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    Building Expert Builders Information
    Seattle, Washington

    Washington Builders Right To Repair Current Law Summary:

    Current Law Summary: (SB 5536) The legislature passed a contractor protection bill that reduces contractors' exposure to lawsuits to six years from 12, and gives builders seven "affirmative defenses" to counter defect complaints from homeowners. Claimant must provide notice no later than 45 days before filing action; within 21 days of notice of claim, "construction professional" must serve response; claimant must accept or reject inspection proposal or settlement offer within 30 days; within 14 days following inspection, construction pro must serve written offer to remedy/compromise/settle; claimant can reject all offers; statutes of limitations are tolled until 60 days after period of time during which filing of action is barred under section 3 of the act. This law applies to single-family dwellings and condos.


    Building Expert Contractors Licensing
    Guidelines Seattle Washington

    A license is required for plumbing, and electrical trades. Businesses must register with the Secretary of State.


    Building Expert Contractors Building Industry
    Association Directory
    MBuilders Association of King & Snohomish Counties
    Local # 4955
    335 116th Ave SE
    Bellevue, WA 98004

    Seattle Washington Building Expert 10/ 10

    Home Builders Association of Kitsap County
    Local # 4944
    5251 Auto Ctr Way
    Bremerton, WA 98312

    Seattle Washington Building Expert 10/ 10

    Home Builders Association of Spokane
    Local # 4966
    5813 E 4th Ave Ste 201
    Spokane, WA 99212

    Seattle Washington Building Expert 10/ 10

    Home Builders Association of North Central
    Local # 4957
    PO Box 2065
    Wenatchee, WA 98801

    Seattle Washington Building Expert 10/ 10

    MBuilders Association of Pierce County
    Local # 4977
    PO Box 1913 Suite 301
    Tacoma, WA 98401

    Seattle Washington Building Expert 10/ 10

    North Peninsula Builders Association
    Local # 4927
    PO Box 748
    Port Angeles, WA 98362
    Seattle Washington Building Expert 10/ 10

    Jefferson County Home Builders Association
    Local # 4947
    PO Box 1399
    Port Hadlock, WA 98339

    Seattle Washington Building Expert 10/ 10


    Building Expert News and Information
    For Seattle Washington


    Application of Frye Test to Determine Admissibility of Expert

    Second Circuit Affirms Win for General Contractor on No Damages for Delay Provision

    Construction Contract Language and Insurance Coverage Must Be Consistent

    Insurer's Motion in Limine to Dismiss Case for Lack of Expert Denied

    Housing-Related Spending Makes Up Significant Portion of GDP

    Pollution Exclusion Bars Coverage for Damage Caused by Tar Escaping From Roof

    Happenings in and around the 2016 West Coast Casualty Seminar

    Does a Contractor (or Subcontractor) Have to Complete its Work to File a Mechanics Lien

    Risky Business: Contractual Protections in the 'New Normal'

    11th Circuit Affirms Bad Faith Judgement Against Primary Insurer

    Stop Losing Proposal Competitions

    The Dog Ate My Exclusion! – Georgia Federal Court: No Reformation to Add Pollution Exclusion

    Contractor’s Burden When It Comes to Delay

    White Collar Overtime Regulations Temporarily Blocked

    Protecting and Perfecting Your Mechanics Lien when the Property Owner Files Bankruptcy

    A Lack of Sophistication With the Construction Contract Can Play Out In an Ugly Dispute

    Florida Supreme Court Adopts Federal Summary Judgment Standard, Substantially Conforming Florida’s Rule 1.510 to Federal Rule 56

    Performing Work with a Suspended CSLB License Costs Big: Subcontractor Faces $18,000,000 Disgorgement

    Statute of Limitations and Bad Faith Claims: Factors to Consider

    HP Unveils Cheaper, 3-D Printing System to Spur Sales

    New York Appellate Court Applies Broad Duty to Defend to Property Damage Case

    Irvine Partner Cinnamon J. Carr and Associate Brittney H. Aquino Prevail on Summary Judgment

    Montrose III: Appeals Court Rejects “Elective Vertical Stacking,” but Declines to Find “Universal Horizontal Exhaustion” Absent Proof of Policy Wordings

    Traub Lieberman Attorneys Recognized in the 2024 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America®

    N.J. Appellate Court Confirms that AIA Construction Contract Bars Insurer's Subrogation Claim

    Denver Court Rules that Condo Owners Must Follow Arbitration Agreement

    Two More Lawsuits Filed Over COVID-19 Business Interruption Losses

    Burden to Prove Exception to Exclusion Falls on Insured

    Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (10/11/23) – Millennials Struggle Finding Homes, Additional CHIPS Act Funding Available, and the Supreme Court Takes up Hotel Lawsuit Case

    Professional Services Exclusion Bars Coverage After Carbon Monoxide Leak

    Insurer's In-House Counsel's Involvement in Coverage Decision Opens Door to Discovery

