BERT HOWE
  • Nationwide: (800) 482-1822    
    custom home building expert Seattle Washington high-rise construction building expert Seattle Washington casino resort building expert Seattle Washington Subterranean parking building expert Seattle Washington condominiums building expert Seattle Washington low-income housing building expert Seattle Washington concrete tilt-up building expert Seattle Washington parking structure building expert Seattle Washington townhome construction building expert Seattle Washington housing building expert Seattle Washington Medical building building expert Seattle Washington multi family housing building expert Seattle Washington office building building expert Seattle Washington institutional building building expert Seattle Washington retail construction building expert Seattle Washington landscaping construction building expert Seattle Washington condominium building expert Seattle Washington production housing building expert Seattle Washington structural steel construction building expert Seattle Washington tract home building expert Seattle Washington industrial building building expert Seattle Washington mid-rise construction building expert Seattle Washington
    Seattle Washington window expert witnessSeattle Washington delay claim expert witnessSeattle Washington engineering expert witnessSeattle Washington reconstruction expert witnessSeattle Washington ada design expert witnessSeattle Washington structural engineering expert witnessesSeattle Washington architect 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


    Turning Back the Clock: DOL Proposes Previous Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage Definition

    San Francisco Airport’s Terminal 1 Aims Sky High

    Dealing with Abandoned Property After Foreclosure

    Louisiana Politicians Struggle on Construction Bills, Hospital Redevelopment

    New California Employment Laws Affect the Construction Industry for 2019

    White and Williams Recognizes Women’s History Month: Remembering Virginia Barton Wallace

    Taking Service Network Planning to the Next Level

    Sacramento Army Corps District Projects Get $2.1 Billion in Supplemental Appropriation

    Midview Board of Education Lawsuit Over Construction Defect Repairs

    United States Supreme Court Grants Certiorari in EEOC Subpoena Case

    Housing Stocks Rally at End of November

    Musk Says ‘Chicago Express’ Tunnel Project Could Start Work in Months

    In Florida, Exculpatory Clauses Do Not Need Express Language Referring to the Exculpated Party's Negligence

    Safe Commercial Asbestos-Removal Practices

    Musk’s Cousins Battle Utilities to Make Solar Rooftops Cheap

    Floating Crane on Job in NYC's East River Has a Storied Past of Cold War Intrigue

    Morrison Bridge Allegedly Crumbling

    Naples, Florida, Is Getting So Expensive That City Workers Can’t Afford It

    Limitations: There is a Point of No Return

    Residential Construction Rise Expected to Continue

    Scaffolding Collapse Kills Workers at China Construction Site

    Construction Defect Litigation in Nevada Called "Out of Control"

    It's a Wrap! Enforcing Online Agreements in Light of the CPRA

    In a Win for Property Owners California Court Expands and Clarifies Privette Doctrine

    Fla. Researchers Probe 'Mother of All Sinkholes'

    The Future of Construction Defects in Utah Unclear

    Touchdown! – The Construction Industry’s Winning Audible to the COVID Blitz

    Congratulations to Haight’s 2019 Northern California Super Lawyers

    Join: Computer Science Meets Construction

    Real Estate & Construction News Round-Up (10/06/21)

    Gillotti v. Stewart (2017) 2017 WL 1488711 Rejects Liberty Mutual, Holding Once Again that the Right to Repair Act is the Exclusive Remedy for Construction Defect Claims

    Call Me Maybe? . . . Don’t Waive Your Rights Under the Right to Repair Act’s Prelitigation Procedures

    Settlement Ends Construction Defect Lawsuit for School

    Courthouse Reporter Series - How to Avoid Having Your COVID-19 Expert Stricken

    Fire Fears After Grenfell Disaster Set Back Wood Building in UK

    Traub Lieberman Attorneys Recognized as 2024 New York – Metro Super Lawyers®

    Is Your Design Professional Construction Contract too Friendly? (Law Note)

    Why a Challenge to Philadelphia’s Project Labor Agreement Would Be Successful

    Auburn Woods Homeowners Association v. State Farm General Insurance Company

    Growing Optimism Among Home Builders

    Google, Environmentalists and University Push Methane-Leak Detection

    Additional Insurance Coverage Determined for General Contractor

    A Closer Look at an HOA Board Member’s Duty to Homeowners

    Pallonji Mistry, Indian Billionaire Caught in Tata Feud, Dies at 93

    Vincent Alexander Named to Florida Trend’s Legal Elite

    No Coverage for Building's First Collapse, But Disputed Facts on Second Collapse

    Editorial: Qatar Is Champion of Safety Hypocrisy in Migrant Worker Deaths

    The Colorado Supreme Court affirms Woodbridge II’s “Adverse Use” Distinction

    The Connecticut Appellate Court Decides That Construction Contractor Was Not Obligated To Continue Accelerated Schedule to Mitigate Its Damages Following Late Delivery of Materials by Supplier

    New York’s Lawsky Proposes Changes to Reduce Home Foreclosures
    Corporate Profile

    SEATTLE WASHINGTON BUILDING EXPERT
    DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

    Leveraging from more than 7,000 construction defect and claims related expert witness designations, the Seattle, Washington Building Expert Group provides a wide range of trial support and consulting services to Seattle's most acknowledged construction practice groups, CGL carriers, builders, owners, and public agencies. Drawing from a diverse pool of construction and design professionals, BHA is able to simultaneously analyze complex claims from the perspective of design, engineering, cost, or standard of care.

