BERT HOWE
  • Nationwide: (800) 482-1822    
    townhome construction building expert Seattle Washington condominium building expert Seattle Washington landscaping construction building expert Seattle Washington multi family housing building expert Seattle Washington housing building expert Seattle Washington Subterranean parking building expert Seattle Washington custom homes building expert Seattle Washington Medical building building expert Seattle Washington custom home building expert Seattle Washington institutional building building expert Seattle Washington casino resort building expert Seattle Washington concrete tilt-up building expert Seattle Washington hospital construction building expert Seattle Washington office building building expert Seattle Washington low-income housing building expert Seattle Washington structural steel construction building expert Seattle Washington retail construction building expert Seattle Washington industrial building building expert Seattle Washington production housing building expert Seattle Washington condominiums building expert Seattle Washington high-rise construction building expert Seattle Washington tract home building expert Seattle Washington
    Seattle Washington architect expert witnessSeattle Washington consulting engineersSeattle Washington construction expertsSeattle Washington soil failure expert witnessSeattle Washington building code expert witnessSeattle Washington construction safety expertSeattle Washington construction defect 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


    Five "Boilerplate" Terms to Negotiate in Your Next Subcontract

    Coping with Labor & Install Issues in Green Building

    Project Team Upgrades Va. General Assembly

    SFAA and Coalition of Partners Encourage Lawmakers to Require Essential Surety Bonding Protections on All Federally-Financed Projects Receiving WIFIA Funds

    NYC Supertall Tower Condo Board Sues Over Alleged Construction, Design 'Defects'

    Proving & Defending Lost Profit Damages

    Another Case Highlighting the Difference Between CGL Policies and Performance Bonds

    Home Prices Up in Metro Regions

    Construction Defects Are Not An Occurrence Under New York, New Jersey Law

    Be Careful with Continuous Breach and Statute of Limitations

    Moving Toward a Telework Future: A Checklist of Considerations for Employers

    Safety, Technology Combine to Change the Construction Conversation

    The Roads to Justice: Building New Bridges

    Meet the Forum's In-House Counsel: J. PAUL ALLEN

    Blue Gold: Critical Water for Critical Energy Materials

    Client Alert: Release of Liability Agreement Extinguishes Duty of Ordinary Care

    Building Inspector Jailed for Taking Bribes

    No Duty to Indemnify When Discovery Shows Faulty Workmanship Damages Insured’s Own Work

    Construction Employment Rose in 38 States from 2013 to 2014

    Green Construction Trends Contractors Can Expect in 2019

    Contractor Wins in Arbitration Only to Lose Before the Superior Court on Section 7031 Claim

    Will Future Megacities Be a Marvel or a Mess? Look at New Delhi

    Construction Contract Provisions that Should Pique Your Interest

    Safety Guidance for the Prevention of the Coronavirus on Construction Sites

    Appeals Court Upholds Decision by Referee in Trial Court for Antagan v Shea Homes

    Harmon Towers Case to Last into 2014

    Pollution Exclusion Prevents Coverage for Injury Caused by Insulation

    New York Converting Unlikely Buildings into Condominiums

    Policyholders' Coverage Checklist in Times of Coronavirus

    SB800 Is Now Optional to the Homeowner?

    Why A Jury Found That Contractor 'Retaliated' Against Undocumented Craft Worker

    Fence Attached to Building Covered Under Dwelling Provisions

    Portions of Policyholder's Expert's Opinions Excluded

    Sources of Insurance Recovery for Emerging PFAS Claims

    Increases in U.S. Office Rents Led by San Jose and Dallas

    Hirer Liable for Injury to Subcontractor’s Employee Due to Failure to Act, Not Just Affirmative Acts, Holds Court of Appeal

    Legal Fallout Begins Over Delayed Edmonton Bridges

    Five Haight Attorneys Selected for Best Lawyers in America© 2021

    One Stat About Bathrooms Explains Why You Can’t Find a House

    BHA has a Nice Swing Benefits the Wounded Warrior Project

    Insurer's Motion for Summary Judgment in Collapse Case Denied

    White and Williams Celebrates 125th Anniversary

    Construction Calamity: Risk Transfer Tips for Contractors After a Catastrophic Loss

    LEED Certified Courthouse Square Negotiating With Insurers, Mulling Over Demolition

    Couple Sues for Construction Defects in Manufactured Home

    Yet ANOTHER Reason not to Contract without a License

    With an Eye Already in the Sky, Crane Camera Goes Big Data

    Singer Akon’s Multibillion-Dollar Futuristic City in Africa Gets Final Notice

    JPMorgan Blamed for ‘Zombie’ Properties in Miami Lawsuit

    Motion to Dismiss Insurer's Counterclaim for Construction Defects Is Granted
    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