    Regional US Airports Are Back After Years of Decay

    Vancouver’s George Massey Tunnel Replacement May Now be a Tunnel Instead of a Bridge

    Fracking Fears Grow as Oklahoma Hit by More Earthquakes Than California

    16 Wilke Fleury Attorneys Featured in Sacramento Magazine 2021 Top Lawyers!

    Economic Loss Not Property Damage

    General Contractor’s Intentionally False Certifications Bar It From Any Recovery From Owner

    Contractor Underpaid Workers, Pocketed the Difference

    Construction Defect Dispute Governed by Contract Disputes Act not yet Suited to being a "Suit"

    Risky Business: Contractual Versus Equitable Rights of Subrogation

    Builder’s Be Wary of Insurance Policies that Provide No Coverage for Building: Mt. Hawley Ins. Co v. Creek Side at Parker HOA

    A Bill for an Act Concerning Workers’ Compensation – 2014 Edition

    Manhattan Gets First Crowdfunded Condos

    COVID-19 Response: Executive Order 13999: Enhancement of COVID-19-Related Workplace Safety Requirements

    Construction Litigation Roundup: “A Close Call?”

    A Survey of Trends and Perspectives in Construction Defect Decisions

    Insureds' Experts Insufficient to Survive Insurer's Motion for Summary Judgment

    EPA Expands Energy Star, Adds Indoor airPLUS

    Corporate Transparency Act’s Impact on Real Estate: Reporting Companies, Exemptions and Beneficial Ownership Reporting (webinar)

    Jury Trials and Mediation in Philadelphia County: Virtually in Person
    Corporate Profile

    SEATTLE WASHINGTON BUILDING EXPERT
    DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

    The Seattle, Washington Building Expert Group is comprised from a number of credentialed construction professionals possessing extensive trial support experience relevant to construction defect and claims matters. Leveraging from more than 25 years experience, BHA provides construction related trial support and expert services to the nation's most recognized construction litigation practitioners, Fortune 500 builders, commercial general liability carriers, owners, construction practice groups, and a variety of state and local government agencies.

    Building Expert News & Info
    Seattle, Washington

    Investigators Eye Fiber Optic Work in Deadly Wisconsin Explosion

    July 18, 2018 —
    A hole punched into a 4-in.-dia gas pipeline during fiber-optic line laying is blamed for an explosion that killed a 34-year-old fire captain and injured nine other people, including four firefighters, in downtown Sun Prairie, Wis., on July 10. The injured were treated at nearby hospitals and have since been released. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Jeff Yoders, ENR
    Mr. Yoders may be contacted at yodersj@enr.com

    Beyond the Flow-Down Clause: Subcontract Provisions That Can Expose General Contractors to Increased Liability and Inconsistent Outcomes

    December 10, 2024 —
    Flow-down clauses in construction subcontracts—blanket clauses providing that some or all of the terms and conditions in the prime contract between the general contractor and the property owner apply equally between the subcontractor and general contractor—are an important component to managing risk for a general contractor and reducing the likelihood of disputes with either/both the owner and subcontractor. Put simply, flow-down provisions can provide continuity between the general contractor’s obligations to the owner and the subcontractor’s obligations to the general contractor. Properly drafted, flow-down clauses reduce the general contractor’s risk by ensuring that the subcontractor is legally bound to meet the owner’s objectives for the project in the same way as the general contractor. But relying on blanket flow-down clauses, alone, to protect the general contractor is like a soldier going into battle with nothing but a helmet, leaving significant other areas exposed and unprotected. In other words, a general contractor should look beyond just a singular, blanket flow down of terms to ensure its bases are properly covered. Accordingly, this article goes beyond the blanket flow-down clause and highlights several key subcontract provisions where inconsistent obligations among the subcontractor, general contractor, and owner expose the general contractor to increased liability and inconsistent outcomes. Specifically, this article will examine disputes resolution clauses, liquidating provisions, notice provisions, and termination provisions. However, this article will not provide a deep examination of these clauses, nor does it highlight every potentially relevant clause. Rather, it focuses on these select clauses to highlight important issues associated with flow-down provisions. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Phillip L. Parham III, Jones Walker LLP
    Mr. Parham may be contacted at pparham@joneswalker.com

    BHA Attending the Construction Law Conference in San Antonio, Texas

    February 24, 2016 —
    Bert L. Howe & Associates, Inc. (BHA), will once again be joining with the State Bar of Texas, Construction Law Section as a sponsor and exhibit at the event on March 3 & 4, 2016, and is excited to announce that they will be sponsoring a raffle for a $100 Outdoor World gift card to be given away at the conference. Just stop by the BHA booth, and drop your card in the bowl for a chance to win. With offices in San Antonio and Houston, BHA offers the experience of over 20 years of service to carriers, defense counsel, and insurance professionals as designated experts in over 5,500 cases. BHA’s staff encompasses a broad range of licensed and credentialed experts in the areas of general contracting and specialty trades, as well as architects, civil and structural engineers, and has provided services on behalf of developers, general contractors and subcontractors across the state of Texas. BHA’s experience covers the full range of construction defect litigation, including single and multi-family residential properties (including high-rise), institutional buildings (schools, hospitals and government), commercial, and industrial claims. BHA also specializes in coverage, exposure, and delay claim analysis. Download the seminar brochure and register... Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    I’m Sorry, So Sorry: Legal Implications of Apologies and Admissions of Fault for Delaware Healthcare Professionals

