BERT HOWE
  • Nationwide: (800) 482-1822    
    parking structure building expert Seattle Washington condominium building expert Seattle Washington hospital construction building expert Seattle Washington concrete tilt-up building expert Seattle Washington structural steel construction building expert Seattle Washington Medical building building expert Seattle Washington casino resort building expert Seattle Washington office building building expert Seattle Washington custom homes building expert Seattle Washington retail construction building expert Seattle Washington landscaping construction building expert Seattle Washington Subterranean parking building expert Seattle Washington custom home building expert Seattle Washington mid-rise construction building expert Seattle Washington production housing building expert Seattle Washington multi family housing building expert Seattle Washington institutional building building expert Seattle Washington industrial building building expert Seattle Washington high-rise construction building expert Seattle Washington condominiums building expert Seattle Washington housing building expert Seattle Washington townhome construction building expert Seattle Washington
    Seattle Washington expert witness roofingSeattle Washington slope failure expert witnessSeattle Washington construction expertsSeattle Washington expert witness windowsSeattle Washington construction claims expert witnessSeattle Washington contractor expert witnessSeattle Washington construction project management expert witness
    Arrange No Cost Consultation
    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


    Canada's Ex-Attorney General Set to Testify About SNC-Lavalin Scandal

    Case Remanded for Application of Efficient Proximate Cause Doctrine

    Vacant Property and the Right of Redemption in Pennsylvania

    Damp Weather Not Good for Wood

    History of Defects Leads to Punitive Damages for Bankrupt Developer

    Insurer Must Produce Documents After Failing To Show They Are Confidential

    What You Need to Know to Protect the Project Against Defect Claims

    Whose Employee is it Anyway?: Federal Court Finds No Coverage for Injured Subcontractor's Claim Based on Modified Employer's Liability Exclusion

    24th Annual West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar A Success

    Issues to Watch Out for When Managing Remote Workers

    CSLB Joint Venture Licenses – Providing Contractors With The Means To Expand Their Businesses

    Hunton Andrews Kurth Promotes Insurance Recovery Lawyer Andrea (Andi) DeField to Partner

    FirstEnergy Fined $3.9M in Scandal Involving Nuke Plants

    Builder’s Risk Coverage—Construction Defects

    BofA Said to Near Mortgage Deal for Up to $17 Billion

    Fifth Circuit Reverses Summary Judgment Award to Insurer on Hurricane Damage Claim

    Environmental Roundup – May 2019

    Brown and Caldwell Team with AECOM for Landmark Pure Water Southern California Program

    Safer Schools Rendered Unsafe Due to Construction Defects

    Changes to Pennsylvania Mechanic’s Lien Code

    ADP Says Payrolls at Companies in U.S. Increase 200,000

    Capitol View-Corridor Restrictions Affect Massing of Austin’s Tallest Tower

    Louisiana District Court Declines to Apply Total Pollution Exclusion

    The Air in There: Offices, and Issues, That Seem to Make Us Stupid

    Sustainability Puts Down Roots in Real Estate

    Governmental Action Exclusion Bars Claim for Damage to Insured's Building

    Tips for Drafting Construction Contracts

    Construction Defect Claim over LAX Runways

    School District Settles Over Defective Athletic Field

    Arizona Court of Appeals Decision in $8.475 Million Construction Defect Class Action Suit

    Appraisal Can Go Forward Prior to Resolution of Coverage Dispute

    Transportation Officials Make the Best of a Bumpy 2020

    AAA Revises its Construction Industry Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures

    Judicial Panel Denies Nationwide Consolidation of COVID-19 Business Interruption Cases

    Meet the Forum's ADR Neutrals: LESLIE KING O'NEAL

    LAX Construction Defect Suit May Run into Statute of Limitations

    Ohio “property damage” caused by an “occurrence.”

    Manhattan Developer Breaks Ground on $520 Million Project

    Public Housing Takes Priority in Biden Spending Bill

    The Hidden Dangers of Construction Defect Litigation

    Personal Guarantor Cannot Escape a Personal Guarantee By…

    Nevada Bill Would Bring Changes to Construction Defects

    The "Dark Overlord" Strikes The Practice Of Law: What Law Firms Can Do To Protect Themselves

    New Jersey Supreme Court Holding Impacts Allocation of Damages in Cases Involving Successive Tortfeasors

