WestCon Tribune
November 1997
Salter & Salter On Condo Acoustics
In one of the shortest presentations ever given at a Westcon meeting, Charles and Joshua Salter, Esq. discussed the technical and legal aspects of condominium acoustics. Charles addressed code requirements in the State of California, marketing considerations, problems that arise during the construction of multi-family housing units, and adversely effected acoustics. He also recommended means by which condominium associations can confront acoustical complaints by homeowners after people have moved in.
Joshua discussed everything that anyone would ever want to know about negligence, breach of contract/warranty, strict liability, and nuisance. The topics were so well covered that there were no questions from the audience.
Reminder
This month's meeting will be held at the Lakeview Club, top of the Kaiser Center, on Oakland's Lake Merrit. Parking is available in the Kaiser Center Parking Garage. Join us for great speakers, good food, and a fantastic view.
This Month: New Materials - Old Waterproofing Problems
Harv Abernathey and Bruce Mosias of Aquatech Consultancy, Inc. in San Rafael will discuss new materials and old waterproofing problems at the Westcon meeting this month. Topics for the evening include a discussion of new materials on the marketplace and related waterproofing problems; building paper/window interfacing and plaster details; and sealants and deck membrane terminations.
Slides and product samples will accompany the presentation. Bring your war stories.
Harv Abernathey has 25 years practical experience troubleshooting water infiltration problems and has tackled nearly every waterproofing scenario. Bruce Mosias is also a veteran in the evaluation of such problems.
In early August of this year, Abernathey and Fred Honeck merged their respective firms to create Aquatech Consultancy, Inc. Mosias also joined at this time. Among other things, ACI provides assistance in the remediation of product errors/omission policies, and provides assistance to architects and owners in the evaluation of drawings for compliance with waterproofing standards.
Code Committee Meeting Agenda 6:30-7:00 PM Wednesday, 19 November 1997
Old Business
Westcon one day Symposium
The Board recommended that the committee proceed to write up a description of the symposium with prime topics, participants, schedule, budget, etc. for the Board's review. Discussion points included:
- 1. Symposium Title: Design and Construction Defects in Frame Buildings: Why doesn't the industry get rid of them? What can be done to improve the system? The Board needs to choose a format for the symposium.
- 2. The Board requested that all the participants be Westcon members. Should the Code Committee request the Board to reconsider and allow non-Westcon members to participate? - See New Business
- 3. Consider compiling a list of common deficiencies categorized by trades. This item has been discussed for several years at Code and Education committee meetings.
- 4. Consider suggesting to the Board and membership the following revisions to the purpose of the Organization (suggested changes in bold italics):
Purpose
The purpose of this Organization is to promote the highest standards of professionalism and to protect the general welfare of the design and construction consultant, to improve the practice of the professional design and construction consultant, and to offer expertise and knowledge to the design and construction industry. Because of the Organization's unique experience of analyzing building failures and their costly legal ramifications, the Organization will attempt to suggest improvements to the design and construction industries.
New Business
Consider organizing a symposium with co-sponsors, similar to those which co-sponsored numerous SFAIA Waterproofing classes. The co-sponsors were: American Institute of Architects, San Francisco; American Society of Civil Engineers, San Francisco; Associated General Contractors of California, Inc.; Construction Specifications Institute, San Francisco; America Construction Inspectors Association.
Please join our discussion in person or write letters to the Westcon Tribune Editor expressing your opinion.
In The News....
- Ground has been broken for a mixed-use project in Sonoma. Project manager Thomas Anderson expects to complete the 5,400 square foot commercial office building and 2,000 square foot residential space in March 1998. The two-story commercial office building in the 700 block of Broadway will be leased in whole or in part with each of the two 2,700 square foot floors available. The project feasibility study was completed by Thomas Anderson & Company Construction Consultants. For more information, call (707) 938-2146.
- The California Building Industry Foundation and J.A.M.S/Endispute is presenting a seminar on Friday, 14 November addressing Construction Dispute Resolution. The seminar will take place at the Hilton At The Club in Pleasanton. For further information, call CBIF at (800) 464-5436 or (916) 443-0181.
- The World of Concrete '98 is coming to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL this January. More than 50,000 construction professionals from around the world are expected to attend. For registration information, call (800) 837-0870.
The Holiday Season Approaches... ...and that means it's time for the annual Westcon Holiday Party. Gear up for a night of dinner and a little music at the Marines Memorial Club in downtown San Francisco. When? Wednesday, 18 December. How many? 50 people max, so be sure to reserve early. How much? $20 per person. Mark your calendars!!
