Tag Archives: Ventura SB 326 inspections

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Article Written by Adrian Chiang Esq Leaves Zero Doubt About Who Can Inspect EEEs Under SB 326

This past week I got my quarterly issue of Channels Of Communication from the Channel Islands Cheaper of CAI. I was very excited to see that Adrian Chang of Swedelson Gottlieb had written an article on SB 326.

The article references who can inspect association balconies and other EEEs under SB326. Attorney Chiang lays it out with this answer to his own question,

“Who inspects the EEEs and what to expect?“


“A licensed architect or civil or structural engineer* must perform the work.

LICENSED GENERAL CONTRACTORS are not authorized by this new law to perform the EEEs inspections to comply with Civil Code § 5551.”

This statement confirms our opinion that a contractor cannot perform the inspection. A contractor, in our opinion ( not a legal opinion) may accompany an engineer or architect and perform a waterproofing inspection and write a supplemental waterproofing condition report that is attached to the engineers report.

You can read the article here at Swedelson Gottlieb’s blog.

At William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC we work with an award winning structural engineering firm that performs the structural inspection and we write a supplemental waterproofing report on the waterproofing elements. Our report is appended to the engineers report which is sealed and signed by the engineer of record.

If your report is not done by an engineer or architect, in it likely does not meet SB326 requirements and you may be the victim of fraud. Inquire with your attorney.

The substrate is checked with an awl in what we call a pick test. Soft wood is easily found with this method.
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?

Let’s math. Let’s say my company bid your inspection, with a guaranteed structural engineer, with a no conflicts of interest guarantee in writing as well, at 20k. For sake of a comparison, let’s say Dr Balcony had bid 21k.

So they daty hey, we will beat their price by 20% so their new price is now 16k. So what they just admitted to is that the value of their work is actually only sixteen thousand instead of the twenty one thousand they originally quoted you.

The question that comes to my mind is are they saying that they could have bid lower but they bid higher with hopes of overcharging you?  Now that they know they overbid, suddenly they want to make it up to you? You weren’t born yesterday… And you realize that Dr Balcony has inherent conflicts of interest, and is attempting to limit your choices of contractors, you should realize that some companies are actively trying to scam you.

If a company says they can do it all in house without needing to go to outside contractors to get three bids then they are limiting your ability to receive the best bid for repairs, they are stifling market competition, and your HOA is likely to be greatly overcharged.

Let us explain to your HOA why an independent firm without conflicts of interest is your best choice when it comes to balcony inspections.

We will explain what non emergency repairs and emergency repairs are, and why some companies push non emergency repairs over to emergency status, to pressure you into signing with them immediately before you get a chance to look around and shop your options.

Reach out to me, Bill Leys directly at 805-801-2380 for a consultation on how we can help you.

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

Contractors Who Pretend to be Deck Inspectors Agree To Stop Stealing from HOAs

Celebrate this!

All the contractors preying on HOAs by pretending to be Deck Inspectors have voluntarily agreed to stop offering repairs to HOAs they inspected.

They also agreed to stop using out of state architects and civil engineers to robo sign their reports that they wrote that benefit themselves.

Further more, they voluntarily agreed to have transparency, ethics and honesty in their dealings with their clients.

This of course is an April Fools day joke, unethical contractors who prey on HOAs and take advantage of them by exploiting the loophole CAI-CLAC  left in SB326 will continue to F over clients every chance they get!

Sign the petition demanding CLAC to insert language in the bill to ban inspectors from bidding on repairs to HOAs they inspect!
CAI-Orange County CAI BAYCEN CAI GRIE CAI-Greater Los Angeles Chapter  CAI BayCen

At William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC we guarantee in writing that we have no conflicts of interest!

SB 326 Balcony Inspections

Santa Ana HOA Selects William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC to Perform Their SB326 Inspections

We are pleased to announce that we have been selected by a large HOA in Santa Ana to perform their balcony inspections under SB326 requirements.

With over 100 EEEs to inspect the visual instruction will take apx 3 days of time to do, with 50+ 2nd & 3rd floor decks, numerous walkways and stair cases, the association knew it needed to select an independent unbiased inspector with the qualifications they required- no contractors allowed to bid, years of experience and a guaranteed structural engineer who actually is on site doing the structural inspections.

Numerous 2nd & 3rd floor decks will be accessed by ladder, minimizing disruption to the residents.
Numerous stairs with wood stringers are required to be inspected under SB326.

We are transparent and open to being questioned about our means and methods, our experience performing inspections and our ethics. We don’t bid on repairs that an HOA needs, we assist HOAs in getting specifications written and three bids from independent contractors who don’t do balcony inspections.

Contact us today for your free EEE evaluation and proposal for balcony inspections. Call 805-801-2380 ask for Bill.

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.

.

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

William Leys Waterproofing Consultants LLC Will Be Displaying At CAI Coachella Valley’s Annual Legislative Update Friday November 10th

We’re excited to announce that we will be sponsoring a vendor booth on Friday November 11th at CAI Coachella Valley’s Annual Legislative update, their biggest trade show of the year!

Be sure to stop by our booth and learn about our SB 326 inspection and building envelope services.

We’ll tell you about it No Conflicts of Interest guarantee and why it’s so important that your inspector should not be bidding on any repairs.

We check off all the right boxes for HOAs
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!