    Highest Building Levels in Six Years in Southeast Michigan

    Nevada Lawmakers Had Private Meetings on Construction Defects

    Court of Appeal Shines Light on Collusive Settlement Agreements

    ‘Revamp the Camps’ Cabins Displayed at the CA State Fair

    California Enacts New Claims Resolution Process for Public Works Projects

    Massive Redesign Turns Newark Airport Terminal Into a Foodie Theme Park
    Corporate Profile

    SEATTLE WASHINGTON BUILDING EXPERT
    DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

    The Seattle, Washington Building Expert Group at BHA, leverages from the experience gained through more than 7,000 construction related expert witness designations encompassing a wide spectrum of construction related disputes. Drawing from this considerable body of experience, BHA provides construction related trial support and expert services to Seattle's most recognized construction litigation practitioners, commercial general liability carriers, owners, construction practice groups, as well as a variety of state and local government agencies.

    Building Expert News & Info
    Seattle, Washington

    No Bond, No Recovery: WA Contractors Must Comply With WA Statutory Requirements Or Risk Being Barred From Recovery If Their Client Refuses To Pay

    September 18, 2018 —
    The risk that a contractor’s client may refuse to pay the full contract balance is a day-to-day reality for every contractor. That risk – and the stress it causes in the mind of any contractor – is tempered by the knowledge that Washington statutes provide contractors with ready access to the courts to file a lawsuit and be fully compensated for the work performed. But a recent case provides a grim reminder that the same statutes that giveth court access can also taketh away. Washington’s Contractor Registration Act (“WCRA”)[1] requires every contractor engaging or offering to engage in services in Washington to register with the Department of Labor and Industries (”L&I”). In order to sue to collect compensation for work or to enforce a contract, a contractor must prove that he/she “was a duly registered contractor and held a current and valid certificate of registration at the time he or she contracted for the performance of such work or entered into such contract.”[2] In order to conclude that a contractor has substantially comply with these requirements, a court must find that: (1) The department has on file the information required by RCW 18.27.030; (2) the contractor has at all times had in force a current bond or other security as required by RCW 18.27.040; and (3) the contractor has at all times had in force current insurance as required by RCW 18.27.050.[3] Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Joshua Lane, Ahlers Cressman & Sleight PLLC
    Mr. Lane may be contacted at joshua.lane@acslawyers.com

    Liability Insurer Precluded from Intervening in Insured’s Lawsuit

    September 17, 2018 —
    There are cases where I honestly do no fully understand the insurer’s position because it cannot have its cake and eat it too. The recent opinion in Houston Specialty Insurance Company v. Vaughn, 43 Fla. L. Weekly D1828a (Fla. 2d DCA 2018) is one of those cases because on one hand it tried hard to disclaim coverage and on the other hand tried to intervene in the underlying suit where it was not a named party. This case dealt with a personal injury dispute where a laborer for a pressure washing company fell off of a roof and became a paraplegic. The injured person sued the pressure washing company and its representatives. The company and representatives tendered the case to its general liability insurer and the insurer–although it provided a defense under a reservation of rights—filed a separate action for declaratory relief based on an exclusion in the general liability policy that excluded coverage for the pressure washing company’s employees (because the general liability policy is not a workers compensation policy). This is known as the employer’s liability exclusion that excludes coverage for bodily injury to an employee. The insurer’s declaratory relief action sought a declaration that there was no coverage because the injured laborer was an employee of the pressure washing company. The pressure washing company claimed he was an independent contractor, in which the policy did provide limited coverage pursuant to an endorsement. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of David Adelstein, Kirwin Norris
    Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at dma@kirwinnorris.com

    Construction Problem Halts Wind Power Park

    November 13, 2013 —
    Engineers have yet to determine why a blade on a wind turbine broke at a wind power plant in Michigan, but as part of their investigation they are halting work on the final 10 turbines. The already completed 60 turbines have been taken out of operation. As a result, the Echo Wind Park is no longer generating power. Scott Simons, a spokesperson for the project, said “we’re not going to put anyone or anything at risk until we get to the bottom of this.” However, Dennis Buda, the project manager, attributed the broken blade to a manufacturing defect. Construction was planned to end in November. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    68 Lewis Brisbois Attorneys Recognized in 5th Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America

    September 23, 2024 —
    (August 15, 2024) – 68 Lewis Brisbois attorneys across 26 offices have been named to the 5th edition of “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.” Congratulations to the following attorneys on this recognition! You can see the list of Lewis Brisbois attorneys named to Best Lawyers' 30th edition of The Best Lawyers in America here. Reprinted courtesy of Lewis Brisbois Read the full story... Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    Georgia Court of Appeals Holds That Policyholder Can “Stack” the Limits of Each Primary Policy After Asbestos Claim