    Hurricane Warning: Florida and Southeastern US Companies – It is Time to Activate Your Hurricane Preparedness Plan and Review Key Insurance Deadlines

    November 01, 2022 —
    Hurricane Ian is rapidly approaching the west coast of Florida and is expected to make landfall as a Category 4 hurricane near the Tampa area within the coming days. While the exact track is still being determined, there is a chance the storm may also impact insureds in Georgia and South Carolina. Now is the time to activate your disaster plan and ensure that you have your relevant insurance policies in your possession and that you review them for critical deadlines. We put together an alert here with tips to help you and your business mitigate potential storm loss and maximize coverage. Reprinted courtesy of Andrea DeField, Hunton Andrews Kurth, Walter J. Andrews, Hunton Andrews Kurth, Michael S. Levine, Hunton Andrews Kurth, Lawrence J. Bracken II, Hunton Andrews Kurth and Cary D. Steklof, Hunton Andrews Kurth Ms. DeField may be contacted at adefield@HuntonAK.com Mr. Andrews may be contacted at wandrews@HuntonAK.com Mr. Levine may be contacted at mlevine@HuntonAK.com Mr. Bracken may be contacted at lbracken@HuntonAK.com Mr. Steklof may be contacted at csteklof@HuntonAK.com Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    COVID-19 Information and Resources

