Central Construction Management, LLC’s Post

Aging brick facades can pose serious risks if not properly maintained⚠️ That's why we issued an advisory on the dangers of poorly maintained brick facades, which at their worst can lead to catastrophic events. Some quick potential warning signs to look out for with your brick façade include: 🧱Loose bricks/façade. 🧱Appearance of a gap between the backup wall and façade wall at windows. 🧱Cracks in brick walls and outward bulges. 🧱Occurrence of out-of-plane movement. 🧱Face brick that was installed without proper anchorage/tie. Thanks to Safety+Health magazine for the coverage: https://lnkd.in/exftNmeq Learn more about some problematic characteristics found in some brick facades straight from our #ConstructionAdvisory https://lnkd.in/eng-WKcn

SB 326: The Balcony Law 🏗 This bill mandates that associations conduct regular inspections of elevated exterior elements such as decks, balconies, patios, or elevated walkways. These inspections must be overseen by a licensed structural engineer or architect, who will then generate a report. For existing HOAs, the initial inspection must be completed by January 2025, with reoccurring inspections required every nine years. New condos are required to undergo their first inspection within six years of receiving a certificate of occupancy. During the inspection, the structural engineer or architect will assess the condition of load-bearing components, the state of waterproofing, and estimate the projected service life. It's important to schedule your inspection promptly to comply with the law! #construction #balcony #california #californialaw #senate #update #hoa #condominio #property #propertyinsights #propertymanagers #realestate #milancobuildinggroup #milancobg #work #constructionnews #news #californiarealestate #housing #housingmarket https://lnkd.in/gy7vV2nX

When it comes to risk of catastrophic failure, residential exterior balconies—especially if they are cantilevered—are particularly vulnerable. Following the tragic 2015 collapse of a balcony in Berkeley, California that took the lives of six college students, the State of California enacted legislation intended to reduce the risk of this type of accident reoccurring. SB326 for condominiums and SB721 for apartments, commonly known as the California Balcony Inspection Laws, require a licensed engineer or architect to inspect all exterior wood balconies, walkways, and decks on multi-family developments. Initial inspections are required to be completed by January 1, 2025, with recurring inspections every nine years thereafter. By law, the balcony inspection must include an intrusive inspection of at least 15% of the structural elements. This means removal of stucco, soffits, deck surfaces, and other finishes that conceal the structural members and connections so they can be inspected for signs of damage or degradation. Wright Engineers’ deck inspections over the past two years have revealed plenty of hidden damage. “Termites and water can destroy wood members with little to no outward indication that anything is wrong,” says Scott Jones SE, Executive Vice President of Wright Engineers. “I’ve been amazed to discover severely degraded wood structural members that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.” Since degradation and damage that weakens the structural capacity of a balcony can be present with no outwardly visible signs, a periodic inspection by a qualified person could identify these conditions and allow them to be repaired before further damage—or worse—occurs. Photo credit: By Yankeepapa13 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://lnkd.in/gxBBJv56 #wrightengineers #teamwright #whereswright

"Facade inspections and regulations may soon undergo major changes, after the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) announced the introduction of a comprehensive review of the current Facade and Inspection Safety program in May." Powered by Outsource Consultants, Decoder NY is the go-to news source for all things building code and zoning. Access this 2-minute read at DecoderNY.com. #Decoder #DecoderNY #OutsourceConsultants #News #DOB #NYC #NYCbuildings #NewYorkCity #Permits #Violations #BuildingCode #Zoning

"Though a detailed investigation would be needed to determine the cause, Wiebe says he guesses the building deteriorated over time and eventually reached its breaking point." Consider periodic building evaluations with trusted consultants. For example, take a detailed look at your parking garage, roof, balconies, facade, windows & doors with a professional to take measures before you reach that 'breaking point' and avoid worst-case scenarios. #buildingassessments #conditionsurvey #engineers #buildingscience #engineers #ACMO #CMRAO #CAO #AndrejsManagement

Legat’s Building Envelope Director Tom Kikta shares tips on maximizing the lives of masonry walls … and avoiding expensive repairs down the road. Learn about preventing common building envelope pitfalls: https://lnkd.in/gTDZ9qZw #buildingmaintenance #BuildingEnvelope #facilitymanagement #PropertyMaintenance #buildingmaterials

Attention all #HOA, community, #strata and #propertymanagers! We know dealing with complaints, stress, and anxiety on your properties can be a real challenge. While it's not entirely possible to eliminate these issues, we at RHINO Sound Control believe that prevention is the best way to go. High-rise buildings usually have a 6” or 8” thick concrete slab for the floor and ceiling assembly, with no suspended ceilings. Best Practice to #ReduceNoise: Make sure your #condo bylaws or rules are tailored to your #highrisebuildings construction type. For example: Your #acoustic underlayment should be tested over an 8” concrete slab with NO suspended ceiling assembly, rated FIIC 70. By setting the right standards, we can make our #buildings quieter and more comfortable for everyone. Let’s work together to create a #betterliving environment! 🏢🔇 #PropertyManagement #NoiseControl #CondoLiving #RHINOSoundControl

While we're on the topic of weird openings. Hollow core concrete floors. I don't run across them in new construction much these days but they crop up in remodels and renovations from time to time. I've met people who are happy to treat the topcoat and top of the hollow slab and call it good without looking below. This would be a big nope. You cannot do that with hollow core slabs. If you think about it, the penetrating item is going through two openings and you have to treat both sides the same as a gypsum wall build. If you don't, you get smoke/gasses/flame/heat into the horizontal chase and then where does it go? Again, we do things right for a reason. #3M #firestop #firestopping #firesafety #lifesafety #continuingeducation #constructioneducation #construction #buildinginnovation #buildbetter #buildsmart #passivefireprotection #codeenforcement #buildingcodes #firemarshal #buildinginspections #contractoreducation #constructionmaterials #buildingmaterials #kcmo #inspectors #codesinspectors #firemashals

The program review is part of a push to remove sidewalk sheds, which sometimes sit around buildings for years as they await facade repairs. #construction #structuralengineering

Sidewalk sheds -- some of which have been in place for decades -- are ubiquitous (and unsightly) fixtures of New York City's landscape. Last year, Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Department of Buildings announced their "Get Sheds Down" plan to overhaul rules governing sidewalk sheds. The goal of the plan is to remove sheds from city streets more quickly while also redesigning them to be more aesthetic and less intrusive. Sidewalk sheds have proliferated for a mix of reasons, chief among them outdated local rules. For example, Local Law 11 requires a facade inspection every five years for buildings higher than six stories. But newer buildings constructed with glass and steel are treated the same under the facade rules as older brick structures. Insufficient regulatory oversight and financial struggles at lower-income buildings (which install the sheds but can often struggle to raise the money to timely complete the exterior repairs) also contribute to the problem. "The rules, particularly those governing facade inspections and repairs, encourage property owners to leave sheds up instead of completing critical and often costly work, the Adams administration said. With all possible fines levied, it can cost about $100,000 a year to install and maintain a shed. Facade repairs, meanwhile, can cost millions."