California's two balcony inspection laws have moved past their deadlines. This page explains — in plain English, with the statutes cited — what each law requires now, and how the flagged repairs actually get done.
The Short Answer
California's balcony inspection deadlines have passed — January 1, 2025 for condominiums and HOAs under SB326, and January 1, 2026 for apartment buildings under SB721. Buildings are now in the repair-and-enforcement phase: if an inspection report flagged your elevated elements, you have defined windows to repair them. That repair work — waterproofing membranes, deck coatings, flashing, drainage — is what Silver Leaf does. Email us the report; the scope comes back in writing.
Both laws target the same thing: wood-framed “exterior elevated elements” — balconies, decks, porches, stairways, walkways, and entry structures with walking surfaces more than six feet above the ground, together with the waterproofing that protects them. The difference is who owns the duty.
Condominiums & HOAs
Civil Code §5551
Apartment Buildings
Health & Safety Code §17973
The report sorts findings into two tracks, and the tracks move at different speeds. Neither one is a reason to panic — both are a reason to schedule.
Access closes first. Under SB326, the inspector delivers the report to the association immediately and notifies local code enforcement within 15 days, and the association must keep occupants off the element until the repair is approved. Under SB721, preventing access until emergency repairs are complete is itself the required first step. Shoring, tarping, and barriers come first; the permanent repair follows under permit.
SB721 sets the clock: the inspector delivers the report within 45 days of the inspection, the owner applies for repair permits within 120 days of receiving it, and the work must be completed within 120 days of permit issuance unless the building department grants an extension. SB326 states no single statewide day count for this track — the association carries the repair duty, and boards fold the work into maintenance and reserve planning. Sooner is cheaper: water damage compounds while paperwork waits.
SB721 builds in escalation: if repairs aren't completed within 180 days, the inspector must notify the local enforcement agency, and after a 30-day notice the owner can face civil penalties of $100 to $500 per day until the work is done, plus a possible safety lien on the property (HSC §17973). Under SB326, local enforcement can step in and recover its costs from the association. The statutes are built so that delay costs more than repair — which is the practical argument for scoping now.
Every jurisdiction runs its own permitting and enforcement process — confirm the specifics with your local building department before you set a schedule.
Most flagged findings trace back to the same cause: the waterproofing stopped doing its job, and water reached the wood. The repair puts that protection back — correctly, under permit, and documented.
The most common finding: the deck surface let water reach the framing. We remove the failed system and install a walkable membrane, sloped so water leaves on its own.
Traffic-rated coatings for balconies, walkways, and stairs — the wearing surface and the waterproofing in one system, renewable on a schedule instead of replaced in a crisis.
Where a deck meets a wall, a post, or a door sill is where most water gets in. We rework flashing and edge metal so the membrane is sealed at its edges, not just across its field.
Ponding water is what turns a small breach into rot. Scuppers, drains, and slope corrections move water off the element by design.
Where the inspector found decayed framing, the structural members are repaired or replaced under the engineer's direction before any waterproofing goes back on — a coating is only as good as the wood beneath it. Balcony and deck systems are part of our everyday waterproofing work, not a specialty we bolt on.
That report is most of the scoping work already done. Attach it to an email and the repair plan — what, how, and in what order — comes back in writing. The button below opens a message to Silverleafrw@gmail.com with the subject already filled in.
A flagged report lands on someone's agenda — usually yours. The job is to turn it into a plan a board can approve and residents can live with.
The estimate arrives in writing, mapped to the inspection report's findings item by item, with photos — a document a board can vote on and a manager can file.
Multi-building repairs don't have to happen all at once. We phase the work by building, by stack, or by severity, so budgets and residents both get fair warning.
Closed balconies and access barriers are handled like the safety measures they are: posted, explained, and removed as each element passes its final inspection.
When the work is done you hold the permits, sign-offs, and photos — so the next six- or nine-year report starts from a known-good baseline.
Every deadline, window, and penalty range on this page comes from the statutes below — nothing is quoted from secondhand summaries. Read the law directly:
Statute text — exterior elevated element inspections for condominium projects. California Legislative Information. Accessed August 2026.
Statute text — exterior elevated element inspections for buildings with three or more dwelling units, including the repair windows and penalty provisions cited on this page. California Legislative Information. Accessed August 2026.
Bill record for the amendment that moved SB721's initial inspection deadline to January 1, 2026. Chaptered September 28, 2024. Accessed August 2026.
Verify any California contractor's license before hiring — for the inspection and for the repair. Accessed August 2026.
SB326 applies to condominium and HOA-governed buildings with three or more attached units; SB721 applies to apartment buildings with three or more units and exempts HOA-governed condominiums. Both cover wood-framed elevated elements with walking surfaces more than six feet above the ground — balconies, decks, porches, stairways, walkways, and entry structures. If your building has fewer than three units, neither law applies. When ownership is mixed or unusual, your local building department can confirm which law governs your property.
It depends on the law and on what was flagged. Under SB721, an apartment owner must apply for repair permits within 120 days of receiving the inspection report and complete the work within 120 days of permit issuance unless the building department grants an extension; anything flagged as an immediate hazard means access is closed off right away. Under SB326, an association must prevent access to any element flagged as an immediate threat until the repair is approved, and carries the ongoing duty to repair everything else. Local process varies, so confirm specifics with your local building department — and start scoping now, because permits and repairs both take time.
Yes. Inspections belong to engineers, architects, and certified inspectors — the repairs belong to licensed contractors, and the repairs these reports flag are Silver Leaf's core work: waterproofing membranes, walkable deck coatings, flashing, and drainage on balconies, decks, stairways, and walkways. Email us the inspection report and the repair scope comes back in writing, mapped to what the inspector flagged. Call (661) 312-0216 or email the report to Silverleafrw@gmail.com.
No report yet, or one that raised more questions than it answered? Tell us about the building and we will come look at the elevated elements. Estimates are free and the scope arrives in writing.
21715 Placeritos Blvd, Santa Clarita, CA 91321 · (661) 312-0216 · Free estimates.Monday – Friday 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM · Saturday 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM · Sunday Closed