    May 04, 2020 —
    INTRODUCTION The current COVID-19 health crisis has greatly impacted nearly every aspect of our business and personal lives. The constant flow of rapidly evolving, and often contradictory information creates its own challenges for those who are responsible for ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and best practices while still moving forward with their business and family activities. This bulletin differs from most Chapman, Glucksman, Dean & Roeb bulletins in that it does not highlight a recent case, statute or a single development, but rather acts as a resource and “links” to provide you with needed information and to simplify your search for critical information during this unusual and challenging time. CIVIL LITIGATION: CLOSURES AND RESTRICTIONS The State and Federal Court systems in California have drastically reduced their operations. The Governor issued Executive Order N-38-20, this suspends certain limitations on the Chief Justice’s authority, making it possible for orders to be issued adapting the Court’s operations to address the COVID-19 health crisis. As of this time, the most recent statewide order from the Chief Justice is the March 30, 2020 Order which allows Courts to utilize remote technology when possible. The March 30, 2020 Order also clarifies a prior Order suspending all trials for 60 days. As many of you are aware, civil trials in California must commence within five years of the initiation of the action, this is commonly referred to as the “five year rule”. While the five year time period was initially extended by the Chief Justice for 60 days, the Judicial Council subsequently adopted a series of Emergency Rules, including one which extends this to six months for all civil actions filed on or before April 6, 2020. The Judicial Council also adopted rules tolling the statutes of limitation for civil causes of action are tolled from April 6, 2020 to 90 days after the state of emergency has ended. In addition to the statewide orders and rules, counties have enacted their own rules. Los Angeles Superior Court, for instance, has closed some locations while others remain open on a limited basis. On March 17, 2020 an Order was issued limiting the Court to “essential functions” through April 16, 2020. However, on April 15, 2020, a further Order extended the closure through May 12, 2020. While truly urgent Ex Partes may go forward, all regularly set hearings will be continued until after June 22, 2020. Trials will begin after June 22, 2020 with non-priority trials anticipated to start in later August or September. Notably, any deadlines imposed by current trial or hearing dates still stand until the specific dates are continued. As with other aspects of the COVID-19 health crisis, the impact upon Civil Litigation continues to evolve, for the most up to date information we include the following links to the California Courts. The first page includes links to all the State and County Orders, the second page is for the Judicial Council Rules. Links: https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/court-emergency-orders-6794321 https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/judicial-branch-emergency-actions-criminal-civil-and-juvenile-justice STATE AND LOCAL STAY AT HOME ORDERS The State of California declared a state of emergency on March 4, 2020. On March 13, 2020 the President declared a national state of emergency. On March 19, 2020 Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-33-20, also known as the “Stay at Home” order. This orders all Californian’s to stay at home, unless they are part of an essential businesses are exempt which generally includes construction and insurance. Generally, Californians are allowed to run essential errands, but they are not to congregate with those outside of their household. In addition to the State, many cities and counties have enacted additional orders regarding whether certain types of businesses can remain open, use of parks, trails and other public amenities as well as what type of protective measures must be adhered to such as covering your face in public. As with Civil Litigation, the State and Local Government regulations continue to evolve. A link to the State’s COVID-19 page is below and we also encourage you to check your local City and County sites for additional information. https://covid19.ca.gov/ BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL GUIDELINES The impact of COVID-19 is unprecedented. While “essential businesses” may remain open for customers, steps must be taken to protect the health of both employees and customers. There are both State and, in many instances, Local Government regulations addressing these precautions. In addition to taking safety measures to protect the health of all involved, there are a multitude of financial concerns to be addressed. While most people have already heard about the moratorium on residential and commercial evictions, this does little to address how property owners will receive funds to pay their financial obligations, how tenants can pay their other obligations, how either can make payroll and most importantly, how employees who can no longer work due to their “non-essential” business being closed can put food on their tables. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES” act) may provide financial relief for many business by means of loans, some of which may be forgivable, and tax credits. The CARES act also modifies the Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) to provide paid leave for those who cannot work due to COVID-19 as well as other benefits. The IRS has extended the deadline to file and pay taxes to July 15, 2020. Additionally, there are other Federal and State benefits which may be available for those whose jobs are impacted. The financial impacts of COVID-19 are far reaching and continue to evolve. The Department of Insurance ordered insurance companies to return premiums for at least the months of March and April. This applies to certain lines of insurance where the risk of loss has fallen substantially. However, business interruption, environmental and pollution claims have increased exponentially. While most such policies require some physical damage in order to trigger an occurrence, there has been some discussion of legislation deeming the COVID-19 pandemic to fulfill the physical damage requirement. If your business has been closed or impacted by COVID-19 we encourage you to review your insurance policies and key contracts to ascertain what your rights and obligations are as well as whether you may have any coverage for your losses. Just as importantly, speak with your business partners including vendors, customers and employees to ascertain their capabilities and willingness to work through this crisis. US Department of Labor OSHA Guidelines: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/ California Labor & Workforce Development Agency Resource Page: https://www.labor.ca.gov/coronavirus2019/ California Employment Development Department: https://www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019.htm CONSTRUCTION GUIDELINES Many of our clients are involved in the construction industry. Construction has been deemed an essential activity and is exempt from many of the “stay at home” orders but certain protections and regulations still apply. In addition to the general workplace guidelines discussed above certain jurisdictions are providing guidance as to how to provide a safe construction site workplace. We have included a link the Los Angeles Department Building and Safety guidelines below. However, in some instances work on a project may be delayed or may not be able to progress due to the project owner stopping work or the inability of subcontractors or suppliers to continue as originally intended. In this case one should review their contracts to see what justifies delay and inability to perform by either party and the impact thereof. Contracts should also be evaluated to ascertain whether the costs associated with compliance with the new COVID-19 regulations are a recoverable cost under the contract. As with the general business discussion above, contractors should review all available insurance, including builder’s risk to ascertain the existence of possible coverage. LA DBS guidelines: https://ladbs.org/docs/default-source/publications/misc-publications/construction-site-guidance.pdf SUMMARY The COVID-19 health crisis has had and, for the foreseeable future, will have a broad and severe impact on our society. The variety of evolving regulations on the Federal, State and Local Government levels make it challenging to comply, especially for businesses in operation. There are also a variety of resources available to help ensure compliance with these regulations as well as the financial and physical viability of our communities’ companies and employees. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any assistance in navigating these rules and resources. Reprinted courtesy of Richard H. Glucksman, Chapman Glucksman Dean & Roeb and Brian D. Kahn, Chapman Glucksman Dean & Roeb Mr. Glucksman may be contacted at rglucksman@cgdrlaw.com Mr. Kahn may be contacted at bkahn@cgdrlaw.com Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    U.S. Tornadoes, Hail Cost Insurers $1 Billion in June

    July 09, 2014 —
    Tornadoes, hail and windstorms that pounded the U.S. from the Rocky Mountains to the Tennessee Valley last month will probably cost insurers more than $1 billion, Aon Plc said in a report. Hailstorms and winds greater than 90 miles an hour (145 kilometers) in June caused billions of dollars of economic losses, led by a full week of storms early in the month, the London-based insurance broker said today. More than 300 tornadoes hit the U.S. last month, compared with 125 a year earlier and 111 in June 2012, according to preliminary data from the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center. May, June and July tend to be the worst months for twisters, it said. Severe weather from June 3 to June 9 this year killed three people and led to more than 100,000 claims, Aon said. Later in the month, “hail and winds gusting to hurricane strength tracked eastward,” the broker said in its report. The storm “shattered windows, punctured roofs and downed trees onto homes, structures and vehicles.” Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Kelly Gilblom, Bloomberg
    Ms. Gilblom may be contacted at kgilblom@bloomberg.net

