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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


    Giving Insurance Carrier Prompt Notice of Claim to Avoid “Untimely Notice” Defense

    Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (08/30/23) – AI Predicts Home Prices, Construction’s Effect on the Economy, and Could Streamline Communications for Developers

    Assert a Party’s Noncompliance of Conditions Precedent with Particularity

    Best Practices: Commercial Lockouts in Arizona

    Banks Loosening U.S. Mortgage Standards: Chart of the Day

    Pay Loss Provision Does Not Preclude Assignment of Post-Loss Claim

    ASCE Statement on Hurricane Milton and Environmental Threats

    Californians Swarm Few Listings Cuts to Affordable Homes

    New Case Law Update: Mountain Valleys, Chevron Deference and a Long-Awaited Resolution on the Sacketts’ Small Lot

    Steven L. Heisdorffer Joins Higgins, Hopkins, McLain & Roswell

    A Teaming Agreement is Still a Contract (or, Be Careful with Agreements to Agree)

    Seven Coats Rose Attorneys Named to Texas Rising Stars List

    Cape Town Seeks World Cup Stadium Construction Collusion Damages

    D.C. Decision Finding No “Direct Physical Loss” for COVID-19 Closures Is Not Without Severe Limitations

    White and Williams Announces Lawyer Promotions

    Don’t Assume Your Insurance Covers A Newly Acquired Company

    Meet BWB&O’s 2025 Best Lawyers in America!

    Client Alert: Restaurant Owed Duty of Care to Driver Killed by Third-Party on Street Adjacent to Restaurant Parking Lot

    Quick Note: Discretion in Determining Prevailing Party for Purposes of Attorney’s Fees

    Revamp to Nationwide Permits Impacting Oil and Gas Pipeline, Utility and Telecom Line Work

    Collapse Claim Fails Due To Defectively Designed Roof and Deck

    AI and the Optimization of Construction Projects

    Application of Efficient Proximate Cause Doctrine Supports Coverage

    CDJ’s Year-End Review: The Top 12 CD Topics of 2015

    Proposition 65: OEHHA to Consider Adding and Delisting Certain Chemicals of Concern

    Search in Florida Collapse to Take Weeks; Deaths Reach 90

    OSHA’s New Severe Injury and Fatality Reporting Requirements, Are You Ready?

    Do Hurricane-Prone Coastal States Need to Update their Building Codes?

    Water Seepage, Ensuing Mold Damage Covered by Homeowner's Policy

    Federal Court Finds Occurrence for Faulty Workmanship Under Virginia Law

    D&O Insurer Must Cover Mortgage Broker’s $15 Million Settlement of Alleged False Claims Act Violations

    There’s the 5 Second Rule, But Have You Heard of the 5 Year Rule?

    The Latest News on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

    Construction Litigation Roundup: “This Is Sufficient for Your Purposes …”

    Avoiding Disaster Due to Improper Licensing

    New Addition to the ASCE/SEI 7-22 Standard Protects Buildings from a 500-year Flood Event

    Housing Prices Up through Most of Country

    Hawaii Building Codes to Stay in State Control

    Congratulations to Wilke Fleury’s 2024 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars!!

    Payne & Fears Recognized by Best Lawyers in 2025 Best Law Firms®

    Contractor Gets Benched After Failing to Pay Jury Fees

    Eleventh Circuit Asks Georgia Supreme Court if Construction Defects Are Caused by an "Occurrence"

    Bidder Be Thoughtful: The Impacts of Disclaimers in Pre-Bid Reports

    Your Work Exclusion Applies to Damage to Tradesman's Property, Not Damage to Other Property

    Construction Reaches Half-Way Point on San Diego's $2.1 Billion Mid-Coast Trolley

    Maximizing Contractual Indemnity Rights: Components of an Effective Provision

    Jury Awards 20 Million Verdict Against Bishop Abbey Homes

    Legal Battle Kicks Off to Minimize Baltimore Bridge Liabilities

    Green Construction Claims: More of the Same

    Coverage for Faulty Workmanship Denied
    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

