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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


    Golden Gate Bridge's $76 Million Suicide Nets Near Approval

    Beyond Inverse Condemnation in Wildfire Litigation: An Oregon Jury Finds Utility Liable for Negligence, Trespass and Nuisance

    Factor the Factor in Factoring

    Meet the Forum's In-House Counsel: ERIN CANNON-WELLS

    Delaware Court Holds No Coverage for Faulty Workmanship

    Adobe Opens New Office Tower and Pledges No Companywide Layoffs in 2023

    Construction Litigation Roundup: “A Fastball Right to the Bean!”

    The Law Clinic Paves Way to the Digitalization of Built Environment Processes

    Just When You Thought General Contractors Were Necessary Parties. . .

    Construction Defects and Second Buyers in Pennsylvania

    Would You Trade a Parking Spot for an Extra Bedroom?

    Best U.S. Home Sales Since 2007 Show Momentum in Housing Market

    Hydrogen Powers Its Way from Proof of Concept to Reality in Real Estate

    Insurer Springs a Leak in Its Pursuit of Subrogation

    Two Architecturally Prized Buildings May be Demolished

    No Choice between Homeowner Protection and Bankrupt Developers?

    Bidders Shortlisted as Oroville Dam Work Schedule is Set

    Construction Litigation Roundup: “Ursinus is Cleared!”

    Insurers' Communications Through Brokers Not Privileged

    Excessive Corrosion Cause of Ohio State Fair Ride Accident

    Admissibility of Expert Opinions in Insurance Bad Faith Trials

    Around the State

    Appeals Court Rules that Vertical and Not Horizontal Exhaustion Applies to Primary and First-Layer Excess Insurance

    Manufacturer of Asbestos-Free Product May Still Be Liable for Asbestos Related Injuries

    Texas Court of Appeals Conditionally Grant Petition for Writ of Mandamus to Anderson

    Right to Repair Reform: Revisions and Proposals to State’s “Right to Repair Statutes”

    Federal Court Reiterates Broad Duty to Defend in Additional Insured Cases

    Endorsement Excludes Replacement of Undamaged Property with Matching Materials

    Connecticut Supreme Court Again Asked to Determine the Meaning of Collapse

    Hospital Inspection to Include Check for Construction Defects

    Protect Workers From Falls: A Leading Cause of Death

    Bad Welds Doom Art Installation at Central Park

    FEMA Offers to Review Hurricane Sandy Claims

    Georgia Federal Court Says Fact Questions Exist As To Whether Nitrogen Is An “Irritant” or “Contaminant” As Used in Pollution Exclusion

    Ohio Condo Owners Sue Builder, Alleging Construction Defects

    What California’s COVID-19 Reopening Means for the Construction Industry

    Improperly Installed Flanges Are Impaired Property

    Legislative Update: Bid Protest Law Changes to Benefit Contractors

    Insured's Motion for Reconsideration on Protecting the Integrity of Referral Sources under Florida Statute s. 542.335

    Differences in Types of Damages Matter

    White and Williams Defeats Policyholder’s Attempt to Invalidate Asbestos Exclusions

    Think Twice Before Hedging A Position Or Defense On A Speculative Event Or Occurrence

    Municipalities Owe a Duty to Pedestrians Regardless of Whether a Sidewalk Presents an “Open and Obvious” Hazardous Condition. (WA)

    Texas Supreme Court Finds Payment of Appraisal Award Does Not Absolve Insurer of Statutory Liability

    D.R. Horton Profit Beats Estimates as Home Sales Jumped

    Approaches to Managing Job Site Inventory

    What If Your CCP 998 Offer is Silent on Costs?