    The Construction Industry's Health Kick

    October 02, 2018 —
    The construction industry appears to be on a health kick, and by all accounts it isn’t a fad. Trends identified in recent years in the health care sector are strengthening with a surge of new projects nationwide. “All parts of the country are experiencing significant health care design and construction activity,” observes Hank Adams, HDR’s global director of health. “We’re expecting continued growth into the near future and feel optimistic that the marketplace will continue to be strong.” Modern urban planning strategies, engineering advancements and sophisticated design take center stage as oversized hospitals serving large patient populations within a 100-mile radius make way for more specialized centers that target the overall wellness of the local community. Reprinted courtesy of Erin Ansley, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    Drastic Rebuild Resurrects Graves' Landmark Portland Building

    September 14, 2020 —
    Fifteen minutes into a 105-minute job interview for the $195-million overhaul of the long-troubled Portland Public Service Building in Oregon’s largest city, owner’s rep Mike Day threw a curve ball to the unwitting design-build team of Howard S. Wright Construction Co. and architect DLR Group. Already hard at work solving Day’s first faux crisis scenario—a budget buster that threatened the viability of the makeover of the notoriously dysfunctional landmark—they had to regroup. Reprinted courtesy of Nadine M. Post, Engineering News-Record Ms. Post may be contacted at postn@enr.com Read the full story... Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    Possible Real Estate and Use and Occupancy Tax Relief for Philadelphia Commercial and Industrial Property Owners

    September 07, 2017 —
    A recent decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court puts in jeopardy all of the recent real estate tax reassessments completed by the City of Philadelphia for tax year 2018 as well as appeals initiated by the School District of Philadelphia in 2016 for tax year 2017. The City’s current practice is to certify the market values of any reassessed properties to the Board of Revision of Taxes on March 31st prior to the year that the assessment would be implemented. The City then relies on those certified values to determine the applicable tax rate when it creates its budget each summer. Accordingly, the Office of Property Assessment (OPA) submitted the values applicable for the 2018 tax year to the BRT on March 31, 2017. The City set the applicable tax rates during its summer budget sessions. However, unlike prior years, this year the City only reassessed commercial and industrial properties and excluded residential properties. The result was reported to be an increase of over $118 million in new real estate taxes. Shortly after the City finished its budget, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided the case of Valley Forge Towers Apartments N, LP, et al. v. Upper Merion Area School District. The case involved a challenge by property owners to the Upper Merion School District’s practice of only appealing assessments on commercial properties. As with the recent reassessments by the City, Upper Merion was only seeking to increase the real estate tax assessments for high value commercial properties. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court found that the school district’s practice violated the Uniformity Clause in the Pennsylvania Constitution. The court reaffirmed the principle that real estate within a jurisdiction should be treated as a single class and that tax authorities are not permitted to discriminate against commercial and industrial properties in favor of residential properties for purposes of real estate taxation. Reprinted courtesy of James Vandermark, White and Williams LLP and Kevin Koscil, White and Williams LLP Mr. Vandermark may be contacted at vandermarkj@whiteandwilliams.com Mr. Koscil may be contacted at koscilk@whiteandwilliams.com Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    Construction is the Fastest Growing Industry in California

    May 20, 2015 —
    We wrote earlier about why construction workers are the happiest employees on Earth, and pointed to one possible factor: That construction, which was one of the hardest hit industries during the 2008 real estate collapse, has since bounced back. This past month, the California Employment Development Department (“EDD”) released data putting some numbers to that hypothesis. And the result: According to the EDD, over the past 12 months, construction was the fastest growing industry in California, adding more than 46,000 jobs within the last year, an increase of 6.9% from 667,000 workers in March 2014 to 713,000 workers in March 2015. 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

    The Woodland Hills Office Secures a Total Defense Award on Behalf of their High-End Custom Home Builder Client!

    June 04, 2024 —
    Partner Daniel Crespo and Associate Theresa Mallen secured a total defense award in arbitration. Our client is a high-end custom home builder with a decades-long flawless record of museum quality construction. Our client was accused of performing substandard construction and the homeowners asserted a multiple million-dollar cost of repair. We took a zero-liability position and argued that the alleged defects were not defects at all but were rather mere reflections of an incomplete project. In sum, our client was forced to terminate the contract and cease construction due to the homeowners’ failure to make progress payments as they became due. The arbitration endured 16 days of testimony scattered over the course of 7 months. Ultimately, the arbitrator ruled that there were no construction defects at the project and that the homeowners “shall take nothing.” The arbitrator also ruled in favor of our client on its affirmative claim for monies owed by the homeowners’ breach of contract plus interest. A total victory for our client. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Dolores Montoya, Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara LLP