We coordinate your SB 326 or SB 721 inspection — sourcing licensed engineers, managing deadlines, and overseeing repairs. Your board makes one call. We handle everything. No upfront cost to your HOA.
California has two separate balcony inspection laws — each with different deadlines, different enforcement, and different consequences for non-compliance.
The original HOA balcony inspection deadline has passed. If your community hasn't completed its inspection, presented findings at an open board meeting, and retained all documentation — your HOA is currently out of compliance and exposed to civil penalties.
Get Compliant Now →Extended by AB 2579, apartment building owners have until January 1, 2026 to complete their SB 721 exterior elevated element inspection. With engineers booked out, now is the time to secure your inspection before availability runs out.
Reserve Your Inspection →California law establishes daily civil penalties for HOAs that fail to complete required SB 326 inspections. Every day your community remains non-compliant, the liability grows. And if an incident occurs on an uninspected balcony, the board's exposure is severe.
We've built a proven 11-step process that takes the entire burden off your board. You stay informed at every milestone — we handle the execution.
Tell us your HOA's unit count, number of balconies, and current compliance status. We assess the scope, explain the law, and outline next steps — no obligation.
We assess your property remotely, then source 2–3 competitive bids from vetted, licensed structural engineers in your area. Every engineer we use is verified at bpelsg.ca.gov.
We present a clear, side-by-side comparison. Your board votes to approve one engineer. That's your only decision in the entire inspection phase.
We schedule the inspection date, send legal resident notification (7+ days notice), coordinate building access, and attend early projects to oversee the process.
We track the mandatory 45-day report window, follow up at day 30, and prepare all board meeting materials. We help present findings at the required open board meeting.
89% of inspections find deficiencies. We immediately source 3 qualified repair contractor bids so your board can make a fast, informed decision — typically saving 20–35% vs. going with a single contractor.
Emergency deficiencies require mobilization within 15 days. Non-emergency: 120 days to permit, 120 days to complete. We track every milestone and keep the board informed.
California law requires retaining all inspection records for 18 years. We create a structured digital archive and store all reports, bids, permits, and correspondence — accessible to your board anytime.
After your project closes, we offer a low monthly retainer to manage your next inspection cycle, track reinspection dates, and keep documentation current. Most boards find it invaluable.
Every service is designed to save your board time, money, and legal exposure — and our coordination fee is paid by the inspection partner, not your HOA.
Full-service coordination of your SB 326 or SB 721 inspection — from engineer sourcing to report receipt.
When deficiencies are found (89% of the time), we manage the entire repair process so you don't have to.
Ongoing compliance management — so your board never has to wonder if you're covered.
Unlike engineers who inspect and move on, we stay involved through every phase — from first bid to final archive.
| Feature | ✦ Balcony326 | Engineering Firm Only | DIY / Board-Managed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sourcing competitive bids | ✓ 2–3 bids always | Single quote | Board does this |
| Verifying engineer licenses | ✓ Every partner | — | If you know how |
| Resident notification management | ✓ Included | — | Board drafts it |
| 45-day report tracking | ✓ We monitor & follow up | — | If you remember |
| Board meeting preparation | ✓ Materials provided | — | Board prepares it |
| Repair bid sourcing | ✓ 3 bids minimum | — | Board finds them |
| 18-year document archive | ✓ Managed for you | Report only | Wherever you put it |
| Cost to HOA | ✓ $0 coordination cost | Inspection only | Staff time + errors |
Our coordination fee is paid by the engineering partner — not your HOA. This is fully disclosed in writing per California law. Your board pays nothing extra.
We always collect 2–3 engineer bids. Boards that shop bids consistently pay 20–40% less than those who accept a single quote. That one act more than justifies our service.
Every engineer partner in our network has completed 20+ SB 326 inspections, carries E&O insurance, and is verified current on the California BPELSG registry before we refer a single project.
We don't disappear after the inspection. We manage repairs, maintain your 18-year document archive, and track your next inspection cycle — so compliance is never an afterthought.
Volunteer board members, property managers, and self-managed HOAs share their experience working with us.
