deck inspectors. Call us or email us using the contact us box today to get started.

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

An EEE Evaluation May Have Helped Stop a Stair Collapse

On Monday we were in Pasadena looking at an association for the purpose of counting how many decks stairs walkways they have so we could bid to perform a SB 326 inspection job. The property is in an older established area that has Magnesite decking in the stairs and decks.

One stairway caught my eye with the long large crack in the Magnesite rubbing down the stair stringer. This critical piece of framing behind the Magnesite has, in my opinion, been infiltrated with water, has swollen and caused the Magnesite to crack and is likely dry-rotted as well, creating a life safety concern should it fail with people in the stairs.

We alerted the Board of Directors and their HOA manager to have the stairs shored up until repairs can be made. We would be remiss if we did not.

An EEE evaluation is not an inspection of the decks and stairs, but it is important to do in person to see the actual site conditions… And who knows, maybe we’ll catch a potential life safety issue at your association while we’re at it.

This is why we inspect, to protect life/safety and preserve your Associations property. Feel free to reach out to us for your free proposal for an SB 326 Inspection.

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Balcony Inspection Question

We were recently asked by a client a really good question about wording in the balcony bill, SB 326 regarding our interpretation of the section where it states “This section shall only apply to buildings containing three or more multifamily units ” The client’s buildings have only 2 units per building.

We aren’t attorneys, but we did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night… Sorry that’s a joke… We aren’t able to give legal advice even though we think we know the answer…

Being that we aren’t attorneys we turned to one of the preeminent authorities in the business, Mr Adrian Adams of Adams Stirling PC who runs Davis-Stirling.com and asked Adrian.

Invasive inspections can help save lives.


SMALL BUILDING
BALCONY INSPECTIONS

QUESTION: 

SB 326 states that “This section shall only apply to buildings containing three or more multifamily dwelling units.” Our association has twenty buildings, with only two condos per building. Does that mean we don’t need to inspect our balconies? -Bill

ANSWER: Even though you have 40 balconies (20 buildings times 2), a strict reading of the statute exempts your association from the requirements of invasive inspections. (Civ. Code § 5551(l).) Even though you are exempted, you still need to make visual inspections every three years for your reserve study requirements.

The problem with external visual inspections is that they are external. They can’t detect dry rot and termite damage to a balcony’s structural elements. If any of your balconies collapse causing injuries or deaths, it is almost guaranteed your association will be sued.

Plaintiffs will seek a jury trial and allege the board was negligent in their maintenance obligations and their failure to properly inspect balconies when every other association in the state was performing invasive inspections. A jury would likely agree with plaintiff’s counsel and award substantial damages to the victims. The litigation will negatively impact property values, the buying and selling of units, and insurance premiums. Moreover, the failure of one balcony means all balconies will need to be inspected either during or after the litigation.

RECOMMENDATION: It is less expensive to conduct a § 5551 inspection of your elevated structures than to defend against a wrongful death action. If the inspection finds problems, you can address them and avoid potential harm to residents. If the inspection determines your balconies are in good shape, it provides a layer of protection for the association (and directors) in the event one were to collapse. In addition to inspections, you should institute a regular plan of preventive maintenance and  balcony repairs.

The above information is copyrighted. Reprinted from Davis-Stirling.com by Adams|Stirling PLC

We completely concur with Adrian… My answer back to the client was in the form of a question… Are you willing to find out in a court of law if a jury thinks those balconies are exempt? I think your insurance company is just going to ask how many zeros do there need to be on the check that they write for a wrongful death suit?

It’s not worth the risk to try to avoid an inspection when the stakes are so high. Get in touch with us today about your balcony inspection needs and let us help guide you through the process. We guarantee in writing that a structural engineer performs the inspection in person and that we have no conflicts of interest. Our only interest is you, our client.

Deck Inspections

Another Day, Another Preventable Deck Collapse…

By now many people have read the story of a deck collapse in a vacation rental in Georgia…9 people were injured, including several senior citizens. Fortunately no one died.

The pictures of the “accident” show a typical deck collapse scene, the rotted wood at the house to deck connection, the furniture and deck spilled all over the ground, rescue crews giving first aid and transporting victims to the hospital.

A typical deck collapse with multiple victims caused likely by a poor connection to the house with rotted wood failing and sending the deck crashing to the ground.

As a professional performing deck inspections I can say that I see this typical scene over and over, particularly on single family homes and it seems, very often that they are on rental properties. After viewing this picture above I tweeted out to Airbnb and VRBO that they could help lead the drive to deck safety by requiring owners to have professional inspections signed off before they can rent the property and let people use the deck. Very often on rental properties there are a number of people visiting having a party on the deck and then they go over to the edge of the railing where the view is to have a picture taken of the group and that’s when the decks framing becomes overloaded and the deck crashes to the ground.

Influential and powerful companies like VRBO and Airbnb have the ability to drive owners to have inspections performed on the deck. Insurance companies can also start requiring inspections of decks before they insure a property.

As a professional inspector whenever I am at a party or someone’s house with a deck on it I will walk underneath the deck and take a look at the connections between the house and the deck, the framing the posts etc., to make sure that I am not going to be the victim if the deck comes down. That may make me sound like a Debbie Downer but I’ve seen the results of too many deck collapses hospitalizations, death, long-term injury. The Berkeley deck collapse should have been a wake-up call Nationwide but we just ended up going back to the usual and typical shrugging and saying not much we can do…

Well there are things we can do, we can require inspections on vacation rentals where it’s likely that large groups of people will gather in the deck. We can stop or severely reduce deck collapses by requiring owners to have their decks inspected yearly. A typical deck inspection might run $250 to $350…

To paraphrase Rage Against the Machine, “It has to start somewhere, it has to start sometime
What better place than here, what better time than now?” It’s time to start fixing this preventable problem.

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Pasadena HOA Selects William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC For Their Balcony Inspections

We are excited to announce that we have been selected to perform the balcony inspections for an HOA in Pasadena CA by the Board of Directors.

Cantilevered decks in Pasadena will be inspected by William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC

The Associations cantilevered decks are subject to SB 326 requirements and we brought a very competitive cost to perform Stage 1 inspections. We are pleased to be the firm selected from amongst very worthy peers who also bid this project.

When your Association is ready to get a proposal for balcony inspections we hope to reach out to us. We guarantee that we have no conflicts of interest, we guarantee that we only use a Structural Engineer who will inspect and then sign your report and we do our best to bring you the best price in the industry. Contact us today using the contact form on the left side of this web page or call Bill Leys directly at 805-801-2380.