President Bill Leys of William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC recently attended a webinar presented by SGH on “Steep Slope Roofs in the WUI”.
The one hour AIA approved course discussed the additional requirements for roofs on homes and buildings in California’s Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) that increase a roofs resistance to ember storms which are one of the biggest causes of wildfires running unchecked through homes in vulnerable areas.
With this new knowledge and increased awareness of the challenges that homes face in the WUI, William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC is better prepared to assist our clients as their building envelope consultant.
Staying up to date on new requirements, products and technologies in construction is important and we are dedicated to increasing our knowledge so our clients can benefit.
Reach out today for a free discussion on what building envelope issues you may be experiencing and how we may be able to help.
Call today 805-801-2380.
Bill Leys performing quality assurance inspections at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto. When it comes to waterproofing buildings, clients reach out to William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC to bring that dream to life! We do consulting quality assurance inspections and leak investigations.
“Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle…”
A recent Insta video posted by One Structural/Balcony 1 reminded me of the lyrics from a 1972 song by Stealers Wheel… And after watching the video several times I wondered why I wasn’t having a stroke over the numerous defects in their work. The video purports to show their expertise in rebuilding a set of stairs and waterproofing them. (The video appears to have been removed from their profile located here https://www.instagram.com/onestructural?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==)
In the video it showed a timeline of rebuilding a set of stairs. As I watched it play out I screenshot a few pics, see below.
Starting with the framing rebuild, we can see water/fungus damaged stair stringers that weren’t replaced, damaged sheathing on the wall that wasn’t replaced and new wood that looks like my 3 year old nephew installed. Next set of defects we see is that although One Structural installed weep screed to the wall, they didn’t install weep screed down the stairs. Weep screed is required for ALL stucco terminations! The stucco is installed down to the deck to wall termination over the flashing. Stucco should terminate 2″ above the transition using weep screed. Next set of defects we see are that One Structural has installed is that they are using FortiFlash Butyl on the stair treads. According to FortiFlash Butyl Instructions, any application to a horizontal surface should not have any mechanical fasteners attached through it! Secondly we’re not aware of any manufacturer of deck waterproofing that specifies using FortiFlash under their system! FortiFlash Butyl Instructions With all the defects covered, these stairs await their eventual failure from improper construction. It may take a decade or more, but eventually defects always show up in our experience.
All in all, this video simply highlights the incompetence of the contractor to correctly rebuild and waterproof these stairs. The video also highlights why hiring William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC as your quality assurance inspector would have protected this poor association from incompetence and wasting their money.
1.) At the framing stage we would have brought the damaged framing and sheathing left in to the Associations attention.
2.) At the stucco installation stage we would have brought the lack of weep screed and improper termination to the Associations attention.
3.) At the stair waterproofing stage we would have brought the incorrect installation of the FortiFlash Butyl to the Associations attention.
Simply put, with a quality assurance inspector on your job, none of these defects would have slipped by. The work would be halted at the framing stage, the association would be able to demand corrections and at each step of the installation of the waterproofing the save thing would happen. Work would be halted, the association could demand corrections and with us as their advocate, they would have gotten the work done correctly.
We don’t like picking on others’ work, but when their work is just one defect after another, our duty to point this out overrules.
The lesson associations should take from this is quality assurance inspections can save headaches, heartaches and stop the built-in defects from continuing. Hiring the right contractor is paramount!
The best contractors aren’t afraid of having quality assurance inspections being done on their jobs, but the worst contractors are.
Give us a call (805-801-2380) or email us (LeysWaterproofingConsultants@gmail.com) to talk to us about quality assurance inspections for your HOA EEE repairs today!
Put William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC on your team today!
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!
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.
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!
We will be performing quality assurance inspections on this project in the East Bay.
We’re excited to announce that we were awarded the contract to perform quality assurance inspections for a large HOA reconstruction project in the East Bay area of San Francisco. The 100+ units in the HOA are leaking at the decks and resulted in damage to the exterior walls.
We will be performing periodic inspections of the weather resistant barriers (WRB’s) the installation of sliding doors and the waterproofing of the decks to ensure that they are being installed in accordance with the plans and specifications. This helps the Association ensure its money is being spent well on quality work and the materials are installed correctly that will last for their expected life spend and perform as intended.
Observing installation of new WRBs integrated into the existing WRBs. A sliding door with the screw coming through the threshold. Building paper installed before weep screed…? It shouldn’t be.
If your HOA is about to undertake a major renovation project, talk to us about how we can help protect your interests by providing quality assurance inspections that will help spot problems before they get away. We report directly to the association and provide a daily report for every visit along with extensive photo documentation. Catching a problem before it’s covered over will save a lot of heartache and finger pointing later on. We find that contractors like having quality assurance inspectors on site because they know that we are there to help the project through to a successful completion.
Reach out today for a conversation on why your association should have a quality assurance inspector on your six-figure + project.
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.
A client of William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC has a problem with stucco under their balconies. The stucco is cracking on the outside edge of the soffit (the ceiling under the deck). Several residents were reporting that when it rained water would come out of the cracks.
