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    Building Consultant 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 Consultant Contractors Licensing
    Guidelines Seattle Washington

    A license is required for plumbing, and electrical trades. Businesses must register with the Secretary of State.


    Building Consultant Contractors Building Industry
    Association Directory
    MBuilders Association of King & Snohomish Counties
    Local # 4955
    335 116th Ave SE
    Bellevue, WA 98004

    Seattle Washington Building Consultant 10/ 10

    Home Builders Association of Kitsap County
    Local # 4944
    5251 Auto Ctr Way
    Bremerton, WA 98312

    Seattle Washington Building Consultant 10/ 10

    Home Builders Association of Spokane
    Local # 4966
    5813 E 4th Ave Ste 201
    Spokane, WA 99212

    Seattle Washington Building Consultant 10/ 10

    Home Builders Association of North Central
    Local # 4957
    PO Box 2065
    Wenatchee, WA 98801

    Seattle Washington Building Consultant 10/ 10

    MBuilders Association of Pierce County
    Local # 4977
    PO Box 1913 Suite 301
    Tacoma, WA 98401

    Seattle Washington Building Consultant 10/ 10

    North Peninsula Builders Association
    Local # 4927
    PO Box 748
    Port Angeles, WA 98362
    Seattle Washington Building Consultant 10/ 10

    Jefferson County Home Builders Association
    Local # 4947
    PO Box 1399
    Port Hadlock, WA 98339

    Seattle Washington Building Consultant 10/ 10


    Building Consultant News and Information
    For Seattle Washington


    Property Owner Found Liable for Injuries to Worker of Unlicensed Contractor, Again

    Pennsylvania Court Finds that Two Possible Causes Can Prove a Product Malfunction Theory of Liability

    Michigan Supreme Court Concludes No Statute of Repose on Breach of Contract

    Is it the End of the Story for Redevelopment in California?

    Connecticut Court Clarifies Construction Coverage

    Don’t Miss the 2015 West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar

    Prior Occurrence Exclusion Bars Coverage for Construction Defects

    Certifying Claim Under Contract Disputes Act

    How Machine Learning Can Help with Urban Development

    Bremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara LLP Attorneys to Speak at the 2016 National Construction Claims Conference

    Insurer Has Duty to Defend Sub-Contractor

    Newmeyer & Dillion Attorneys Listed in the Best Lawyers in America© 2017

    Avoiding Lender Liability for Credit-Related Actions in California

    Jason Feld Awarded Volunteer of the Year by Claims & Litigation Management Alliance

    Colorado “property damage” caused by an “occurrence” and exclusions j(5) and j(6) “that particular part”

    Challenging and Defending a California Public Works Stop Payment Notice: Affidavit vs. Counter-Affidavit Process

    Appeals Court Rules that CGL Policy Doesn’t Cover Subcontractors’ Faulty Work

    Insurer’s Attempt to Shift Cost of Defense to Another Insurer Found Void as to Public Policy

    Hovnanian Reports “A Year of Solid Profitability”

    Don’t Overlook Leading Edge Hazards

    One Sector Is Building Strength Amid Slow Growth

    Performing Work with a Suspended CSLB License Costs Big: Subcontractor Faces $18,000,000 Disgorgement

    Denver Council Committee Approves Construction Defects Ordinance

    Big Changes and Trends in the Real Estate Industry

    Major Changes in Commercial Construction Since 2009

    California Supreme Court Adopts Vertical Exhaustion for Long-Tail Claims

    Business Risk Exclusions Bar Coverage for Construction Defect Claims

    When Does a Contractor Legally Abandon a Construction Project?

    NYC’s Developers Plow Ahead With Ambitious Plans to Reshape City

    Surety’s Several Liability Under Bonds

    Wildfire Insurance Coverage Series, Part 2: Coverage for Smoke-Related Damages

    Construction of New U.S. Homes Declines on Plunge in South

    Colorado Legislative Update: HB 20-1155, HB 20-1290, and HB 20-1348

    California Ballot Initiative Seeks to Repeal Infrastructure Funding Bill

    Are “Green” Building Designations and Certifications Truly Necessary?

