BERT HOWE
  • Nationwide: (800) 482-1822    
    landscaping construction building expert Seattle Washington Medical building building expert Seattle Washington high-rise construction building expert Seattle Washington multi family housing building expert Seattle Washington townhome construction building expert Seattle Washington casino resort building expert Seattle Washington custom home building expert Seattle Washington structural steel construction building expert Seattle Washington hospital construction building expert Seattle Washington mid-rise construction building expert Seattle Washington parking structure building expert Seattle Washington retail construction building expert Seattle Washington housing building expert Seattle Washington low-income housing building expert Seattle Washington condominium building expert Seattle Washington condominiums building expert Seattle Washington Subterranean parking building expert Seattle Washington office building building expert Seattle Washington production housing building expert Seattle Washington industrial building building expert Seattle Washington institutional building building expert Seattle Washington custom homes building expert Seattle Washington
    Seattle Washington expert witnesses fenestrationSeattle Washington construction project management expert witnessSeattle Washington expert witness structural engineerSeattle Washington ada design expert witnessSeattle Washington multi family design expert witnessSeattle Washington fenestration expert witnessSeattle Washington building consultant expert
    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


    Another Defect Found on the Bay Bridge: Water Leakage

    Homeowners Must Comply with Arbitration over Construction Defects

    CEB’s Mechanics Liens and Related Remedies – 2014 Update

    New Safety Requirements added for Keystone Pipeline

    Understanding California’s Pure Comparative Negligence Law

    Prospective Additional Insureds May Be Obligated to Arbitrate Coverage Disputes

    Ex-San Francisco DPW Director Sentenced to Seven Years in Corruption Case

    Be Sure to Dot All of the “I’s” and Cross the “T’s” in Virginia

    Design-Assist Collaboration/Follow-up Post

    In One of the First Civil Jury Trials to Proceed Live in Los Angeles Superior Court During Covid, Aneta Freeman Successfully Prevailed on Behalf of our Client and Obtained a Directed Verdict and Non-Suit

    Three Key Takeaways from Recent Hotel Website ADA Litigation

    Business Interruption Claim Granted in Part, Denied in Part

    CC&Rs Not the Place for Arbitration Agreement, Court Rules

    Construction Defects as Occurrences, Better Decided in Law than in Courts

    California Assembly Passes Expedited Dam Safety for Silicon Valley Act

    Another Colorado Construction Defect Reform Bill Dies

    Congress Relaxes Several PPP Loan Requirements

    Construction Law Client Alert: California Is One Step Closer to Prohibiting Type I Indemnity Agreements In Private Commercial Projects

    Drastic Rebuild Resurrects Graves' Landmark Portland Building

    When Construction Contracts Go Sideways in Bankruptcy

    Construction Law- Where Pragmatism and Law Collide

    French Government Fines National Architects' Group $1.6M Over Fee-Fixing

    Potential Problems with Cases Involving One Owner and Multiple Contractors

    Best Lawyers Honors 43 Lewis Brisbois Attorneys, Recognizes Three Partners as 'Lawyers of The Year'

    Hawaii Supreme Court Says Aloha to Insurers Trying to Recoup Defense Costs From Policyholders

    Boston Team Obtains Complete Defense Verdict for Engineering Firm in Professional Liability Matter

    Attorneys' Fees Awarded as Part of "Damages Because of Property Damage"

    Does a No-Damage-for-Delay Clause Also Preclude Acceleration Damages?

    Musk’s Cousins Battle Utilities to Make Solar Rooftops Cheap

    Jury Instruction That Fails to Utilize Concurrent Cause for Property Loss is Erroneous

    Pennsylvania Supreme Court Dismisses Appeal of Attorney Fee Award Under the Contractor and Subcontractor Payment Act

    Are Untimely Repairs an “Occurrence” Triggering CGL Coverage?