    March 12, 2015 —
    In July 1960, Brenda Lee had the number one hit song in America. The 15-year-old singer belted her heart out as she expressed her apologies singing:
    I'm sorry, so sorry
    That I was such a fool
    I didn't know
    Love could be so cruel
    Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-yes
    You tell me mistakes
    Are part of being young
    But that don't right
    The wrong that's been done
    Views vary about whether a healthcare professional should convey an apology to a patient or patient’s family when treatment does not go as expected. The fear is that these words will be misconstrued as an admission of error that could make a negligence claim more likely, or at least make the claim, if it comes, harder to defend. In Delaware, the law provides some level of protection to such communications, but as a recent case illustrates, that protection is not absolute because the relevant statute makes an important distinction between an expression of apology, sympathy or condolence, and an admission of fault. So, if you are going to apologize, you are well advised to choose your words carefully. Reprinted courtesy of John D. Balaguer, White and Williams LLP and Christine Kane, White and Williams LLP Mr. Balaguer may be contacted at balaguerj@whiteandwilliams.com Ms. Kane may be contacted at kanec@whiteandwilliams.com Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    Negligence Against a Construction Manager Agent

    March 22, 2018 —

    Can a construction manager-agent / owner’s representative hired directly by the owner be liable to the general contractor in negligence? An argument likely posited by many general contractors on projects gone awry where there is a separate construction manager. Well, here is an interesting case out of Louisiana that supports a negligence claim against a construction manager-agent.

    Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of David Adelstein, Florida Construction Legal Updates
    Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at dadelstein@gmail.com

    Buildings Don't Have To Be Bird-Killers

    February 07, 2022 —
    The narrow stretch that separates Quay Tower from a thatch of bamboo and oaks in Brooklyn Bridge Park doesn’t look like much, especially in winter. Unless you’re a bird. To a bird, the copper-colored building’s glass is a mirror, reflecting the thick grove of trees and suggesting that the wilderness continues across the road. To a bird, that can be a deadly mistake. “You see that reflection? To a bird that looks like a tree, that is a tree, and they will go right for the tree,” says Catherine Quayle, social media director at the Wild Bird Fund. The surprising uptake of birding as a pandemic hobby, along with social media and data collection tools like eBird and dBird, has created new visibility for bird collisions with glass, which kill as many as 1 billion birds in the U.S. per year. At the same time, a new generation of urban parks has given birds more places to roost in highly populated areas. But something else has followed these parks as well: real estate capital. The vogue for urban parks creates more economic impetus to build shiny buildings with big windows opposite those urban wetlands, glades and groves. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Alexandra Lange, Bloomberg

    Bond Principal Necessary on a Mechanic’s Lien Claim

    October 23, 2018 —
    As anyone that reads this construction law blog knows, mechanic’s liens are a big part of the Virginia landscape for a construction attorney like me. One option for dealing with a mechanic’s lien here in Virginia that we have not discussed but so often is the ability to “bond off” a lien. In short, the Virginia statute allows a party to essentially substitute a bond valued at a court set multiple of the principal amount of the mechanic’s lien for the memorandum. In exchange, the lien is released of record. Any enforcement action can still proceed with security for the claimant and the property owner feeling better about things because there will be no lien on the title to the land. In many ways this process provides an easier path to resolution for both owner and claimant. First of all, the claimant does not have to deal with a bank or other interest holders in the property (though a recent case discussed below reminds us that certain other parties are necessary). Second of all, the owner does not have the cloud on the title of a mechanic’s lien that may have been filed by a subcontractor over which he has no control. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Christopher G. Hill, The Law Office of Christopher G. Hill
    Mr. Hill may be contacted at chrisghill@constructionlawva.com

    Incorporation by Reference in Your Design Services Contract– What Does this Mean, and Are You at Risk? (Law Note)

    June 19, 2023 —
    Has an Owner ever asked you to sign his contract before you started work on a new design project? Rhetorical question– this happens all the time, right? Especially in commercial work, developers or owners typically are not happy to simply agree to your Proposal for Services, but instead want you to sign *their* contract. There are some risks with that you should be aware of — one of which is the seemingly arcane and legalistic language that reads something like this:
    “The Developer’s contract with Owner is hereby incorporated by reference.”
    Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Melissa Dewey Brumback, Ragsdale Liggett
    Ms. Brumback may be contacted at mbrumback@rl-law.com