    December 19, 2018 —
    A Georgia Court of Appeals judge recently ruled that Scapa Dryer Fabrics was entitled to $17.4 million worth of primary coverage from National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, PA for claims of injurious exposure to Scapa’s asbestos-containing dryer felts. Nat’l Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, PA v. Scapa Dryer Fabrics, Inc., No. A18A1173, 2018 WL 5306693, at *1 (Ga. Ct. App. Oct. 26, 2018). Scapa sought coverage under five National Union policies issued from 1983–1987. The 1983, 1984 and 1985 National Union policies had limits of $1 million per occurrence and $1 million in the aggregate. The liability limits for the 1986 and 1987 renewal policies were amended by endorsement to $7.2 million. Scapa sought to recover the full $17.4 million from all five policies. National Union argued that a “Non-Cumulative Limits of Liability Endorsement” in the 1986 and 1987 policies limited Scapa’s recovery to only $7.2 million. Scapa sued National Union and its sister company, New Hampshire Insurance Company (from which Scapa purchased excess liability coverage), in Georgia state court. Reprinted courtesy of Michael S. Levine, Hunton Andrews Kurth and Alexander D. Russo, Hunton Andrews Kurth Mr. Levine may be contacted at mlevine@HuntonAK.com Mr. Russo may be contacted at arusso@HuntonAK.com Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    2015 California Construction Law Update

    December 31, 2014 —
    Over 2,200 bills were introduced during the second and final year of the 2013-2014 legislative session of which 931 were signed into law. For the design and construction industry, the end of the second session, like the end of the first session, saw a number of new prevailing wage bills signed into law, which again reflected the strong Democratic majorities in both the Assembly and Senate. The end of the second session also saw the enactment of laws consolidating several existing design-build authorization sections and extending the 5% cap on retention for public works projects. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Garret Murai, Wendel Rosen Black & Dean LLP
    Mr. Murai may be contacted at gmurai@wendel.com

    Is Everybody Single? More Than Half the U.S. Now, Up From 37% in '76

    September 10, 2014 —
    Single Americans make up more than half of the adult population for the first time since the government began compiling such statistics in 1976. Some 124.6 million Americans were single in August, 50.2 percent of those who were 16 years or older, according to data used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in its monthly job-market report. That percentage had been hovering just below 50 percent since about the beginning of 2013 before edging above it in July and August. In 1976, it was 37.4 percent and has been trending upward since. In a report to clients entitled “Selfies,” economist Edward Yardeni flagged the increase in the proportion of singles to more than 50 percent, calling it “remarkable.” The president of Yardeni Research Inc. in New York said the rise has “implications for our economy, society and politics.” Singles, particularly younger ones, are more likely to rent than to own their dwellings. Never-married young singles are less likely to have children and previously married older ones, many of whom have adult children, are unlikely to have young kids, Yardeni wrote. That will influence how much money they spend and what they buy. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Rich Miller, Bloomberg
    Mr. Miller may be contacted at rmiller28@bloomberg.net

    Work to Solve the Mental Health Crisis in Construction

    September 05, 2022 —
    The suicide rate for construction is one of the highest among major industries. That statistic is from a 2018 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And it’s one major reason why the concern about mental health in the construction industry has grown. Research shows that as many as 90% of all people who die by suicide have a mental health condition. Depression is the most common cause, but other conditions such as substance use disorders may have an impact as well. What is causing mental health conditions in the construction industry? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 97% of the U.S. construction industry is male—and men experience the highest rate of suicides. Yet, while the suicide rate for women in construction is lower than that for men in the construction industry, it appears to be much higher than the suicide rate for the general female population. Being “tough” and “strong” are highly valued; acknowledging mental health concerns—or even seeking help—may be considered a sign of weakness. There is often fear of shame and judgment for admitting you have a problem. In addition, the nature of construction industry jobs may affect mental health. Injuries may cause chronic pain, which can result in substance disorders like opioid use. Seasonal work can result in layoffs, which puts a strain on family relationships and finances. The job is high-stress and the work is deadline-driven. Employees work long hours, potentially resulting in fatigue. Sometimes work is away from home for extended periods. The pandemic has exacerbated every other problem while creating its own. Reprinted courtesy of Bruce Morton and Diane Andrea, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Mr. Morton may be contacted at bruce.morton@marshmma.com Ms. Andrea may be contacted at Diane.Andrea@MarshMMA.com Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of