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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


    Celebrities Lose Case in Construction Defect Arbitration

    Virtual Jury Trials of Construction Disputes: The Necessary Union of Both Sides of the Brain

    Gatluak Ramdiet Named to The National Black Lawyers’ “Top 40 Under 40” List

    Housing Inventory Might be Distorted by Pocket Listings

    New York State Trial Court: Non-Cumulation Provision in Excess Policies Mandates “All Sums” Allocation

    Dispute Resolution Provision in Subcontract that Says Owner, Architect or Engineer’s Decision Is Final

    Supreme Court’s New York Harbor Case Isn’t a ‘Sopranos’ Episode

    Oregon Construction Firm Sued for Construction Defects

    No Duty to Defend Under Renter's Policy

    Hunton Insurance Partner Syed Ahmad Named to Benchmark Litigation’s 2019 40 & Under Hot List

    'Taylor Swift Is an Economic Phenomenon': CE's Q1 2024 Economic Update and Forecast

    Is Arbitration Always the Answer?

    Infrastructure Money Comes With Labor Law Strings Attached

    Little Known Florida Venue Statue Benefitting Resident Contractors

    Where Did That Punch List Term Come From Anyway?

    War-Torn Ukraine Looks to Europe’s Green Plans for Reconstruction Ideas

    Trump Administration Issues Proposed 'Waters of the U.S.' Rule

    Combating Climate Change by Reducing Embodied Energy in the Built Environment

    More on Fraud, Opinions and Contracts

    Failure to Meet Code Case Remanded to Lower Court for Attorney Fees

    Traub Lieberman Partners Dana Rice and Jason Taylor Obtain Summary Judgment For Insurance Carrier Client in Missouri Federal Court Coverage Action

    Another Reminder that Your Construction Contract Language Matters

    Pay-if-Paid Clauses, Nasty, but Enforceable

    Drought Dogs Developers in California's Soaring Housing Market

    Surety Trends to Keep an Eye on in the Construction Industry

    SEC Approves New Securitization Risk Retention Rule with Broad Exception for Qualified Residential Mortgages

    Parks and Degradation: The Mess at Yosemite

    California Trial Court Clarifies Application of SB800 Roofing Standards and Expert’s Opinions

    Assignment of Insured's Policy Ineffective

    Apartment Construction Ominously Nears 25-Year High

    Who Will Pay for San Francisco's $750 Million Tilting Tower?

    The Black Woman Architect Who Hopes to Change the Face of Design in America

    Research Project Underway to Prepare Water Utilities for Wildfire Events

    Wood Product Rotting in New Energy Efficient Homes

    Newmeyer & Dillion Attorneys Listed in the Best Lawyers in America© 2017

    Sensors for Smarter Construction – Interview with Laura Kassovic of MbientLab

    Does the Implied Warranty of Habitability Extend to Subsequent Purchasers? Depends on the State

    When is a “Willful” Violation Willful (or Not) Under California’s Contractor Enforcement Statutes?

    Limiting Plaintiffs’ Claims to a Cause of Action for Violation of SB-800

    Matthew Graham Named to Best Lawyers in America

    South Carolina School District Investigated by IRS and FBI

    Insurer Not Bound by Decision in Underlying Case Where No Collateral Estoppel

    April Rise in Construction Spending Not That Much

    Rachel Reynolds Selected as Prime Member of ADTA

    Phillips & Jordan Awarded $176M Everglades Restoration Contract

    Manhattan Developer Wants Claims Dismissed in Breach of Contract Suit

    New Opportunities for “Small” Construction Contractors as SBA Adjusts Its Size Standards Again Due to Unprecedented Inflation

    The Overlooked Nevada Rule In an Arena Project Lawsuit

    Millennials Skip the Ring and Mortgage

    Alleged Damage to Personal Property Does Not Revive Coverage for Construction Defects
    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. Leveraging 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