    Building Expert News & Info
    Seattle, Washington

    Toll Brothers Snags Home Builder of the Year Honors at HLS

    May 13, 2014 —
    Builder magazine named Toll Brothers as their Builder of the Year during their Housing Leadership Summit in Laguna Niguel, California, according to Big Builder: “The Builder of the Year, BUILDER’s highest honor each year, is recognized for its excellence in successful business strategy, its achievements, and its corporate leadership.” “The company’s up-market price-point, lifestyle segmentation positions, and its best-of-breed execution set it apart from competitors in production home building and development as one of housing’s most powerful and promising brands,” BUILDER editorial director John McManus said while presenting the award, as quoted by Big Builder. “Toll Brothers one day will be a globally recognizable luxury housing and hospitality trademark along the lines of Four Seasons or Ritz-Carlton.” Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    The Sky is Falling! – Or is it? Impacting Lives through Addressing the Fear of Environmental Liabilities

    March 30, 2016 —
    Six months ago, a couple anxiously relayed to N&D lawyers how the sky was falling – with environmental liabilities at the center of their seemingly real Chicken Little fears. The couple owned two properties in a central California town, one being a former gas station which an oil company had abandoned alleging the lease was void given partial eminent domain actions. Before interviewing us, the couple had spent in excess of $100,000 in legal fees with another law firm trying to force the oil company to take responsibility for potential environmental impacts under the disputed lease. Reprinted courtesy of John Van Vlear, Newmeyer & Dillion, LLP and Karl Foster, Newmeyer & Dillion, LLP Mr. Van Vlear may be contacted at john.vanvlear@ndlf.com. Mr. Foster may be contacted at karl.foster@ndlf.com Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    Georgia Supreme Court Addresses Anti-Indemnity Statute

    October 21, 2019 —
    In prior blog posts, we addressed Georgia’s anti-indemnity statute. One of the posts addressed the statute in the context of an electric utility easement near an airport. That case made its way to the Supreme Court Georgia, which provided some additional clarity to the statute. Milliken & Co. v. Georgia Power Co., — Ga. –, 829 S.E.2d 111 (2019). When a plane crashed and several passengers and crew died or were injured, their representatives sued several defendants, including a nearby plant owner, Milliken & Company (“Milliken”), based on claims that transmission lines on Milliken’s property were too close to the runways, were too high, and encroached on the airport easements. Milliken cross claimed against Georgia Power Company (“GPC”). Milliken’s claim was based on an easement it granted to GPC, which required GPC to indemnify it for any claims arising out of GPC’s construction or maintenance of the transmission lines. On appeal, the Supreme Court considered whether the clause was unenforceable under O.C.G.A. § 13-8-2(b). In general, “a party may contract away liability to the other party for the consequences of his own negligence without contravening public policy, except when such agreement it prohibited by statute.” Id. at 113 citing Lanier at McEver v. Planners & Eng’rs Collaborative, 284 Ga. 204, 205 (2008). As one such statute, O.C.G.A. § 13-8-2(b) applies when an indemnification provision (i) “relates in some way to a contract for construction, alteration, repair, or maintenance of certain property” and (ii) “promises to indemnify a party for damages arising from that own party’s sole negligence.” Id. at 114 (internal punctuation omitted). Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of David R. Cook, Autry, Hall & Cook, LLP
    Mr. Cook may be contacted at cook@ahclaw.com

    Landmark Contractor Licensing Case Limits Disgorgement Remedy in California

    November 09, 2020 —
    Contractors performing work in California are required to be licensed by the California State License Board (“CSLB”). Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §7065. Except for sole proprietors, contractors are typically licensed through “qualifiers,” i.e., officers or employees who take a licensing exam and meet other requirements to become licensed on behalf of the contractor’s company. Contractors who perform work in California without being properly licensed are subject to a world of hurt, including civil and criminal penalties (see, e.g., Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 7028, 7028.6, 7028.7, 7117, and Cal. Labor Code §§ 1020-1022), and the inability to maintain a lawsuit to recover compensation for their work. Cal. Bus & Prof. Code § 7031(a); Hydra Tech Systems Ltd. v. Oasis Water Park, 52 Cal.3rd 988 (1991). But arguably the worst ramification of not being property licensed is that established in Business & Professions Code Section 7031(b), which provides that any person who uses the services of an unlicensed contractor may bring an action for the return of all compensation paid for the performance of the work, commonly known as “disgorgement.” This remedy is particularly harsh (often described as “draconian”) because it makes no allowance for the fact that an unlicensed contractor will likely have already paid out the bulk of its compensation to its subcontractors, suppliers and vendors, but nevertheless can be ordered to disgorge all compensation. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Candace Matson, Sheppard Mullin
    Ms. Matson may be contacted at cmatson@sheppardmullin.com