    Senate Bill 15-091 Passes Out of the Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee

    How BIM Can Serve Building Owners

    New Jersey Imposes New Apprenticeship Training Requirements

    Carbon Sequestration Can Combat Global Warming, Sometimes in Unexpected Ways

    Inspectors Hurry to Make Sure Welds Are Right before Bay Bridge Opening

    Bad News for Buyers: U.S. Mortgage Rates Hit Highest Since 2014

    Court Finds That Split in Underground Storage Tank is Not a Covered Collapse

    Dear Engineer: Has your insurer issued a “Reservation of Rights” letter? (law note)

    Federal Regulatory Recap: A Summary of Recent Rulemaking Actions Taken or Proposed Affecting the Energy Industry

    Fatal Crane Collapse in Seattle Prompts Questions About Disassembly Procedures

    Insurance Measures Passed by 2015 Hawaii Legislature

    Connecticut’s New False Claims Act Increases Risk to Public Construction Participants

    A DC Office Building Offers a Lesson in Glass and Sculpture

    Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court Clarifies Pennsylvania’s Strict Liability Standard

    Quick Note: Notice of Contest of Claim Against Payment Bond
    Corporate Profile

    SEATTLE WASHINGTON BUILDING CONSULTANT
    DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

    The Seattle, Washington Building Consultant Group is comprised from a number of credentialed construction professionals possessing extensive trial support experience relevant to construction defect and claims matters. Leveraging from more than 25 years experience, BHA provides construction related trial support and expert services to the nation's most recognized construction litigation practitioners, Fortune 500 builders, commercial general liability carriers, owners, construction practice groups, and a variety of state and local government agencies.

    Building Consultant News & Info
    Seattle, Washington

    The Johnstown Dam Failure, as Seen in the Pages of ENR in 1889

    April 08, 2024 —
    The small headline of the Engineering News article shown here belies the gravity of the disaster: the deadliest dam failure in U.S. history. The South Fork Dam in Pennsylvania was a 72-ft-tall, 931-ft long earth and rockfill structure. After a stop-and-start construction process over a dozen years, it was completed in 1853. The dam went through several changes of ownership and was repaired inadequately. Fish screens were installed that obstructed the spillway and caused water to overtop and erode the structure. This mass of water uprooted trees, rocks, houses, rail cars and animals as it thundered down the valley before smashing into a stone railway embankment. Fires ignited by wrecked locomotives burned for three days. The death toll was 2,208. Reprinted courtesy of Scott Lewis, Engineering News-Record Mr. Lewis may be contacted at lewisw@enr.com Read the full story...

    'Taylor Swift Is an Economic Phenomenon': CE's Q1 2024 Economic Update and Forecast

    April 29, 2024 —

    On March 27, Construction Executive presented its "2024 Q1 Economic Update and Forecast," hosted by ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. If you've attended previous versions of this webinar, you're familiar with Basu’s pragmatic approach to the economics of the construction industry and his penchant for predicting recession. But this quarter, he opted for an almost-optimistic approach and hinted at walking back his thoughts on recession. Read the most quotable moments, new poll results and top takeaways from the presentation below.

    POLL RESULTS: Q1 2024 vs. Q4 2023 Poll 1: Which of these is the leading challenge for your company today?

    Supply chain and/or materials issues

    Skills/worker shortage

    Insufficient demand for construction services

    Availability of financing for projects/project work

    None of the above

    December 2023March 2024
    10% 7%
    57% 60%
    11% 11%
    19% 17%
    3% 6%

    Reprinted courtesy of Grace Calengor, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved.


    Wyncrest Commons: Commonly Used Progress Payments in Construction Contracts Do Not Render Them Installment Contracts

    December 11, 2023 —
    In BIL-JIM Construction Company, Inc. v. Wyncrest Commons, LP, 2023 WL 7276637 (Unpublished, decided November 3, 2023), the New Jersey Appellate Division was asked to consider two issues regarding the interpretation and application of a construction contract that utilized the standard form American Institute of Architects owner/contractor agreement (AIA Document A101-2007) (the “AIA Contract”). Specifically, it was asked to consider: 1) whether a modified AIA Contract was an “installment contract,” whereby each progress payment was subject to its own statute of limitations; and 2) whether and when work had been approved in the context of New Jersey’s Municipal Land Use Law. While the decision is presently unpublished, it provides guidance as to how form contracts utilizing the same or similar terms will be treated by New Jersey’s courts and is a reminder that the potential for future claims must be considered during contract negotiations. Discussion The primary issue in Wyncrest was whether an AIA Contract was an “installment contract,” and the remaining issues turned on the resolution of this question. Wyncrest, the owner for the project at issue, did not dispute that its contractor, BIL-JIM Construction Company, Inc., had not been fully paid for work that it had performed in connection with a construction project located in Ocean County, New Jersey. Instead, Wyncrest argued that because its AIA Contract with BIL-JIM required that invoices be presented and paid monthly, it constituted an “installment contract.” As such, older payments would be treated as individual transactions and were time barred by the applicable statute of limitations. The trial court agreed with Wyncrest’s characterization of the AIA Contract as an “installment contract,” and found that BIL-JIM’s invoices were each subject to their own statute of limitations. However, the trial court disagreed with Wyncrest’s argument that BIL-JIM’s claim for retainage—which was submitted at the end of its work at the project—was time barred. Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Benjamin J. Hochberg, Peckar & Abramson, P.C.
    Mr. Hochberg may be contacted at bhochberg@pecklaw.com

