ACE performs SB 326 and SB 721 balcony inspections for HOAs, apartment owners, and property managers throughout Oakland, California. Our licensed inspectors build a statistically-defensible sample plan, probe wood-framed EEEs for hidden decay, and file the stamped statutory report your association keeps on file for the next nine-year cycle — with a fixed-fee scope quoted before we mobilize.
SB 326 requires HOAs to inspect at least 15% of Exterior Elevated Elements (EEEs) in condo buildings by January 1, 2025 and every nine years after. SB 721 covers apartment buildings with three or more units on a six-year cycle. Both statutes require a licensed inspector to observe load-bearing components and their waterproofing systems and file a signed report with the association or owner. Explore our condition-assessment program for the full scope of related capabilities we bring to Oakland engagements.
Oakland sits in a Cool Marine, Fog-Influenced (Zone 3C Warm-Marine) climate zone. Persistent fog, wet winters, and dry summers combine with coastal salt aerosol to accelerate metal corrosion and sealant weathering. Air-barrier continuity, corrosion-resistant fasteners, and UV-stable sealants matter here in ways they do not in an interior climate. The Oakland building stock we most often work in includes Uptown mid-rises, Jack London District mixed-use, and West Oakland industrial-conversion podiums. Most Oakland balcony failures we see originate at the deck-to-wall transition where a coating was terminated without proper flashing behind the wall cladding — a detail that fails silently for years before manifesting. See California for the multi-market context, and Envelope Consulting — Oakland for a complementary scope in the same market.
Balcony inspections concentrate on the deck-to-wall interface, where flashing terminations fail and hidden decay begins. Probes are placed on a statistically-defensible plan.
Covering Oakland SB 326 inspection and related scopes
We identify every EEE — balconies, decks, walkways, stairs, landings — and confirm which components are load-bearing per the statute.
Deck coatings, flashings, sealants, and drainage are examined for continuity, adhesion, and integration with the wall assembly.
Where accessible, we probe framing at high-risk locations to check for hidden fungal decay — the failure mechanism behind the Berkeley collapse.
For SB 326 we work with the association to define a defensible 15% sample that captures each element type and orientation across the property.
A stamped report identifying observed conditions, associated life-safety risk levels, and a repair or reserve recommendation — the record HOAs are required to retain.
Every engagement follows a three-phase delivery structure so you know what you are getting, when.
Any Exterior Elevated Element more than six feet above grade supported by wood framing — the failure mode addressed by both statutes. Concrete or steel balconies with only wood surface trim are also captured. When in doubt we perform the observation and let the record speak.
SB 326 applies to condominium associations statewide, including Oakland. SB 721 applies to rental apartment buildings with three or more units. If your building has any balconies, decks, walkways, or landings more than six feet above grade, at least one of the statutes almost certainly applies.
Associations that miss the January 1, 2025 initial deadline expose themselves to increased liability, difficulty obtaining insurance renewals, and — in the event of a collapse — regulatory investigation. Many carriers now require a completed SB 326 inspection as a condition of the master policy.
Fees scale with the number of EEEs and building complexity, not with a fixed per-unit rate. For a typical mid-size Oakland HOA we quote a fixed fee once we’ve reviewed the inventory — small buildings commonly land in the low four figures, larger campuses higher. We quote the fee before mobilization, not after.
Yes. Continuity from inspection through repair design is one of the highest-value moves an association can make — the engineer who documented the observation is the same engineer specifying the fix. We price inspection and repair-design phases separately with fixed fees for each.
ACE Building Envelope Design has practiced envelope engineering across the Western United States on hundreds of commercial, multifamily, institutional, and legal-defense projects. Our senior engineers are licensed Professional Engineers, active in FGIA and ASTM committees, and have provided expert testimony in state and federal envelope-defect matters.
Founded and led by Conor Meyers (CEO), with John Harris (President) and Jedidiah Brandman (SVP) directing the technical practice.
ACE covers California from our Western U.S. base, and related work in this market is documented at Envelope Testing — Oakland. Every engagement starts with a fixed-fee scope proposal — you see the price and fee before you commit.
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