    Fence Attached to Building Covered Under Dwelling Provisions

    March 01, 2017 —
    The Texas Supreme Court determined that a damaged fence attached to the insureds' dwelling was covered under the dwelling provisions, not the "other structure" portion of the policy. Nassar v. Liberty Mutual Fire Ins. Co., 2017 Tex. LEXIS 113 (Tex. Jan. 27 ,2017). The insureds' owned six acres of property. Hurricane Ike caused significant damage to the property on September 13, 2008. The insureds submitted a claim to Liberty Mutual under their homeowners' policy. Liberty Mutual paid several claims, but disputes arose over the value of various items of damaged property, including the fencing on the property. The insured's fencing spanned over 4,000 linear feet, including a white picket fence at the northeast corner of the dwelling, an ornamental iron fence in front of the dwelling, numerous cross fences, garden fences, and a larger, perimeter fence. 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

    Orange County Home Builder Dead at 93

    April 25, 2012 —

    Randall E. Presley was a homebuilder in Southern California for more than thirty years, acting as head of Presley Development Company from 1956 until selling the firm to Lyon Homes in 1987. The two companies merged in 1991 as the Presley Cos. Mr. Presley saw the need in the 1950s to provide people in Southern California with low- to medium-priced quality homes.

    His firm built more than 160 communities and was among the ten largest homebuilding firms in the country, expanding beyond California. Mr. Presley was 93 when he succumbed to pneumonia. He is survived by a wife, three children, seven grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.

    Read the full story…

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    Reprinted courtesy of

    2011 West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar – Recap

    June 01, 2011 —
    Event exhibitors and sponsors contribute to an informative and engaging environment
    Event exhibitors and sponsors contribute to an informative and engaging environment

    This year’s meeting was the best yet for the industry-leading construction defect and claims event.

    This year’s seminar concluded on May 13, 2011 with the Construction Defect Community Charitable Foundation Golf Tournament, held at Strawberry Farms Golf Course.

    The Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California was the place where more than 1,500 attendees convened for two days of professional development activities and seminars that included CLE workshops and panel discussions of special interest to legal and insurance professionals concerned with construction defect and claims litigation. Key events included “Challenges for Experts in Construction Defect Claims and Litigation,” “Keeping Up with Construction Defect Coverage,” and “Tips for Avoiding the ‘Perfect Storm’ in Handling of Wrap Claims.”

    Supporting the golf tournament at the 15th hole
    Supporting the golf tournament at the 15th hole

    This year’s Ollie award was given to George D. Calkins II, Esq. The West Coast Casualty Jerrold S. Oliver Award of Excellence was named in honor of the late Judge Jerrold S. Oliver, and recognizes an individual who is outstanding or has contributed to the betterment of the construction community.

    In addition to being the most comprehensive professional development seminar in the area of construction defects, this year’s seminar was equally valuable as a networking opportunity for members of the industry. People participated in professional development events during the day and then continued networking in the evening at numerous social events. The Lawn Party as well as the legendary Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman events were very well attended. Additional valuable networking events were hosted by a number of industry professionals at the House of Blues, and Tortilla Joe’s.

    As of this writing the 2011, West Coast Casualty's Construction Defect Seminar has applied for or has already received the following continuing education accreditation in the following areas;

    Read the full story…

    For more information about next year’s event, visit West Coast Casualty.

    Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of

    Pay Inequities Are a Symptom of Broader Gender Biases, Studies Show

    May 17, 2021 —
    Pay gaps between men and women are a problem in the AEC industry and beyond—and they are a sign of complex, systemic problems in companies. “It’s more of a symptom,” said Elizabeth Walgram, senior consultant in the compensation and career strategies practice at human resources consulting firm Segal. Reprinted courtesy of Pam Radtke Russell, ENR, Debra K. Rubin, ENR, Janice L. Tuchman, ENR and Alisa Zevin, ENR Ms. Russell may be contacted at Russellp@bnpmedia.com Ms. Rubin may be contacted at rubind@enr.com Ms. Tuchman may be contacted at tuchmanj@enr.com Ms. Zevin may be contacted at zevina@enr.com Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of

