BERT HOWE
  • Nationwide: (800) 482-1822    
    production housing building expert Seattle Washington landscaping construction building expert Seattle Washington high-rise construction building expert Seattle Washington retail construction building expert Seattle Washington structural steel construction building expert Seattle Washington townhome construction building expert Seattle Washington hospital construction building expert Seattle Washington custom homes building expert Seattle Washington office building building expert Seattle Washington industrial building building expert Seattle Washington institutional building building expert Seattle Washington casino resort building expert Seattle Washington parking structure building expert Seattle Washington housing building expert Seattle Washington low-income housing building expert Seattle Washington mid-rise construction building expert Seattle Washington tract home building expert Seattle Washington Medical building building expert Seattle Washington concrete tilt-up building expert Seattle Washington custom home building expert Seattle Washington multi family housing building expert Seattle Washington condominiums building expert Seattle Washington
    Seattle Washington slope failure expert witnessSeattle Washington roofing construction expertSeattle Washington consulting general contractorSeattle Washington expert witness windowsSeattle Washington construction safety expertSeattle Washington reconstruction expert witnessSeattle Washington construction expert testimony
    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


    Building Permits Up in USA Is a Good Sign

    Fla. Researchers Probe 'Mother of All Sinkholes'

    Hurricane Ian: Florida Expedites Road Work as Damage Comes Into Focus

    Vacation Rentals: Liability of the Owner for Injury Suffered by the Renter

    Unqualified Threat to Picket a Neutral is Unfair Labor Practice

    Tennessee Looks to Define Improvements to Real Property

    4 Steps to Take When a Worker Is Injured on Your Construction Site

    California Imposes New Disabled Access Obligations on Commercial Property Owners

    COVID-19 Win for Policyholders! Court Approves "Direct Physical Loss" Argument

    5 Impressive Construction Projects in North Carolina

    A Look at Business and Professions Code Section 7031

    Subcontract Should Flow Down Delay Caused by Subcontractors

    Can General Contractors Make Subcontractors Pay for OSHA Violations?

    What to Look for in Subcontractor Warranty Endorsements

    ASCE Statement on Passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022

    Pulte Home Corp. v. CBR Electric, Inc.

    Florida Court of Appeals Rejects Insurer’s Attempt to Intervene in Underlying Lawsuit to Submit Special Interrogatories

    Building Recovery Comes to Las Vegas, Provides Relief

    Steel-Fiber Concrete Link Beams Perform Well in Tests

    Structural Problems May Cause Year-Long Delay Opening New Orleans School

    California’s Skilled and Trained Workforce Requirements: Public Works and AB 3018, What You Need to Know

    You Say Tomato, I Say Tomahto. But When it Comes to the CalOSHA Appeals Board, They Can Say it Any Way They Please

    Proximity Trace Used to Monitor, Maintain Social Distancing on $1.9-Billion KCI Airport Project

    Traub Lieberman Attorneys Recognized as 2022 Illinois Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars

    NLRB Finalizes Rule for Construction Industry Unions to Obtain Majority Support Representational Status

    California Court of Appeal Finds Alleged Inadequate Defense by Insurer-Appointed Defense Counsel Does Not Trigger a Right to Independent Counsel

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

    Local Government’s Claims on Developer Bonds Dismissed for Failure to Pursue Administrative Remedies

    COVID-19 Vaccine Considerations for Employers in the Construction Industry

    Kahana Feld Partner Noelle Natoli Named President of Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles

    Structural Health Check-Ups Needed but Are Too Infrequent

    Flooded Courtroom May be Due to Construction Defect

    Maximizing Contractual Indemnity Rights: Problems with Common Law

    California Team Secures Appellate Victory on Behalf of Celebrity Comedian Kathy Griffin in Dispute with Bel Air Neighbor

    Court of Appeal Holds Only “Named Insureds” May Sue for Bad Faith Under California FAIR Plan Policy

    L.A.’s Modest Solution to the ‘Missing Middle’ Housing Problem

    Appetite for Deconstruction

    Disjointed Proof of Loss Sufficient

    Owner’s Obligation Giving Notice to Cure to Contractor and Analyzing Repair Protocol

    BHA Sponsors 28th Annual Construction Law Conference in San Antonio, TX

    NLRB Hits Unions with One-Two Punch the Week Before Labor Day

    This Company Wants to Cut Emissions to Zero in the Dirty Cement Business

    West Virginia Couple Claim Defects in Manufactured Home

    Update Regarding New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act (CMA) and the Reduction of Carbon Emissions in New York City

    Speeding up Infrastructure Projects with the Cloud

    Housing-Related Spending Made Up Significant Portion of GDP in Fourth Quarter 2013

    No Coverage for Additional Insured After Completion of Operations

    How Finns Cut Construction Lead Times in Half

    Anticipatory Repudiation of a Contract — The Prospective Breach

    General Liability Alert: A Mixed Cause of Action with Protected and Non-Protected Activity Not Subject to Anti-SLAPP Motion
    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