Our board had been putting off SB 326 for over a year — none of us understood the process and we were afraid of the cost. They handled everything. We signed off on one bid and they literally did the rest. Turned out two of our balconies needed repairs, and they got us three bids on that too. Saved us thousands.
I manage 28 HOA communities and have been referring them for a year. My clients love that there's no upfront cost, and I love that I don't have to manage any of it. The coordination fee disclosure is handled professionally and boards appreciate the transparency. It's a genuinely great service.
We're a self-managed HOA of 18 units and the board is all volunteers. We had no idea how to find a qualified engineer, let alone coordinate resident notifications, track deadlines, and then deal with repairs. This service was a lifesaver. The whole process was smooth and documented from day one.
Straight answers to the questions HOA boards, property managers, and attorneys ask us most often.
No — but every day of delay adds to your liability. While the deadline has passed, completing your inspection now demonstrates good faith and active effort to comply. California courts and regulators consider timing and effort when assessing penalties. The worst thing you can do is nothing. Contact us today and we'll get your process started immediately.
When your HOA signs a contract with the engineer we refer, we receive a coordination fee directly from that engineer — not from your HOA. California law (CAL. CIV. CODE §5551) requires this arrangement to be disclosed, and we do so in writing before any referral is made. Your board pays only the inspection fee itself, which you would pay regardless of how you found the engineer. Our coordination services — bid sourcing, scheduling, tracking, board meeting prep — are covered by that disclosed referral arrangement.
We are coordination specialists, not engineers. We do not perform inspections or sign reports. California law requires that SB 326 inspections be performed by a licensed structural engineer (SE), licensed civil engineer (PE-Civil), or licensed architect — and the report must be signed and stamped by that licensee. All engineers in our referral network are verified on the California BPELSG registry and carry professional liability (E&O) insurance. We handle the coordination; they handle the technical work.
This is actually the most common outcome — 89% of SB 326 inspections identify at least one deficiency. That's why we include repair coordination as part of our service. When deficiencies are found, we immediately source 3 competitive contractor bids. Emergency deficiencies (posing immediate threat to life safety) require mobilization within 15 days. Non-emergency deficiencies allow 120 days to pull permits and 120 days to complete repairs. We manage every deadline and keep the board informed throughout.
Typically 2–6 weeks from your first call to receiving the inspection report, depending on engineer availability and building size. The law requires the report within 45 days of the inspection date. If repairs are needed, the repair process adds 2–6 months depending on scope. We track every milestone and give your board clear status updates throughout. A rough timeline: Discovery call → bids in hand (5 days) → board approval → inspection scheduled within 2 weeks → report within 45 days.
Several things — and this is where boards often fall short. After receiving the report: (1) Present the report findings at an open board meeting. (2) Notify all unit owners and tenants in writing within 15 days of receiving the report. (3) If emergency conditions are found, post notice on each affected structure within 15 days. (4) Retain all inspection records for 18 years. (5) Begin repair work within the legally required timeframes. We prepare materials for all of these steps and create your 18-year digital archive.
SB 326 applies to condominium associations and HOAs — deadline was January 1, 2025. SB 721 applies to apartment buildings with 3 or more units — deadline is January 1, 2026 (extended by AB 2579). Both laws require inspection of Exterior Elevated Elements (EEEs): balconies, decks, walkways, stairways, and similar wood-framed structures. We coordinate inspections under both laws. If you're unsure which applies to your property, our free consultation call will clarify it immediately.
Possibly. Having an inspection is step one, but many HOAs stop there without completing the legally required follow-up steps: presenting at an open board meeting, notifying owners in writing, archiving records for 18 years, and initiating repairs if deficiencies were found. We offer a free compliance audit to review your current status and identify any gaps. Many boards who "already had an inspection" are surprised to learn they're still partially non-compliant.
Our engineer network covers Southern California, the Bay Area, Central Valley, and beyond. If your community is in California, we can help.
Book your free 15-minute consultation today. We'll assess your property, clarify exactly what your HOA needs to do, and outline the next steps — with zero obligation.
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