Why Should Westcon Help? An Open Letter From Wesley W. Page, P.E.
Why should Westcon, both as a group and as individual members, offer to assist the leaders of the construction industries in finding solutions to the problems of quality and quality control that occur so consistently in residential housing? After all, it is these very problems of poor initial quality and field quality control that create the jobs of Westcon members.
The simple answer is to say that a need exists and no one else appears able to find the answers.
Before a direct answer to the question can be made, it is necessary to state where the industry is now. Who is involved and why is it so difficult to find effective answers to what seems to be simple technical problems? What do most people think about it?
The Present Situation
First of all, is there a problem? Yes there is. Quite a few people within and close to the housing and construction fields recognize that there are serious design and construction defects in a large percentage of all residential frame construction. They have been involved in legal cases, have had units that leak, or settle, have faulty electrical or plumbing work, or suffered unexplained structural damage in seismic or storm conditions.
Most of these people and the general public, to the degree they are interested at all, feel the defects are related to changed in construction that occurred after World War II when the construction industry began mass-produced housing.
A lesser number of people see vaguely where the problems are. They tend to blame cheap construction, poor workmanship, and dishonesty. They believe someone is to blame but really have no idea who is responsible or what might be done about it.
A still smaller number of people see in a more specific way the actual sources of the defects and why they occur in such a repetitive manner.
A very few people see quite clearly exactly where the sources of the specific defects are. They know that these sources of defects could be eliminated. They also believe they know what would result from changes that would eliminate the defects.
If these people know the causes, why do changes not occur and defects stop or be reduced in number?
Almost no one within the various components of the industry believes changes should be made. This includes the design, construction, real estate, insurance, code writing, and other industries. But even if they did want to make changes, they really do not understand why these defects occur and what changes are required to eliminate all repetitive defects.
The Technical Experts
In my opinion, the only people that clearly understand what these defects are and what action is necessary to eliminate them are the investigating experts. Some of them do know exactly why buildings settle, why foundations crack, why roofs and walls leak, why plumbing fails, why unexplained fires occur, why dry rot appears in walls, and why walls lift off sills in storms and earthquakes.
These people are involved in a steady stream of cases. They see the same defects causing the same damages in project after project after project. They use this information on case after case in support of old and new clients.
Is there a greater good?
In none of the discussions above are the interests of the buyer, owner, or tenant taken into consideration. The people getting hurt are not parties to the discussion. What happens to the people whose buildings are involved, whose lives are disrupted, whose finances are ruined? What about the sheer waste of knowingly designing and building residential buildings on a massive scale, knowing that they will fail, whether at once or in a short time?
It is my firm opinion that many of these experts who hold the keys feel that individually they are powerless and can take no action. They feel that they must remain silent so they will retain their ability to at least help in the present cases.
But is it really true that they are better off to the degree that such continued silence is supportable? Possibly not. It appears that the present backlog of cases, including those now under construction and planned, will provide a supply of leaking and otherwise defective buildings for at least the next ten years. It is unlikely that any program, except immediate, mandatory code changes, will shut off the flow of defective structures. There is plenty of time to prepare.
In any case, as Stanley Feingold, well-known attorney for plaintiffs pointed out, if the industry made a concerted and planned effort to solve the problem they would need a whole new cadre of experts to work with the architects, planners, permitting officials, contractors, and inspectors. This has happened in other fields and would certainly happen in the categories involved here.
If the organization known as Westcon could put together the combined knowledge of its experts to prepare and publish a Model Code covering all of the major areas of building failures, complete with major details, specification, and enforcement programs, I believe it would carry enough weight to cause major organizations and agencies to turn their powers of design and construction to the solution of these problems. Such a plan should start with an immediate objective of establishing design life expectancies of 30 years, to be followed by objectives of 50 years or more.
Wesley W. Page, P.E.
Coatings Consultation Services, Inc.
19 August 1997
Roast Prime Rib of Beef
Grilled Filet of Salmon - with a citrus herb sauce
Penne Pasta - with a sun dried tomato and pesto sauce
Remember!! Late reservations or walk-ins (if there is space) will pay $45. >
Please mark your meal choice and mail or fax your reservation with the names of those attending. Reservations must be received by Friday, 14 November 1997, after which late fee will apply. Cost is $40 per member ($45 late fee) and $14 per first-time guest. Send payment and reservations to:
Lina Habache
Authentic Restoration & Waterproofing
1155 Chess Drive, Suite 116
Foster City, CA 94404
(415) 341-6932 fax (415) 341-6733
email: LIHabache@aol.com