The Board of Directors sought a waterproofing consultant to assist in finding out why their stucco was cracking and leaking water. They thought the source of the water intrusion was from the decks. After a search they found us and retained us to perform some destructive testing and investigate the source and reason for the cracking.
We started by making visual observations of the decks and surrounding building materials. We observed the cracked stucco under the soffits, we observed the decks and we observed the exterior walls of the balcony and the walls adjacent to the balcony.
Cracked stucco soffit and water stains.Architectural styrofoam bullnose detail is cracking where it meets the wall. Note the efflorescence on the wall below.
Our observations found the soffits were indeed cracked and stained from water. We observed that the exterior walls surrounding the balconies also had cracks, and that a foam architectural bullnose detail was cracking where it joined the wall.
Firing up our grinder with a diamond blade to cut through the stucco, we found rusted stucco diamond lath. Stucco lath gives the stucco something to grip to.
Rusted lath under the stucco affirms water is leaking into the soffit, but from where?
We peeled back more stucco, exposing the structural beam at the outside edge. The beam had no damage to it at the two locations we opened.
Nice and dry and free of any signs of water intrusion.
Next we opened up the foam bullnose on the wall surrounding the deck. Here we found the apparent problem. The stucco behind the bullnose has large cracks in it. In the corner we found a large hole in the stucco with rotted wood behind it.
Behind the foam bullnose, a large crack exists.Our 6″ long awl meets no resistance where wood framing should be.
Pending further destructive testing by a contractor, our initial conclusion is that the foam bullnose and cracked stucco behind it is the source of the water getting into the stucco soffits of the balconies. Now we just need to follow the waters path down the building and see if structural damage is occurring inside the walls.
If your stucco covered building has cracks in it, water coming out of soffits, if you suspect leaks, we encourage you to seek the help of the experts at William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC. We are uniquely qualified to investigate your building envelope problems and come up with solutions to fix them. As former contractors we understand waterproofing and building envelopes like few others do. As a former HOA manager you also get someone uniquely qualified and understanding of HOAs and their needs.
Call today for a discussion on how we might be able to help you. 805-801-2380 You won’t get just anyone answering the phone, you get me, Bill Leys, the owner of the firm.
What is the total cost of having to fix construction defects that you found after the building is completed? When tenants are ready to do their tenant improvements, move in and start paying rent, but can’t because of water leaks, how much does unnecessary delays cost? How much does it cost to put up scaffold around a building, remove the brick facade, redo all the windows flashings and then put it all back together? How much in lost rents did this cost? $250,000? $1,000,000? We don’t know the answer to this question but we can take a wild assed guess…a lot!
This building is in downtown San Luis Obispo, and was ready at the end of November for tenant improvements to begin in the interior-a restaurant on the first floor, Amazon offices on upper floors; and then it rained. That’s when the owner of the new building discovered he had a major problem. Many windows leaked in the storm. So they hired a consultant (not us) who performed spray water testing in conformance with ASTM standards for leak testing.
Of the approximate 60 windows in the building, 45 or so leaked. After destructive testing was done, it was discovered that molded corner flashings that are installed into the rough opening of the window frames had a critical piece cut off by someone, and no one noticed or knew…and then the windows were installed, the facade installed and no one did any water testing or quality assurance construction monitoring during the window/WRB installation. ..if they had, the work could have been halted, the issue rectified and the costs and damages could have been greatly mitigated.
Daily costs for Quality Assurance Construction Monitoring run $1,200 a day. On a job like this building, maybe 30 days of construction monitoring may be necessary, or about $36,000.00. Which sounds like a lot until you go back to the costs of lost rents, building repairs and the headache of months of delays in getting your building back.
Quality Assurance Observations don’t cost, they pay with long term dividends on a properly dried in building. That’s what we do-help make buildings perform better, one building at a time.
Call us today for a discussion on how William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC can help you with quality assurance construction monitoring, where we observe, inspect, document and report to you, the building owner or general contractor, what we have observed, materials used, whether the work was done according to plans, specifications and the drawings.
I’m happy to say we are opening our doors to San Luis Obispo area clients who are in need of building envelope consulting services. Leaking buildings cost millions annually in repairs and construction defects suits are costly and time consuming. Monitoring and documenting the waterproofing work can minimize exposure to risk.
Let me help you in your building envelope waterproofing needs. I have experience installing waterproofing systems and construction monitoring of waterproofing systems being installed, investigations of leaks in existing buildings and deck inspections for buyers of real properties.
I’ve worked on some of the largest waterproofing projects in California that required construction monitoring services, including Alphabet Inc’s project in Mountain View, Stanford Hospital, Louise Packard Childrens Hospital, 1680 Broadway in Oakland and many more during my tenure with Allana Buick & Bers in Palo Alto.
I look forward to hearing from you and explore how I can help you on your project!
STANFORD HOSPITAL MONITORING THE WATERPROOFING OVER OPERATING ROOMS
SB 326 Deck Inspections & Building Envelope & Waterproofing Experts
SB 326 Deck Inspection Specialists * Building Waterproofing Consultants * Construction Defect Investigations By Bill Leys The Deck Expert 