The January, 2025 deadline for compliance with both SB721 and SB326 continues to draw near even for multifamily house - condominium and buildings with more than 3 dwelling units and residential property owners across California have other seemingly more important things to consider. Consequently, [URL=http://www.eeeadvisor.com/]EEE Advisor[/URL] aims to help businesses and families prepare and beat the deadline by getting them familiar with the inspection criteria and process to ensure compliance with the California Balcony Law.Exterior Elevated Elements (EEEs)
The term emerged following the Berkeley balcony collapse and is now used in the law to mean structures, including their supports and railings, such as balconies, decks, porches, stairways, and walkways that extend beyond the exterior walls of the building and which have a walking surface that is elevated more than six feet above ground level., according to SB721.
[URL=http://www.eeeadvisor.com/]SB326[/URL] on the other hand defines “Exterior Elevated Elements” as the load-bearing components together with their associated waterproofing system.
Load-Bearing Components
According to SB 721, load-bearing components are “those components that extend beyond the exterior walls of the building to deliver structural loads from the exterior elevated element to the building.” SB326 gives a more descriptive definition as components that extend beyond the exterior walls of the building to deliver structural loads to the building from decks, balconies, stairways, walkways, and their railings, all designed for human occupancy or use, supported in whole or in substantial part by wood or wood-based products, and associated waterproofing systems including flashings, membranes, coatings, and sealants that protect the load-bearing components of Exterior Elevated Elements from exposure to water.
Visual Inspection
One of the major challenges with compliance is understanding the terms, especially visual inspection, as required by law, which is where the team at EEE Advisor will be helpful.
The inspector for balcony inspection provides a written report that lists the components that have been checked and describes their condition. estimating the components' remaining functional life, any necessary repairs, and reporting any immediate dangers to occupants.
Described as “the biggest divergence between the law meant for apartments and the law meant for Condos for HOAs,” sample size is defined by SB721 as “a sample of at least 15 percent of each type of exterior elevated element shall be inspected.” SB326 is a bit more elaborate, defining sample size as “a sufficient number of units inspected to provide 95 percent confidence that the results from the sample are reflective of the whole, with a margin of error of no greater than plus or minus five percent.”
Understanding the terms of the law and subsequently ensuring compliance can sometimes be a daunting task, especially for inexperienced engineers and even a property manager. Consequently, it is imperative to hire the best hands to ensure safety and of course, compliance.
For further information about SB-721 and SB-326 as well as other similar regulations and services offered by EEE Advisors, visit – [URL]www.EEEAdvisor.com[/URL]
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