    ALERT: COVID-19 / Coronavirus-Related Ransomware and Phishing Attacks

    April 13, 2020 —
    As with other events that attract societal attention – whether it be an international sporting event like the Olympics or a natural disaster like the Australian bush fires - criminals often utilize the events to exploit consumers’ fears and, in turn, compromise the cybersecurity of businesses nationwide. With the advent of the Coronavirus, criminals have begun to take advantage of what consumers expect to receive via email to conduct phishing attacks. Criminals are also expected to take advantage of millions of vulnerable remote connections from employee home networks to their corporate networks. According to Proofpoint Inc., a cybersecurity firm, the use of sophisticated Coronavirus-related “phishing” strategies has been on the rise since January, with new malicious email campaigns surfacing each day. These emails, which appear to come from legitimate organizations, contain content such as advice on combatting the Coronavirus, phony invoices for purchases of face masks and medical supplies, advertisements for products that allegedly treat the illness, and phony alerts from the World Health Organization (WHO) or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When the email recipients open these messages, they unknowingly release malware, which allows the attacker to gain access to their personal information and to compromise the security of their employers’ networks. The recent emergence of Coronavirus-related “phishing” schemes demonstrates that businesses must remain vigilant. Employees and their employers are particularly vulnerable now, in light of the novel nature of the Coronavirus, the paucity of information concerning the illness, and the rapid and significant manner in which it is spreading. Individuals are thirsty for information and advice, and are eager to take any action necessary to protect themselves and their families. Reprinted courtesy of Christopher E. Ballod, Lewis Brisbois and Sean B. Hoar, Lewis Brisbois Mr. Ballod may be contacted at Christopher.Ballod@lewisbrisbois.com Mr. Hoar may be contacted at Sean.Hoar@lewisbrisbois.com Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    New Standard Addresses Wind Turbine Construction Safety Requirements and Identifies Hazards

    October 09, 2018 —
    American Society of Safety Professionals’ industry consensus standard, ANSI/ASSP A10.21 – 2018 Safety Requirements for Safe Construction and Demolition of Wind Generation/Turbine Facilities, is the first standard to identify and address hazards specific to wind turbine construction. It includes nearly a dozen appendices that provide additional consideration and guidance for hazards that vary between projects, turbines and geographical areas. The new A10.21 standard starts by requiring a site hazard identification prior to construction commencing. It establishes the general contractor as the responsible party for site hazard identification assessment. This is because the general contractor is usually one of the first entities on site able to assess the various challenges/concerns such as: geography, utilities, environmental, etc. This assessment is usually done by driving the project site and identifying GPS coordinates of specific challenges. Reprinted courtesy of Christopher Daniels, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of
    Mr. Daniels may be contacted at chris.daniels@mortenson.com

    Conversations with My Younger Self: 5 Things I Wish I Knew Then

    July 24, 2023 —
    I remember the morning I became a construction law attorney. It was on my birthday several years ago when a partner called me into his office and asked me to review the A107 contract form for a large firm client. The assignment gave me a new language to speak and contract provisions that I came slowly to understand. I quickly moved into construction litigation and would soon learn that a "fragnet" was not the newest social media app but an important part of a delay claim. I read Spearin's biography and learned how to assess recoverable damages for different claims—costs to repair, replacement and betterment, increased financing/carrying costs, and the like. It took a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get to where I am now. Echoing Rod Stewart’s sentiment—“I wish that I knew then, what I do now, when I was younger”—here are five tips I’d pass along to the younger me or anyone who is beginning their career as a construction lawyer: Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Steve Swart, Williams Mullen
    Mr. Swart may be contacted at sswart@williamsmullen.com

    Insurance Attorney Gary Barrera Joins Wendel Rosen’s Construction Practice Group

    July 26, 2017 —
    Wendel Rosen’s Construction Practice Group welcomes a new member to our band of merry men (and women), Gary Barrera. Gary, an insurance attorney, has extensive experience with construction defect, property damage, professional liability and environmental claims. He has represented real estate developers and contractors in all aspects of construction defect litigation and has resolved insurance coverage disputes arising out of construction claims on behalf of policyholders. Prior to attending law school, Gary worked as a claims representative and examiner for several insurance carriers and third-party administrators. 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

    General Contractors Can Be Sued by a Subcontractor’s Injured Employee

    November 05, 2014 —
    General contractors that exercise control over the worksite can be sued by a subcontractor’s injured employee. The Nebraska Supreme Court’s recent opinion, Gaytan v. Wal-Mart, should serve as a reminder that general contractors may be responsible for the safety of all workers on a job site. In this case, a roofing subcontractor’s employee died after falling through the roof of the under-construction Wal-Mart. The deceased employee’s estate sued Wal-Mart and Gram Construction, the general contractor, alleging that they were negligent in maintaining a safe worksite. The court initially acknowledged that an owner, the employer of an independent contractor, does not typically owe a subcontractor’s employee a duty because the owner typically has no control over the manner in which the work is to be done by the contractor. This general rule, however, has exceptions, such as where the owner retains control over the contractor’s work. But, for the exception to apply, the owner must have (1) supervised the work that caused the injury, (2) actual or constructive knowledge of the danger that caused the injury, and (3) the opportunity to prevent the injury. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Craig Martin, Lamson, Dugan and Murray, LLP
    Mr. Martin may be contacted at cmartin@ldmlaw.com