    The Increasing Trend of Caps in Construction Contracts and Negotiating Them

    November 27, 2023 —
    Risks are inherent in every construction project and all parties involved face them: owners, designers, general contractors/builders, subcontractors, suppliers…. Equitably allocating such risks is one of the most important and most negotiated areas of any construction related contract. Limitations of liability provisions are key to risk allocation. These provisions include no damage for delay provisions and caps on delay damages, warranty limitations and exclusions, indemnity limitations, and consequential damage waivers. Another, and the focus of this article, is a liability cap fixing the total amount of damages for which a party may be liable under the contract (the “Liability Cap”). Liability Caps have become more and more common in construction and construction related contracts, including major component supply agreements and design agreements. This article will discuss Liability Caps generally and considerations of an owner or contractor negotiating them, including carve-outs (i.e. exceptions) to them. Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Jarred Trauth, Jones Walker LLP
    Mr. Trauth may be contacted at jtrauth@joneswalker.com

    Real Estate & Construction News Roundup (4/17/24) – Travel & Tourism Reach All-Time High, President Biden Emphasizes Housing in SOTU Address, and State Transportation Projects Under Scrutiny

    May 13, 2024 —
    In our latest roundup, Airbnb advocates for new short-term rental rules, the U.S. Supreme Court rules on hefty development fees, loan losses becomes a greater issue for banks, and more! Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team

    Stay of Coverage Case Appropriate While Court Determines Arbitrability of Dispute

    April 22, 2024 —
    The Fifth Circuit vacated a discovery order issued by the district court and remanded the case for issuance of a stay while the arbitrability of the coverage dispute was reviewed. Cameron Parish Recreation #6 v. Indian Harbor Ins. Co., et al., 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 3804 (5th Cir. Feb. 19, 2024). The plaintiffs purchased surplus lines polices from various insurance companies to provide coverage for commercial properties. The policies included an arbitration provision for resolving any disputes. After plaintiffs were denied coverage for damage to their properties from Hurricane Laura, they sued the insurers. The insurers filed motions to compel arbitration and to stay the case. The district court refused the stay and ordered limited discovery into arbitrability. The insurers appealed. Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Tred R. Eyerly, Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert
    Mr. Eyerly may be contacted at te@hawaiilawyer.com

    Settlement Reached on Troubled Harbor Bridge in Corpus Christi, Texas

    November 16, 2023 —
    A $400-million settlement was reached between the Texas Dept. of Transportation and general contractor Flatiron/Dragados over Corpus Christi’s Harbor Bridge in mid-October. The accord ends all disagreements and damage claims concerning the cable-stayed bridge, a project halted multiple times. Reprinted courtesy of Daniel Tyson, Engineering News-Record Mr. Tyson may be contacted at tysond@enr.com Read the full story...

    Don’t Spoil Me: Oklahoma District Court Rules Against Spoliation Sanctions

    January 08, 2024 —
    In Okla. Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. Co. v. Omega Flex, Inc., No. CIV-22-18-D, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 197755, the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma (the District Court) determined spoliation sanctions were not warranted after a home was demolished for repair following a joint scene examination. The insurer, Oklahoma Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company (Insurer) provided a policy of insurance to Michael and Sondra Diel (the Diels). On July 11, 2020, the Diels’ home was struck by lightning and their attic caught fire. Following the loss, Insurer retained both counsel and fire origin and cause experts to inspect the Diels’ property. Insurer’s counsel informed in-house counsel for Omega Flex, Inc. (Omega Flex) via a letter dated July 14, 2020, that a preliminary investigation indicated the fire may have been caused by an Omega Flex product—specifically, TracPipe Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST). Insurer’s counsel invited Omega Flex to inspect the property, noting: “It is anticipated that the loss will exceed $300,000” and stating that any inspection “must be completed during the next two weeks. At that time, the homeowner will proceed with demolition to rebuild.” (Emphasis added). Read the full story...
    Reprinted courtesy of Kyle Rice, White and Williams
    Mr. Rice may be contacted at ricek@whiteandwilliams.com