    Appraisal May Include Cause of Loss Issues

    March 21, 2022 —
    The federal district court determined that an appraisal can include causation issues when determining the amount of loss. B&D Inv. Grp., LLC v. Mid-Century Ins. Co., 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 246853 (N.D. Ill. Dec. 28, 2021). B&D commercial building was damaged by hail. B&D submitted a claim to Mid-Century, but the parties disagreed as to the damage. Mid-Century found there was hail damage to metal vents on the roof and estimated the repair costs to be $4,271.95. Mid-Century found no hail damage to the roof itself. B&D disagreed and insisted that there was additional damage to the property, specifically the roof. B&D requested an appraisal, but Mid-Century denied the request. Mid-Century found that the condition of the roof was due to wear and tear and therefore constituted an excluded cause under the policy. B&D filed suit seeking a declaratory judgment compelling the parties to proceed with an appraisal. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Tred R. Eyerly, Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert
    Mr. Eyerly may be contacted at te@hawaiilawyer.com

    Beyond the COI: The Importance of an Owner's or Facilities Manager's Downstream Insurance Review Program

    March 15, 2021 —
    The risk of bodily injury lawsuits is an unavoidable reality for property owners and facilities managers (“FMs”) of large commercial sites such as universities, malls, office buildings, or stadiums. Any person who steps foot on the property is a potential plaintiff, including students, tenants, customers, contractors, and vendors. Insurance mitigates these risks, but a property owner’s or FM’s risk transfer strategy should include more than their own suite of general liability and other third-party policies. Ensuring additional insured status on a vendor’s or contractor’s policy is also essential to a comprehensive risk transfer strategy. In a functional risk transfer program, a vendor’s or contractor’s general liability insurer should defend and indemnify property owners or FMs as additional insureds (“AIs”) for liability for bodily injury caused, in whole or in part, by the vendor’s or contractor’s operations. When this works as intended, it effectively transfers costs associated with such a lawsuit from the owner or FM to the vendor’s or contractor’s insurer. It also increases the insurance limits available for a loss. Reprinted courtesy of Hugh D. Hughes, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C., Eric M. Clarkson, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. and Mollie H. Levy, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. Mr. Hughes may be contacted at HHughes@sdvlaw.com Mr. Clarkson may be contacted at EClarkson@sdvlaw.com Ms. Levy may be contacted at MLevy@sdvlaw.com Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    Cost of Materials Holding Back Housing Industry

    June 28, 2013 —
    As home building makes its recovery, there’s another hurdle to overcome: the cost of building materials. The Toledo Blade reports that the rise in the costs of materials makes homes built this year several thousands of dollars more expensive than those built last year. One builder, James Moline, said that he “ended up eating some of the lumber prices on a deal this spring because lumber prices went up so much.” The cost of framing lumber has increased by about two-thirds, while the cost of strand board has more than doubled. Happily, material costs seem to have hit their high and in recent months have started to lower. The rise, according to Robert Denk, a senior economist at the National Association of Home Builders, is due to suppliers cutting back on capacity when demand dwindled, and despite the increase in building starts, suppliers have yet to bring that capacity back. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    Eastern District of Pennsylvania Denies Bad Faith Claim in HO Policy Dispute

    September 24, 2014 —
    According to Patrick Nugent of Saul Ewing LLP’s article in JD Supra Business Advisor, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania entered a summary judgment for the insurer on a statutory bad faith claim in a coverage dispute under a homeowner’s policy. The coverage dispute was over “the collapse of a wall in the plaintiffs’ home.” The Plaintiffs alleged that “the collapse resulted from excessive rainfall during a storm in March 2011.” However, Metropolitan Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Company’s engineer concluded that the collapse “resulted from long-term and on-going water infiltration attributable to poor maintenance.” Water damage had occurred a year prior to the collapse, but had not been repaired. In response, “Plaintiffs filed a complaint in Pennsylvania state court alleging breach of contract and statutory bad faith.” The court “determined that Metropolitan’s denial of benefits ‘was not only reasonable, but correct under the Policy language,’” and “ruled that the plaintiffs could not demonstrate that Metropolitan lacked a reasonable basis for denying their claim and entered summary judgment for Metropolitan on the plaintiffs’ bad faith claim.” Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of