    Washington Supreme Court Finds Agent’s Representations in Certificate of Insurance Bind Insurance Company to Additional Insured Coverage

    February 03, 2020 —
    In T-Mobile USA Inc. v. Selective Ins. Co. of Am., 450 P.3d 150 (Wash. 2019) the Washington Supreme Court addressed whether an insurance company is bound by its agent’s written representation—made in a certificate of insurance—that a particular corporation is an additional insured under a given policy. The question arose in a case where: (1) the Ninth Circuit had already ruled that the agent acted with apparent authority, but (2) the agent’s representation turned out to be inconsistent with the policy and (3) the certificate of insurance included additional text broadly disclaiming the certificate’s ability to “amend, extend or alter the coverage afforded by” the policy. According to the Court, under Washington law the answer is yes: an insurance company is bound by the representation of its agent in those circumstances. Otherwise, the Court reasoned, an insurance company’s representations would be meaningless and it could mislead without consequence. At the heart of this case were two T-Mobiles entities: T-Mobile USA and T-Mobile Northeast (“T-Mobile NE”), which were distinct legal entities. T-Mobile NE engaged a contractor to construct a cell phone tower on a rooftop in New York City. The contract between T-Mobile NE and the contractor required the contractor to obtain a general liability insurance policy, to annually provide T-Mobile NE “with certificates of insurance evidencing [that policy’s] coverage,” and to name T-Mobile NE as an additional insured under the policy. T-Mobile USA was not a party to the contract, but was nonetheless aware of it and approved the contract as to form. The contractor obtained the required insurance policy from Selective. The policy provided that a third party would automatically become an “additional insured” under the policy if the contractor and the third party entered into their own contract that required the contractor to add the third party to its insurance policy as an additional insured. Because T-Mobile USA did not have a contract with the contractor, it did not automatically become an additional insured under the policy. Nevertheless, over the course of several years, Selective’s agent issued a series of certificates of insurance to “T-Mobile USA Inc., its Subsidiaries and Affiliates” that stated that those entities were “included as an additional insured [under the policy] with respect to” certain areas of coverage. The agent signed those certificates as Selective’s “Authorized Representative.” Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Jason Taylor, Traub Lieberman
    Mr. Taylor may be contacted at jtaylor@tlsslaw.com

    Ahlers Distinguished As Top Super Lawyer In Washington And Nine Firm Members Recognized As Super Lawyers Or Rising Stars

    August 10, 2020 —
    ACS is very honored and pleased to announce nine members of our firm were awarded the distinction of top attorneys in Washington. Our blog articles usually cover Construction Legal News, but we feel this is a newsworthy accolade to be shared with friends and clients. To become candidates to receiving the Super Lawyer nomination, lawyers are nominated by a peer or identified by research. After completing this first step in the process, Super Lawyer’s research department analyzes 12 indicators, such as experience, honors/awards, verdicts/settlements and others. As for the third step, there is a peer evaluation by practice area. Finally, for step four, candidates are grouped into four firm-size categories. In other words, solo and small firm lawyers are compared only with other solo and small firm lawyers, and large firm lawyers are compared with other large firm lawyers. The process is very selective and only 5 percent of the total lawyers in Washington are nominated as Super Lawyers. John P. Ahlers, one of the firm’s founding partners, was recognized as the Top Lawyer out of all Washington lawyers in the State. Mr. Ahlers stated that “It was humbling to receive this distinction, particularly considering the many talented Super Lawyers in the State and I am a ‘construction lawyer’ to boot! I am grateful for the confidence my many colleagues in the bar have in me, by honoring me with their vote”. Founding partner Paul R. Cressman Jr. and partner Brett M. Hill were both recognized as one of the 100-Best Lawyers in the State. Four other firm members are also recognized as Super Lawyers: Scott R. Sleight, Bruce A. Cohen, Lawrence S. Glosser and Ryan W. Sternoff. Two other firm members, partner Lindsay (Taft) Watkins and associate Scott D. MacDonald are also recognized as Super Lawyer Rising Stars, which recognizes attorneys either 40 years old or younger, or in practice 10 years or less. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Joshua Lane, Ahlers Cressman & Sleight
    Mr. Lane may be contacted at joshua.lane@acslawyers.com

    Condemnation Actions: How Valuable Is Your Evidence of Property Value?

    November 06, 2018 —
    When a government condemns (takes) private property for a public use, the property owner is entitled to receive “just compensation” equal to the property’s market value. Value is typically determined by appraisals, but if the parties cannot agree, a judge or jury will determine the amount in a condemnation lawsuit. The parties may seek to present various forms of evidence of value, though it will be admissible only if the evidence is relevant and its value is not substantially outweighed by the risk of causing unfair prejudice, confusion, undue delay or waste of time, does not mislead the jury, and is not needlessly cumulative. See, e.g., Fed. R. Evid. 403. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Erica Stutman, Snell & Wilmer
    Ms. Stutman may be contacted at estutman@swlaw.com