    No Damage for Delay? No Problem: Exceptions to the Enforceability of No Damage for Delay Clauses

    Last, but NOT Least: Why You Should Take a Closer Look at Your Next Indemnification Clause

    Be Aware of Two New Statutes that Became Effective May 1, 2021
    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

    Green Home Predictions That Are Best Poised to Come True in 2014 and Beyond (guest post)

    July 16, 2014 —
    Today, a guest post on the green design issues that are becoming realities from Penny Olmos, who is associated with Holloway Houston, Inc. a leading industrial lifting equipment manufacturing company. Welcome, Penny! The scorching heat singed us and the winter wave chilled us — more than ever before. What are we heading to? Earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, tornadoes and extreme temperatures? Mother Nature is warning us in myriad ways. And the good news is that we are heeding her calls after long. Saving our natural resources and going green has found many takers. We have seen many eco-friendly homes and buildings designed and created in the last decade. Green homes are here to stay. We look at the popular green home design and construction trends in 2014 that are about to transform the landscape of green realty. Rise of Net Zero Energy Homes It seemed impossible until a couple of years ago but 2014 will witness a rise in net zero energy homes. These are homes with zero net energy consumption. The total amount of energy used by these buildings annually equals the amount of renewable energy created on the property. This is the greenest and the most energy efficient house you can possess. And you do not need to cut down on any of your comforts. There are heating, cooling, entertainment and utility appliances functioning in the house like they would in any other home. Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of Melissa Dewey Brumback, Construction Law in North Carolina
    Ms. Brumback may be contacted at mbrumback@rl-law.com

    Insurer’s “Failure to Cooperate” Defense

    November 14, 2018 —
    The “failure to cooperate” defense is a defense an insurer may raise when its insured fails to cooperate with it in the defense of the claim against the insured. If an insurer takes this position, it will typically be denying both defense and indemnification obligations, meaning the insured could be forfeiting coverage that otherwise exists through his/her/its failure to cooperate with the insurer. This defense by the insurer is not absolute as recently explained by the Fourth District in Barthelemy v. Safeco Ins. Co. of Illinois, 43 Fla.L.Weekly D2379a (Fla. 4th DCA 2018) discussing the elements of this failure to cooperate defense. Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of David Adelstein, Kirwin Norris
    Mr. Adelstein may be contacted at dma@kirwinnorris.com

    Avoid L&I Violations by Following Appropriate Safety Procedures

    November 07, 2022 —
    Department of Labor and Industries of the State of Washington v. Roof Doctor, Inc. d/b/a Roof Doctors, Inc. of Tacoma (Unpublished opinion) Roof Doctor, a company engaging maintenance of roofs, was hired to complete work for a commercial building in Tacoma in February 2018. During the job, Roof Doctor was cited for two violations by a Washington State Department of Labor and Industries’ (L&I) compliance inspector and seven additional asbestos violations. Each citation was rated with a probability of 1 – 3 to determine the likelihood of injury, illness, or disease. The ratings allowed issuance of an appropriate monetary penalty. The disputes among the parties on appeal were as follows: First, L&I and Roof Doctor disputed the asbestos probability ratings and calculated penalties. L&I produced as evidence, the fact that nine employees were physically hanging roofing material with asbestos, but none had training or knew that the material contained asbestos. L&I did agree that that most of the employees were experienced in handling roofing material and knew of the dangers that asbestos presented. Roof Doctor explained that because the employees were working outdoors, the danger of asbestos exposure was mitigated due to a low probability that a high concentration of asbestos could be inhaled by the employees when outdoors. Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of Ahlers Cressman & Sleight PLLC

    Design-build Trends, Challenges and Risk Mitigation

    August 26, 2019 —
    As the commercial construction industry continues to evolve and grow, design-build methodologies are becoming increasingly popular for their ability to speed completion rates, control costs and produce an overall more efficient process under the guidance of the design-build contractor (DBC). The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) predicts that “over half of owners have already or will use design-build in the next five years” due to the opportunities it provides for innovation and fast-tracking projects. The organization also expects that design build methodologies will account for approximately 45% of all nonresidential construction spending over the 2018 – 2021 forecast period. Design-build provides many benefits to projects owners, however, holding contractual responsibility for both design and construction does accompany its fair share of challenges and risks for the DBC. Although basic risk management principles are inherent to design build through improved communication and collaboration, strong contractual language and proper insurance programs can greatly control risk exposures. Reprinted courtesy of Bill Webb, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of
    Mr. Webb may be contacted at Bill.Webb@rtspecialty.com

