San Diego Deck Coatings & Waterproofing
California SB 721 now requires periodic inspections on multifamily buildings with three or more units. Owners have until January 1, 2025, to complete the first inspection. What does this mean for property owners, managers and condo homeowners associations? CDI owner Jim Schlagel offers an article explaining what the law entails.
Need assistance or have a query? Call Call Watertite owner Gary Logsdon today at (760)212-1261 or Contact Us.
On September 17, 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law SB 721 – “The Balcony Inspection Bill.” The bill arises in response to the tragic deaths of six UC Berkeley students in 2015 at a downtown apartment complex due to the collapse of a balcony. Owners of multi-family apartment buildings with three or more units have until January 1, 2025, to complete the first inspection. This law took effect January 1, 2019.
Owners of multifamily apartment buildings with three or more units have until January 1, 2025, to complete the first inspection.
SB 721 aims to add a new level of public safety to decks, balconies and other external, elevated structural elements in multi-family residential units. This will be accomplished through required inspections performed every six years.
The inspections address structural integrity, flashings and waterproofing of these elements on buildings with three or more units and two or more stories in height. All initial inspections must be completed by January 1, 2025. Inspections will be performed on any external building element six feet above ground level including walkways, balconies, decks, landings, stairways and railings. On larger complexes, the law allows for 15% of the respective elements to be inspected as a representative sampling.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill No. 326 (SB 326) into law on August 30, 2019. California SB 326 / CA Civil Code 5551 requires inspections of condominiums or multi-family housing controlled by residential homeowners’ associations (HOAs). The law applies to buildings that contain 3 or more units and requires inspections of condominiums’ Exterior Elevated Elements (EEE) and waterproofing systems as well. (Click on image to read the full text.) This inspection is to ensure safety and structural integrity for condominium balconies and for decks, porches, walkways, stairways, railings and entry structures that are more than 6′ off the ground. These are structures that are constructed and supported by wood or wood-based products.
Watertite performs the inspection and reports on the mandated items as set forth in SB 326. This includes the condition, life expectancy and required repairs to the exterior elevated elements. A completed inspection report will provide useful information about recommended maintenance and/or repairs. This information also helps you as the property owner or manager to prioritize and budget for physical asset management in order to preserve the life expectancy of your building. If the inspector sees any immediate or imminent threats to the health and safety of residents, he must notify the homeowners’ association immediately. He must also inform governmental inspection agencies within 15 days of the report. Need assistance or have an inquiry? Call Watertite owner Gary Logsdon today at (760)212-1261 or Contact Us.