SB 721 Guide California Balcony Inspection Law

Try and join those spaces and that will make the balcony space feel slightly more generous,” she said. The things that won't like growing shade are things that produce fruit because they need sun in order to create sugar for the fruit. “You want to steer away from very tall flowering plants, such as delphiniums because they're going to go crazy in the wind and obviously they're going to get a lot more sun exposure,” Isabelle added. Isabelle also feels it’s key to recognise the features of the indoor space that the balcony leads off from, and how to link the two areas.

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Balcony House Mesa Verde Tour – Your Visual Guide

GreatBuildz is a free service that connects homeowners with reliable, thoroughly screened general contractors, and provides ongoing project support to ensure a stress-free remodel. Your general contractor should be experienced with apartment remodeling or repairs, have an active contractor’s license, and maintain both General Liability and Worker’s Compensation Insurance. You might also want to consider how long any potential contractor has been licensed, as you don’t want to take a risk on someone new to the business. Other steps you can take in vetting a potential contractor can be found on the GreatBuildz Vetting Page, a systematic list of the process GreatBuildz takes to screen our contractors. This guide will provide the details for apartment owners to adhere to these SB 721 law requirements. Since having a secure balcony is critical for resident safety and structural security, balcony repairs are needed if problems arise.

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Growing edibles on a balcony garden

Yes, Inn at Playa Del Rey is a wonderful hotel in Playa Del Rey that’s located just a 10 min walk away from the beach. There are some hotels in Los Angeles with balconies that offer a free breakfast, like Inn at Playa del Rey and Hotel 850 SVB West Hollywood. Spend your days relaxing by the Mediterranean-style swimming pool, hitting the spa and trying all the organic goodies there, and enjoying a few drinks in the poolside cabanas during the golden hour.

SB 721 Repair Costs

Finally, local law enforcement agencies have the right to determine if you need to submit your report to them for any reason. The only time condominiums are affected by SB-721 is when an apartment building is being converted into condos. In this case, inspections must be completed before escrow closes on the first unit. Specifically, SB-721 focuses on wood-framed structures and requires inspections every six years. Today, California’s balcony bills have a logistical and financial impact on people who own multi-family buildings with elevated decks, balconies, and walkways.

Again, not every EEE is to be inspected, but rather, the inspection is based on a statistical sample of the overall number of EEEs. Decks, Balconies, and other similar structures are certainly designed, engineered, and built to withstand common use by the occupants of an apartment building. But these have two factors that can create potentially dangerous conditions. First, these elements are cantilevered, which means they protrude from the main structure and don’t have direct support from underneath. And second, they are constantly exposed to the elements (like a roof) and need to be maintained to ensure that rain, termites, mold, etc. don’t intrude and affect the underlying structural elements, the wood beams.

Once the notice is issued, the owner has a 30-day timeline to complete the needed repairs. Unless the local code enforcement agency doesn’t grant an extension, the owner may be subject to civil penalties that range from $100-$500 a day until the repairs are complete. The local code enforcement agency may also issue a safety lien on the property. Owners must apply for a construction permit on non-emergency repairs within 120 days of the inspector’s report, and once the permit is approved, owners typically have 120 days to complete the repair. Those owners who don’t complete a repair may be assessed a civil penalty or get a building safety lien placed on their property. It appears that the LAHD will be the enforcement agency for the new SB 721 requirements.

Which Buildings are Affected by SB-721?

In perfect conditions, most building inspectors could probably complete an EEE inspection in a few minutes. Under SB-326, the inspector must provide a copy of the inspection report to the building owner immediately upon completion of the report. If the repairs aren’t completed within 30 days, the building owner could be assessed a civil penalty. When the building owner’s permit is approved, they have an additional 120 days to complete the necessary repairs. Additionally, all subsequent EEE inspection reports should incorporate copies of previous reports, including the types and locations of all EEEs inspected.

“Spend time on the balcony and work out where the wind is coming from...I would recommend some kind of windbreak if you can – bamboo screening is great tied to railings with cable ties,” Alex says. But before you get started with the designing and planting, it’s important to make a solid plan of action that takes into account important details about your balcony. From the best plants based on aspect to maximising space, all the advice you need - from our carefully selected experts - is outlined in our bumper guide of balcony garden ideas. When designing a balcony garden, a limitation on space can mean it's hard to find inspiration and know where to begin.

Thinking back on it, though, I’m disappointed at myself that I didn’t tell her to get off. If you can’t hike, climb, and stand for an hour, you shouldn’t go on the tour. Taking a tour of the Balcony House was the highlight of our visit to Mesa Verde National Park.! Since we arrived at the visitor center late morning, most of the tours were already full that day, so we decided to get tickets for the next morning.

Having a balcony that is not secured can also threaten the building stability and any residents below the unit if damages occur during a balcony collapse. Therefore, wood-framed and structurally compromised balconies require a professional inspection. The Balcony Bill includes balconies, decks, stairways, walkways, porches, and entry structures that have more than six feet of elevation. These measures may include roping the affected EEE off to prevent occupant access to the area until repairs have been made, inspected, and approved by the local code enforcement agency.

If they don’t, the building inspector will notify the city building code enforcement agency and the building owner of the violation. Per the new law, an apartment building owner must have these elevated elements inspected before the end of 2024 and every six years thereafter. An owner or property manager would hire a qualified balcony inspector – this person would be a licensed architect, civil or structural engineer, building contractor, or building inspector.

The legislature determined that these deaths would have been preventable, if a proper inspection was done to see that the balcony was in poor condition. While many people might think growing fruit and veg on a balcony would be too challenging, Alex feels it’s very achievable if you use your imagination. Tom recommends drought tolerate plants such as aloe, agave or cacti for your balcony, if you are interested in growing succulent type species.

These urgent conditions must be repaired immediately, re-inspected, and reported to the enforcement agency. In addition to SB 721, there are other codes that California residents should be prepared to meet. Civil Code §5551 requires visual inspections for condominium associations starting in 2025. This includes all load-bearing components that are primarily supported by wood and that stand at least six feet above the ground. Since Southern California is vulnerable to seismic activity, having unsecured wooden structures can pose a serious safety threat to residents.

So, bear that in mind, either using water reservoirs in your pots, using an irrigation system, or making sure that you've got ready water supply to water your plants,” Isabelle said. Because of the sometimes harsher elements on balconies, and the fact that containers dry out quicker, you’ll need to take care to ensure your watering routine is right. An SB 721 contractor in Los Angeles should be someone who is experienced working on Multifamily properties, with the ability and staff to work on projects with structural wood, waterproofing, stucco, and siding elements. Not every contractor is equipped with the scaffolding or lift equipment to perform work on projects more than two floors above the ground.

This method involves removing sections of exterior finish to expose wood-framed elements covered by inspection requirements. The cost of a balcony inspection depends, ultimately, on the inspection method. Non-destructive technology, like visual inspections, infrared imagery, or moisture sensors, are the most affordable evaluation methods and are usually billed on a per-balcony basis.