    Identifying and Accessing Coverage in Complex Construction Claims

    September 29, 2021 —
    I. Introduction First-party, third-party, builder’s risk, professional liability, commercial general liability, wrap-ups, and additional insured status are all potential sources of insurance coverage for a large construction loss. Therefore, it is critical for construction industry participants, from owners and developers to general contractors and their subcontractors, to have a functional knowledge of the different types of insurance coverage available to them and how those coverages intersect to respond to a loss. This paper presents a brief overview of the various types of coverage available to contractors, construction managers, and owners in a large construction loss and the risks each coverage is designed to insure. In general, there are two forms of coverage: (1) First-party liability coverage, which protects an insured’s own losses on a project during construction; and (2) Third-party liability coverage, which insures the project participants for losses that become the subject of claims or suits brought against the project participants by third parties. When a loss occurs, such as property damage, both types of coverage can be implicated. For example, if a fire burns down a building under construction, the contractor likely would incur first-party losses such as cleanup costs. The contractor may also have third-party exposure if the owner alleges that the contractor was responsible for the fire. On the other hand, when a bodily injury occurs, all losses to the contractor will be third-party losses. A broad overview of each of these policies is provided below. Reprinted courtesy of Jeffrey J. Vita, Saxe Doernberger & Vita and Michael V. Pepe, Saxe Doernberger & Vita Mr. Vita may be contacted at JVita@sdvlaw.com Mr. Pepe may be contacted at MPepe@sdvlaw.com Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of

    America’s Infrastructure Gets a D+

    March 16, 2017 —
    The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has issued their 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, which assigns a letter grade to the nation’s infrastructure. Our country’s grade in 2017? A disappointing D+. Although, if you’re a glass half full kind of person (bless your soul) at least our grade didn’t fall since the last report card was issued in 2013, when our grade was a D+ as well. In short, we suck. Although, apparently, we don’t suck evenly across the board. ASCE has divided its cumulative GPA into grades for specific courses, if you will. Our transit systems received a grade of D-; our airports, dams, drinking water and waste water plants, inland waterways, levees and roads received a grade of D; our power plants, hazardous waste plants, public parks and schools received a grade of D+; our bridges, ports and solid waste plants a grade of C+, and our rail systems received a grade of B. Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of Garret Murai, Wendel Rosen Black & Dean LLP
    Mr. Murai may be contacted at gmurai@wendel.com

    Sometimes, Being too Cute with Pleading Allegations is Unnecessary

    June 06, 2018 —
    There are times where being too darn cute with your pleading allegations is unnecessary and does not work. But, the point is really that the cuteness is unnecessary. In a Miller Act payment bond dispute in Boneso Brothers Construction, Inc. v. Sauer, Inc., 2018 WL 2387833 (N.D.Cal. 2018), a claimant asserted claims against a Miller Act payment bond surety for breach of the payment bond, breach of a subcontract, open account, and account stated. The question is why would the claimant sue the payment bond surety for breach of subcontract (when the subcontract was not with the surety), and open account and account stated. I have no clue, other than such claims appeared quite unnecessary when the claimant asserted an action on the Miller Act payment bond (which is what the surety is liable under — actions under the statutory payment bond). Such claims were dismissed. And, they should have been. Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of David Adelstein, Florida Construction Legal Updates
    Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at dadelstein@gmail.com

    Court Denies Insurer's Motion to Dismiss Collapse Claim

    January 20, 2020 —
    Facing yet another collapse claim based upon alleged poorly mixed cement, the Federal District Court in Connecticut denied the insurer's motion to dismiss. Oliveria v. Safeco Ins Co., 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 147256 (D. Conn. Aug. 29, 2019). In 1993, the insureds' purchased their home that had been built in 1986. Safeco insured the property. In February 2017, the insureds noticed that the basement walls had a series of cracks. They consulted professionals and learned that the cracking was due to a chemical compound found in certain concrete walls constructed in the late 1980s with concrete most likely from the J. J. Mottes Concrete Company. The insureds submitted a claim to Safeco for the substantial impairment to the structural integrity of their basement walls. Safeco denied the claim. The insureds filed suit. Safeco moved to dismiss. Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of Tred R. Eyerly, Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert
    Mr. Eyerly may be contacted at te@hawaiilawyer.com

