SB 326 and SB 721 · Exterior elevated element inspections

SB 326 and SB 721 balcony inspections across Los Angeles.

Two California laws require inspection of the balconies, decks, stairways, and walkways on multifamily buildings. SB 721 covers rental buildings with three or more units. SB 326 covers condominium and HOA-governed buildings. Both first deadlines have now passed. We coordinate the qualified inspection and, if it finds repairs, carry them through to a documented closeout.

Book your inspection Call 424-946-8057

Licensed California General Contractor

Los Angeles based, since 1988

Inspection coordinated and repairs in-house

01Two laws, two clocks

Both first-inspection deadlines have already passed

SB 326 and SB 721 both require a periodic inspection of your building's exterior elevated elements by a qualified professional. The first deadline for each has come and gone, and from here the re-inspection cycle is fixed by statute.

Jan 1, 2025

SB 326 first-inspection deadline for condos and HOAs, then every 9 years

Jan 1, 2026

SB 721 first-inspection deadline for rentals, extended by AB 2579, then every 6 years

15%

the minimum share of each type of exterior elevated element that must be inspected under both laws

Figure 1. The statutory dates, and the minimum share of each element type an inspection has to cover.

02Who needs which

SB 721 or SB 326: it depends on how your building is owned

The two laws do the same job for two different building types. The quickest way to tell them apart is to look at whether your building is rented or governed by an association.

SB 326 is the stricter of the two on who may perform the inspection.

SB 721: rental apartments

Covers

Rental buildings with three or more residential units

First deadline

January 1, 2026 (extended by AB 2579)

Re-inspection

Every 6 years

Who inspects

A licensed architect, civil or structural engineer, a qualified contractor, or a certified building inspector

Repairs unaddressed

$100 to $500 per day, 30 days after the inspector's notice (per statute)

SB 326: condos and HOAs

Covers

Condominium and HOA-governed buildings with three or more units

First deadline

January 1, 2025

Re-inspection

Every 9 years, aligned with the reserve study

Who inspects

A licensed structural engineer or architect only, stricter than SB 721

Report

Goes to the association board and into its records

Table 1. The same obligation, written twice for two ownership types.

03What gets inspected

The exterior elevated elements, and the waterproofing under them

Both laws target the same thing: the load-bearing components made of wood or wood-based material that sit more than six feet above the ground, and the waterproofing that protects them. A qualified inspector examines at least 15% of each type.

Figure 2. The elements a qualified inspector looks at, and the waterproofing layer between the deck and the framing it sits on.

Balconies, decks and landings

The elevated surfaces residents stand on, plus the railings and guardrails that enclose them.

Stairways and walkways

Exterior stairs and elevated walkways more than six feet above the ground, and their supports.

Framing and waterproofing

The wood structural framing, connections, flashing, and waterproofing membranes that keep it all sound.

04Inspect, then repair

One firm coordinates the inspection and carries the repair

Most inspection outfits stop at the report. We coordinate the qualified inspection, and when it turns up repairs, we do the work, so nothing stalls in the gap between finding a problem and fixing it.

Book and coordinate

We schedule the inspection with a qualified, licensed professional appropriate to your law, a structural engineer or architect for SB 326.

Inspection and report

The inspector examines at least 15% of each element type and issues the written report your law requires.

Scope, budget and permits

If repairs are identified, we clarify the scope, probable cost, and pull the permits and any engineering required.

Repairs and closeout

We complete the work and hand you the documentation that supports compliance and sets your re-inspection clock.

We coordinate the inspection and do the repair, so you have one point of contact from the first finding to the final sign-off.

05Why owners and boards call us

The contractor behind the compliance

Plenty of firms will inspect your building. Far fewer can actually carry the repair through permitting, construction, and closeout. We coordinate the inspection and do the repair, so you have one point of contact from the first finding to the final sign-off.

One coordinated point of contact for inspection and repair
Practical budgeting and scope clarification
Occupied-building repair coordination
Clear communication with boards, owners, and managers
Photo documentation and closeout records

Led by Gordon Myers

Gordon Myers

Licensed General Contractor

Over 30 years in Los Angeles real estate and construction, beginning in 1988. A client-first approach built on expertise, integrity, and personal dedication, for apartment owners, property managers, HOA boards, and asset managers.

06Testimonials

In the words of the owners we worked for

Any construction is extremely high risk and stressful. Gordon assured me he would be instrumental in minimizing that concern. Through all my skepticism, it was easy, so I would use him and his contractor again.

William H.

Having worked with the City of LA consistently, LACC were able to get the inspectors there relatively quickly and this helped us meet our deadlines. We needed the project completed in record time. It worked out, thank you LACC.

Michael M.

Had a very good experience working with Gordon. I was always informed and had no surprises along the way.

Codie H.

Gordon Myers, Founder

Real estate and construction in Los Angeles since 1988, guiding owners and boards from the first finding to the final approval. One call handles every concern along the way.

07Where we work

Serving Los Angeles and Southern California

Based in Sherman Oaks, working across the LA metro and surrounding cities.

Los AngelesSherman OaksSanta MonicaBeverly Hills Long BeachGlendalePasadenaBurbank Van NuysWest HollywoodCulver CityTorrance

08Common questions

Questions owners and boards ask first

Cost ranges shown are market estimates, not a quote and not legal advice.

What is the difference between SB 721 and SB 326?

They are the same idea for two different building types. SB 721 covers multifamily rental buildings with three or more units and requires re-inspection every six years. SB 326 covers condominium and HOA-governed buildings and requires re-inspection every nine years, performed by a licensed structural engineer or architect. Both are exterior elevated element inspection laws, not seismic retrofit requirements.

How often do I have to inspect?

SB 721 is every six years. SB 326 is every nine years, and that cycle is meant to line up with the association's reserve study. The first deadlines have already passed: January 1, 2025 for SB 326 and January 1, 2026 for SB 721, extended by AB 2579.

Can you inspect and repair together?

We coordinate the qualified inspection and, when it finds repairs, carry them through construction and closeout. The inspection itself is performed by the licensed professional the law requires. We handle the coordination and the repair work, so you have a single point of contact from the first finding to the final documentation.

What does an inspection cost?

It varies with building size, the number of elements, and how much access the inspector needs. As a rough market estimate, not a quote from us, visual inspections often run $300 to $500 per element, and a whole-building inspection commonly lands somewhere between $5,000 and $20,000. We do not put a number on your building until we have seen it.

09Request an inspection

Tell us about the building

Six details is all we need to get started. We will come back to you with the next step for your building and its law.

Inspection request

Or call 424-946-8057