I stumbled on this article by Rachel Miller Esq and Sarah Brown with Reserve Specialist Dennis Eckert RS PRA on CAI’s website. Here Ms. Miller and Ms. Brown discuss the balcony bill in detail and raise a very good point-that Condo’s less than 10 years old may have additional rights under SB-800. Hidden damage exposed during destructive testing may qualify as a latent defect under SB 800 and therefore repairs might be paid for by the builder.
Here is an excerpt-
“A NATIONAL CALL for action in response to the devastating Library Gardens deck collapse in Berkeley is now a matter of California law. The collapse of a deck extending off the exterior of a fourth-floor residential apartment building in Berkeley in 2015 led to a heightened awareness of the danger posed by elevated decks, walkways and balconies in multi-unit residential construction. In response to an otherwise preventable tragedy, Senator Gerald A. Hill of San Mateo most recently introduced Senate Bill 326, now signed into law.
The “Balcony Bill” is now codified in the new Civil Code Section 5551, and requires California condominium associations with three or more units to conduct visual inspections of not just balconies, but all “exterior elevated elements,” which may include balconies, decks, stairways, elevated walkways and railings. Any components that extend beyond the exterior walls of the building to deliver structural loads and are supported in whole or in part by wood, or wood-based products, are included in these inspection mandates.”
Read the whole article at CAI’s website. A new page will open Allowing you to return to Deck expert.com after reading
DeckExpert.com – Your Source For Waterproof Deck Information & SB 326 SB 721 Balcony Inspections 