Tag Archives: thousand oaks deck inspection

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

HOAs Are Required to Have Final Inspection Reports Issued After Repairs are Done Under SB-410


Attention HOAs, SB 410 took effect on January 1st and imposes 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.

The independent engineer we work with 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.

If your HOA is having problems with condos being sold because of the lack of a final report, call us today, we can do a final inspection report regardless of whether we inspected the EEEs originally or another company did. Call 805-801-2380 today!

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

Instagram Featured Video Stair Rebuild by One Structural/Balcony 1 Shows Multiple Construction Defects Being Installed in Real Time!

“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.
Continue reading Instagram Featured Video Stair Rebuild by One Structural/Balcony 1 Shows Multiple Construction Defects Being Installed in Real Time! →
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! →
Articles & Videos

Check Out Our YouTube Videos Here

We just wanted to send you to our articles and videos page to check out the videos from our YouTube channel!

http://sb326deckinspectors.com/articles-powerpoint-presentations-by-bill-leys/

Here are a couple of our most popular vids. Leave a comment and subscribe to our channel!

Learn about how deck drains and scuppers should be installed and why it’s important to counter flash scuppers on the exterior walls.
Learn about ember resistant vents for balconies. Soffits + crawl spaces
Here we discuss who can perform inspections and who must write and sign the report for sb326.
Poor workmanship doomed this new addition with intrusion, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage to restore the waterproofing. 

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

SB326 & The Board of Directors Fiduciary Duties To Act In the Best Interests of the Association

Fiduciary duty is defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as a “duty obligating a fiduciary as an agent or trustee to act with loyalty and honesty in a manner consistent with the best interest of the beneficiary of the fiduciary relationship as a principal or trust beneficiary.”

CAI’ magazine “Common Ground” has a very good article in their March April issue on fiduciary duty. Quoting from the article Bob Diamond, senior council at Reed Smith in McLean Virginia says”the essence of fiduciary duty is to act in the best interests of those who you serve. A director must put aside personal considerations when making decisions on behalf of the owners.”

Rotting wood on a deck.

When it comes to SB326 and fiduciary duty the duty of the board is to carry out the inspections as required by law regardless of cost or a lack of  money in the associations accounts to pay for it. A lack of knowledge or understanding about SB326 will not be a legal defense or at least won’t be a strong defense to not carry out an inspection of the common area Exterior Elevated Elements in my non legal opinion.

Continue reading SB326 & The Board of Directors Fiduciary Duties To Act In the Best Interests of the Association →
SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Bill Leys Discusses SB 326

Watch this video where Bill Leys discusses some if the problems SB326 has and how Associations can protect themselves from the loopholes in the bill.

One of the first things to do when qualifying your balcony inspector is to ask if they own or are employed by any contractor, Waterproofing or general contractor… And if they answer yes… Well Bill has some advice for you and you’ll just have to watch to see what to do.

See what Bill has to say!
SB 326 Balcony Inspections, Uncategorized

A Competitors Guarantee Gives Away Their Game

We compete against Dr Balcony around central and southern California. They are members of multiple CAI Chapters. Despte their low price offer, I know of at least 2x we won a job against them even though my company submitted a bid that was more than theirs.


Why? When I was able to give a presentation to a board of directors and explain how we operated, that we had a licensed structural engineer performing the inspections, that I did a supplemental waterproofing report that was attended to the engineers stamped and sealed report, that we inspected 100% of all the EEEs to ensure that nothing was overlooked, we were awarded the job. They saw my years of experience as a waterproofing contractor, that an engineer was personally on site doing the inspection, that our no conflicts of interest guarantee that we don’t bid on repairs, that we get competitive bids without obstructing the free market, that the 20% discount is a fraudulent attempt to subvert the market, where competitive bidding and a companies experience matter.

I have it on good authority from a client who had this company on site & when they saw who was inspecting the deck complained to their HOA, lo and behold an architect appeared and inspected their deck at that time. They did not know if the architect continued to inspect other decks or just theirs.

I am making inquiries to the Architectural Board & the Board of Engineers as to whether the engineer or architect has to actually be on site & perform the inspections or if they can allow an individual without any engineering or architectural qualifications to perform the inspection basically write the report & then they will put a cover letter on that says the report is accurate.

This offer of taking 20% off the lowest bid that the association received  is just a bad sales tactic because they want to do the repairs, & that 20% off will be easily added back into the cost of the repairs because who is keeping them honest once they get the work?