    Wendel Rosen’s Construction Practice Group Welcomes Quinlan Tom

    January 06, 2016 —
    There’s been more cheer than usual at Wendel Rosen’s Construction Practice Group this holiday season. Earlier this month, Quinlan Tom, a construction and business attorney, joined us from McInerney & Dillon, a venerable and well-respected construction boutique firm (we know a lot of folks there) with local roots like us in Oakland, California. We’ve all known Quinlan for a while, so when he decided to join our band of merry legal practitioners, we were quite thrilled. Being lawyers though, and better at asking than answering questions, we decided to pose a few questions to Quinlan: Q. So, you’ve just been sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, under penalty of perjury. So, tell us about your practice. A. Let me just start with it’s quite an honor to appear in your blog; I’ve been a reader for a while (in secret of course before I got to Wendel Rosen). I’m also excited to join you and the other members of Wendel Rosen’s Construction Practice Group; as you mention, I’ve known each of you professionally for quite some time and respect each of you tremendously. I started as a construction litigator right out of law school. I completed three years of mechanical engineering at UC Davis and put that on my resume when I was looking for a job after law school. (In addition, my dad retired after 40 years in the trenches as a union electrician). McInerney & Dillon (“M&D”) and a couple of other firms found that interesting and I ended up starting with M&D. I did find that my engineering studies helped with my acclimation to construction disputes. While I never pretend to be an engineer, it has provided me with a foundation of how the construction process works and how the projects are designed. 26 years later, I continue to enjoy counseling my clients in their construction disputes/issues and still find each construction project I am involved with fascinating. I have tried, arbitrated and litigated cases for 26 years, from the United States District Court to the California Superior Court and the California Office of Administrative Hearings. I have argued cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the California Court of Appeal. I counsel my clients into hopefully making the best business decisions available melding the knowledge I have gleaned from my litigation experience with their financial and personal goals. 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

    Modified Plan Unveiled for Chicago's Sixth-Tallest Tower

    February 15, 2018 —
    The Chicago Plan Commission on Jan. 18 approved a $700-million development that, as presented, would include the city’s sixth-tallest building. Read the court decision
    Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Jeff Yoders, Engineering News-Record
    Mr. Yoders may be contacted at yodersj@enr.com

    Three Recent Cases Strike Down Liquidated Damages Clauses In Settlement Agreements…A Trend Or An Aberration?

    November 01, 2021 —
    Beginning more than one century ago, owners and contractors generally have adopted the convention of including liquidated damages in their contracts to fix potential liability for delay (and other losses) at the inception of the project. The proliferation of liquidated damages clauses in modern contracts can be attributed to economic and legal factors. From the owner’s standpoint, it may be exceedingly difficult to prove the actual cost impact of a delayed completion of the project. A properly calculated liquidated damages rate would save the owner the significant expense of quantifying its delay damages. On the contractor’s side, a reasonable amount of liquidated damages may be preferable to uncapped or unknown liability, allowing the contractor to more accurately price its bid and efficiently allocate risk. Coinciding with, or perhaps a leading cause of, the industry’s embrace of liquidated damages provisions, was the shift in courts throughout the country from disfavoring such clauses to accepting them (within limits) as an appropriate exercise of contract rights. While some variation exists among the states, courts have generally recognized that liquidated damages clauses are a viable alternative to proof of actual loss so long as (i) actual losses were difficult to quantify, and (ii) the stipulated sum bears a reasonable relationship to the anticipated loss at the time of contracting. See, e.g., Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 356. Conversely, a clause that penalizes the breaching party rather than serving as an estimate of probable loss is likely to be found unenforceable. Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of Adam M. Tuckman, Watt, Tieder, Hoffar, & Fitzgerald, LLP
    Mr. Tuckman may be contacted at atuckman@watttieder.com

    EPA Coal Ash Cleanup Rule Changes Send Utilities, Agencies Back to Drawing Board

    February 21, 2022 —
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to deny requests by three power facilities for extended deadlines to close unlined coal ash impoundments that are risks to groundwater, while offering only a provisional extension to another. The decision came as part of a larger agency push to strengthen regulation of coal combustion residuals disposal and facilities with unlined storage. Reprinted courtesy of Corinne Grinapol, Engineering News-Record ENR may be contacted at enr@enr.com Read the full story... Read the court decision
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    Reprinted courtesy of