    Georgia Supreme Court Rules Construction Defects Can Constitute an Occurrence in CGL Policies

    No Coverage for Additional Insured for Construction Defect Claim

    Application of Frye Test to Determine Admissibility of Expert

    The Biggest Trials Coming to Courts Around the World in 2021

    60-Mile-Long Drone Inspection Flight Points to the Future

    Court Dismisses Coverage Action In Lieu of Pending State Case

    Wage Theft Investigations and Citations in the Construction Industry

    What The U.S. Can Learn from China to Bring Its Buildings to New Heights

    Utah Digs Deep and Finds “Design Defect” Includes Pre-Construction Geotechnical Reports

    The Problem With Building a New City From Scratch

    Hawaii Construction Defect Law Increased Confusion

    White and Williams Obtains Reversal on Appeal of $2.5 Million Verdict Against Electric Utility Company

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

    When Employer’s Liability Coverage May Be Limited in New York

    South Carolina Couple Must Arbitrate Construction Defect Claim

    Additional Insured Not Entitled to Indemnity Coverage For Damage Caused by Named Insured

    No Coverage for Faulty Workmanship Where Underlying Claim is Strictly Breach of Contract

    Court Denies Insured's Motion to Dismiss Complaint Seeking to Compel Appraisal
    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

    LA’s $1.2 Billion Graffiti Towers Put on Sale After Bankruptcy

    June 04, 2024 —
    For sale: Steel skeletons of three towers in downtown Los Angeles, erected by a Chinese developer that spent $1.2 billion before running into financial troubles. The site, called Oceanwide Plaza, became famous this year when graffiti artists covered the 49-floor-tall structures. Now, the property is going on the market, with lenders and other creditors needing about $400 million to recoup their money. The brokerage Colliers and advisory firm Hilco Real Estate have been hired to market and handle a sale of the property, subject to bankruptcy court approval, according to a statement. “We are determined to run a disciplined and orderly process to identify the right developer to finish the project in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics,” said Mark Tarczynski, an executive vice president at Colliers. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of John Gittelsohn, Bloomberg

    Triggering Duty to Advance Costs Same Standard as Duty to Defend

    April 11, 2018 —
    Interpreting Hawaii law, the federal district court held that the standard for triggering the duty to defend is the same as the standard for the duty to advance costs under a D&O policy. Maui Land & Pineapple Co. v. Liberty Ins. Underwriters, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56949 (D. Haw. April 3, 2018). The underlying plaintiffs sued 22 defendants, including Maui Land Pineapple (MLP) and Ryan L. Churchill, concerning a residential development project known as The Ritz-Carlton Club & Residences. The underlying complaint alleged that MLP "directly or indirectly through wholly owned subsidiaries exerts control" over Kapalua Bay, LLC, the defendant in the underlying lawsuit. Kapalua Bay, LLC was created as a joint venture of which MLP held 51%. Churchill was a senior executive officer of MLP, President of Kapalua Bay, and an executive officer of Kapalua Realty, which participated in all aspects of the Project, such as financing, development, and construction. In their second amended complaint, the underlying plaintiffs alleged nine Counts against the defendants, including breach of fiduciary duty. It was alleged that defendants were not transparent and kept owners in the dark regarding the status of the project. Several allegations named Churchill individually and described his alleged material misrepresentations to the underlying plaintiffs regarding the project's financing. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Tred R. Eyerly, Insurance Law Hawaii
    Mr. Eyerly may be contacted at te@hawaiilawyer.com

    Weslaco, Texas Investigating Possible Fraudulent Contractor Invoices

    March 19, 2014 —
    The city of Weslaco in Texas fears that they have received “fraudulent invoices from the contractor of the…Valley Nature Center facility,” according to the Mid-Valley Town Crier. The project had been stalled due to “problems with numerous subcontractors claiming they hadn’t received payment.” Furthermore, “[c]onstruction is more than 14 months delayed and now halted as contractor GAS Enterprises demands more money from the city.” City Manager Leo Olivares informed GAS President Rene Salinas “that the city was aware of ‘forged requests for payments,’ ‘padding invoices’ and ‘requests for reimbursement for items, materials and labor that you did not pay,’” reported the Mid-Valley Town Crier. While Salinas did not respond to the Mid-Valley Town Crier when asked for a comment, he did send a letter to the city “arguing that none of the subcontractors had questioned the documents to him.” Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    Guardrail Maker Defrauded U.S. of $175 Million and Created Hazard, Jury Says