    Chinese Billionaire Developer Convicted in UN Bribery Case

    August 02, 2017 —
    A Chinese developer was convicted of charges he paid bribes to win backing for a United Nations conference center that he hoped to build in Macau. A jury in Manhattan on Thursday found the developer, billionaire Ng Lap Seng, guilty of all six charges he faced, including conspiracy, bribery and money laundering, in the biggest UN corruption scandal since the oil-for-food program in the early 2000s. Prosecutors claimed Ng funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to former UN General Assembly President John Ashe and other officials. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Bob Van Voris, Bloomberg

    Details Matter: The Importance of Strictly Following Public Bid Statutes

    September 22, 2016 —
    Contractors bidding on public contracts know that failing to strictly following all of the technical aspects contained in the instructions to bidders can mean the difference between a winning and losing bid. In the span of two weeks, I was involved with two cases that underscored the importance of this axiom. Both cases involved New Jersey’s public bid laws. While these cases show the importance of following a specific section of New Jersey’s public bid statute, the take away – that details matter – is universal. Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of Wally Zimolong, Zimolong LLC
    Mr. Zimolong may be contacted at wally@zimolonglaw.com

    Better Building Rules Would Help U.K.'s Flooding Woes, CEP Says

    January 06, 2016 —
    Tighter construction restrictions and incentives to build outside flood-prone areas would minimize damage to the U.K. economy from heavy rain and rising water levels, according to the Centre for Economic Performance. Thousands of families across northern England and Scotland have evacuated their homes or been left without power in recent weeks, while KPMG LLP estimated the economic loss in December was more than 5 billion pounds ($7.3 billion). While low-lying areas are more likely to be hit by large-scale floods, businesses and homes don’t tend to move to safer locations, according to the CEP’s analysis of data from 2003 to 2008. Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of Jill Ward, Bloomberg

    Emotional Distress Damages Not Distinct from “Annoyance and Discomfort” Damages in Case Arising from 2007 California Wildfires

    November 21, 2017 —
    Originally published by CDJ on February 16, 2017 In Hensley v. San Diego Gas & Elec. Co., (No. D070259, filed 1/31/17), the California Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District held that emotional distress damages are available on claims for trespass and nuisance as part of “annoyance and discomfort” damages. In Hensley, plaintiffs sustained fire damage to their home and property during the 2007 California wildfires. The Hensleys were forced to evacuate as the fires advanced. Although their home was not completely destroyed, it sustained significant damage and they were not able to return home permanently for nearly two months. Thereafter, the Hensleys filed suit against San Diego Gas and Electric Company (“SDG&E”) asserting causes of action for trespass and nuisance, among others. Mr. Hensley, who had suffered from Crohn’s disease since 1991, further claimed that as a result of the stress from the fire, he experienced a substantial increase in his symptoms and his treating physician opined that “beyond a measure of reasonable medical certainty... the stress created by the 2007 San Diego fires caused an increase of [Mr. Hensley’s] disease activity, necessitating frequent visits, numerous therapies, and at least two surgeries since the incident.” SDGE moved, in limine, to exclude evidence of Mr. Hensley’s asserted emotional distress damages arguing he was not legally entitled to recover them under theories of trespass and nuisance. The trial court agreed and excluded all evidence of such damages. Reprinted courtesy of Kirsten Lee Price, Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP and Lawrence S. Zucker, Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP Ms. Price may be contacted at kprice@hbblaw.com Mr. Zucker may be contacted at lzucker@hbblaw.com Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of