Continue reading A Competitors Guarantee Gives Away Their Game →
SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Another Satisfied Client Praises Our Knowledge

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.

 

Deck Inspections, SB 326 Balcony Inspections

HOA in Big Bear Selects William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC to Coordinate SB 326 Inspections on 90 Balconies & Stairs

We are pleased to announce that we have been selected to coordinate a SB 326 inspection for a large HOA in Big Bear. With 90+ decks, stairs and landings the association knew they needed an expert with the experience to properly inspect their Exterior Elevated Elements.

The association manager found us through a referral from a fellow CAI manager, who told them about the positive experience they had with us.

William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC was selected to perform balcony inspections in Big Bear!

We invite you to experience the professional and experienced licensed structural engineers and waterproofing experts that make up our team. Reach out today for your free EEE evaluation and proposal.

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.

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Remembering The Berkeley Balcony Victims on the 8th Anniversary of The Tragedy

Today marks the 8th year since the balcony at Library Gardens literally fell off the building with 13 young adults standing on it to take a birthday photograph Seven people died as a result of a near 40 foot fall to the concrete sidewalk below. Ashley Donohoe, Olivia Burke, Eoghan Culligan, Nick Schuster, Lorcan Miller died at the scene and Aoife Beary passed away on January 2, 2022. The survivors were left with lifetime suffering and pain from grievous injuries.

I contributed to several newspaper articles with my opinion, I reviewed plans, photographs and other information sent to me by journalists for the LA Times and Mercury News Group. There is no doubt in my mind that the defect that caused the deaths and injuries to these kids was set into motion the day a carpenter took a saw to the laminated veneer lumber beams and cut them to provide slope on the deck without then sealing up the open exposed wood/glue to prevent water from getting into the material. With the addition of OSB/oriented strand board, and all of that crap wood being soaked for months during a rainy winter set into motion the demise of that balcony.

The builder didn’t protect the deck from moisture the carpenter didn’t protect it from moisture nobody protected it from moisture and as a result of carelessness neglect whatever they want to call it the blood on that sidewalk may be washed away but it’s still there… That sidewalk is holy ground. I make a sign of the cross when I’m on that sidewalk.

There is no doubt in my mind that a balcony inspection should have found problems and that deck would have been. People had reported that the deck had unusual slope… Which seems to indicate that the deep beams were slowly failing. It is also reported that they were mushrooms on the ceiling below that was simply scraped away, which should have been a huge warning sign of moisture intrusion. It certainly would have set alarm bells off in my head.

The Berkeley deck collapse is on my mind every time I perform a balcony inspection. I think what if that was my daughter or son lying on that sidewalk? I think about the parents and families who lost their child and I renew my vow each time in insisting that I do the best inspection possible, that when our engineer signs your report that your balconies are safe, that I won’t wake up one morning to the news of a deck collapse on a property we’ve inspected. This is that important to me.

Contact us today via text or calling 805-801-2380, email us using the contact box to the left …

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Palm Springs HOA Selects William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC To Perform SB 326 Inspections on Their EEEs

We are pleased to announce that we have been selected to perform inspections under SB 326 for a property in Palm Springs CA. With over 70 EEEs to inspect, the association sought inspection quotes from some of the best inspection companies in California. We are honored to be thought of as highly as Sigler & Associates, A7 and Focused Inspection Group and asked to bid this job.

The Board of Directors interviewed each company after reviewing their proposals. I specifically told the Board during my interview that if our company lost the job, that I knew they had competent bidders that had no conflicts of interest and that I could sleep soundly knowing that they would be in good hands if they selected another company. I continually warn my managers that there are unsavory deck inspectors that are only seeking to take advantage of unsuspecting HOAs that are easy marks. We guarantee that we have no conflicts of interest. Some deck inspectors own waterproofing companies that want to do the repairs without you getting three competitive bids…

People say I’m crazy to talk up my competitors, but I don’t look at these companies as competitors, I look at them as peers worthy of respect and that they represent our industry well. I’m happy that we were awarded the job… And look forward to bringing your Association competitive bids against my worthy peers. May your association win the best inspection it deserves.

Your association deserves the best inspector who has zero conflicts of interest.

Call me, Bill Leys the Deck Inspector at 805-801-2380 for a fast free quote on your SB 326 inspection. We’ll be happy to bid against our peers and so will they.