    October 22, 2014 —
    Secret changes by Trinity Industries Inc. to its guardrail systems were found to have cheated the U.S. government, exposing the company to $1 billion in damages and penalties and sending shares plummeting as states question the safety of the product. The east Texas jury’s verdict comes as scrutiny of the highway-safety product called the ET-Plus intensifies across the country after it’s been blamed for multiple deaths. The Federal Highway Administration this month asked all states to start submitting information on crashes involving the ET-Plus to the agency’s safety office. The agency will evaluate the findings of the case and “consider whether it affects the continued eligibility of the ET-Plus,” Brian Farber, a spokesman for the Department of Transportation, said in an e-mail. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Patrick G. Lee, Bloomberg
    Mr. Lee may be contacted at plee315@bloomberg.net

    Senate Overwhelmingly Passes Water Infrastructure Bill

    November 06, 2018 —
    Congress has approved major water infrastructure legislation that authorizes $3.7 billion for new Army Corps of Engineers civil-works projects and $4.4 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water program. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Tom Ichniowski, ENR
    Mr. Ichniowski may be contacted at ichniowskit@enr.com

    The Best Laid Plans: Contingency in a Construction Contract

    September 13, 2021 —
    This article is the first of a three-part series on contingencies in construction contracts. This series will explain:
    • what a construction contingency is;
    • the two primary schools of thought regarding how a construction contingency fund should be used and managed; and
    • construction contract drafting considerations for contingency clauses.
    Armed with this information, owners and contractors will be better equipped to tackle the inevitable project surprises. Life is full of surprises, some good and some not too good. Surprises during construction are seldom welcome events. However, experienced owners and contractors know to expect the unexpected and plan accordingly by including contingency funds in their budgets. For them, the question is not whether or not to include a contingency, but how much to set aside and how to structure and manage the fund. Reprinted courtesy of Josh Levy, Katesha Long & Samantha Schacht, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Ms. Schacht may be contacted at samantha.schacht@huschblackwell.com Ms. Long may be contacted at katesha.long@huschblackwell.com Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    No Coverage for Contractor's Faulty Workmanship

    July 10, 2018 —
    The Kentucky Supreme Court determined there was no coverage for the contractor's faulty workmanship in digging the existing basement of a building to make it deeper. Martin v. Acuity, 2018 Ky. LEXIS 188 (Ky. April 26, 2018). Martin Elias/Properties, LLC (MEP) purchased an older home to renovate and resell for profit. MEP hired Tony Gosney to renovate and expand the basement. Gosney agreed to dig the existing basement deeper, pour new footers and pour a new concrete floor. While performing his work, Gosney failed to support the existing foundation adequately before digging around it. Within days, the old foundation began to crack and eventually the entire structure began to sag. Gosney stopped work and notified his insurer, Acuity. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Tred R. Eyerly, Insurance Law Hawaii
    Mr. Eyerly may be contacted at te@hawaiilawyer.com

    Protecting and Perfecting Your Mechanics Lien when the Property Owner Files Bankruptcy

    June 19, 2023 —
    Introduction/Overview of the Mechanics Lien Law The California mechanics lien is a powerful tool for contractors, subcontractors and materials suppliers to secure payment of unpaid construction debts. A contractor, subcontractor or materials supplier is allowed to record a mechanics lien on real property, based on the value added to the property by the claimant during the construction process. The recorded mechanics lien provides the claimant with legal right to force the sale of the improved real property and thereby obtain the funds necessary to pay the delinquent debt. Under the usual procedure, the first step is the recording of mechanics lien with County Recorder’s office in the County where the property is located. A lawsuit to foreclose on the lien must then be filed in the County Superior Court of that County, within ninty (90) days after the mechanics lien is recorded. The goal of the lawsuit is to obtain a judgment for foreclosure on the mechanics lien by way of a forced sale of the property. The net proceeds of the sale will be used to pay the unpaid construction debt secured by the recorded mechanics lien, assuming that sale proceeds exceed the amount of senior liens and encumbrances. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of William L. Porter, Porter Law Group
    Mr. Porter may be contacted at bporter@porterlaw.com