    Contractors Board May Discipline Over Workers’ Comp Reporting

    November 06, 2013 —
    California recently passed AB 1794, which authorized the Employment Development Department to share information it received on new hires with other agencies. The bill also allows the Contractors State License Board to audit members based on this information to determine if contractors are engaging in workers’ compensation fraud. Writing on the Cumming & White construction litigation blog, Iman Reza notes that “the new law is intended to deter contractors from cutting corners in underreporting employees.” The CSLB will be able to discipline contractors who seek to gain an illegitimate competitive advantage by circumventing the law. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    Congratulations 2022 DE, MA, NJ, NY and PA Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

    August 03, 2022 —

    Twelve White and Williams lawyers have been named by Super Lawyers as a Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York or Pennsylvania "Super Lawyer" while eleven received "Rising Star" designations. Lawyers are selected through a process that takes into consideration peer recognition and professional achievement. The lawyers named to this year’s list represent a multitude of practices throughout the firm.

    Super Lawyers 2022

    AttorneyPractice Area
    John Balaguer PI Defense: Med Mal
    David Chaffin Business Litigation
    Eric Hermanson Insurance Coverage
    Michael Kassak General Litigation
    Bridget La Rosa Estate Planning and Probate
    Randy Maniloff Insurance Coverage
    David Marion Business Litigation
    Wesley Payne Insurance Coverage
    Patricia Santelle Insurance Coverage
    Jay Shapiro Criminal Defense: White Collar
    Heidi Sorvino Bankruptcy: Business
    Andrew Susko Civil Litigation: Defense
    Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of White and Williams LLP

    New Jersey’s Independent Contractor Rule

    January 07, 2015 —
    For this week’s Guest Post Friday here at Musings, we welcome back Bennet Susser. Bennet is a founding member and shareholder of the New Jersey law firm, Jardim, Meisner & Susser, P.C. He has over 25 years’ experience in representing clients in all types of complex (and not so complex) litigation, including those involving construction actions. His Construction Law Practice Group has deep experience in the representation of property owners, developers, homeowners, design professionals, materials manufacturers, contractors and subcontractors in connection with construction of high-rise and other residential developments, condominium conversions of older rental properties, commercial property, mixed-use projects, and governmental buildings. Issues handled include: construction defects and deficiencies related to residential and commercial construction, including roofing defects, water intrusion, and structural life safety; construction delays; liens; hurricane recovery and rebuilding; insurance coverage disputes, including negotiation and resolution of insurance claims related to rebuilding; mold and mildew claims; and construction contracts and related documents, including loan documentation. Construction litigation often seeks to foist the culpable conduct of contractors and subcontractors upon an owner or developer of commercial or residential real property. Sometimes, such conduct is warranted, especially when the owner/developer has a significant role in the manner in which the construction project work is to be conducted. However, there are times when the general contractor is the party calling the shots. Why should an owner/developer be charged with the conduct of other independent contractors over whom no control was exercised? Under certain circumstances, such party may be insulated from liability based on the “independent contractor rule.” Put another way, general contractors’ and subcontractors’ status as independent contractors do not impute liability to an owner/developer for their alleged wrongful conduct under the principles of respondeat superior and vicarious liability. Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of Christopher G. Hill, Law Office of Christopher G. Hill, PC
    Mr. Hill may be contacted at chrisghill@constructionlawva.com

    Napa Quake Seen Costing Up to $4 Billion as Wineries Shut

    August 27, 2014 —
    The earthquake that struck northern California yesterday will lead to economic losses of as much as $4 billion, fueled by damaged wineries and shuttered businesses that rely on tourists. Insurers will probably cover about $2.1 billion, according to an estimate from Kinetic Analysis Corp., which projected total losses of about twice that sum. Costs borne by the industry may be limited because many homeowners don’t have earthquake coverage, according to the Insurance Information Institute. “The main source of claims could well be commercial claims, those coming from wineries and vineyards and other commercial interests,” Robert Hartwig, the institute’s president, said in an interview today. “It will take a while for the business owners to sort this out.” Mr. Marois may be contacted at mmarois@bloomberg.net; Mr. Tracer may be contacted at ztracer1@bloomberg.net; Mr. Hart may be contacted at dahart@bloomberg.net Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of Michael B. Marois, Zachary Tracer and Dan Hart, Bloomberg