Fire That Appears to Have Started on a Deck Kills Dog, Destroys Home in Washington

A fire consumes a home in Washington state. 
Early reports indicate the fire began on the deck. 
The family lost their home and a pet dog as a result.
Photo KREM.com 

Please, don't grill or smoke on your deck. That's the advice we keep giving and sadly, not a day goes by without a report of a grill or cigarettes starting the fire. We recommend solid surface decking systems that are Class A fire retardant. Read more on our website.

Gas Grill Propane Tank Explodes on a Deck, Resulting Fire Burns Everything

Once again tragedy strikes when attempting to cook with a grill on a deck...

From South Washington County Bulletin- "Two Woodbury senior citizens lost their home and they're lucky to be alive after the propane tank on their grill exploded on the deck last Wednesday. 
Robert Hamer and his wife, Katherine, escaped via the front door of their home in the 5700 block of Fawn Trail Circle, spending the night at a neighbor's house after a shocking accident on their backyard deck turned the $340,000 home into an inferno."

Read the rest by clicking here-http://www.swcbulletin.com/news/crime-and-courts/3754029-update-massive-fire-couple-loses-house-cars-lifetime-valued-items

Grills and decks don't mix, Cook away from your house!

Decking Contractors/Manufacturer's-Mobile Friendly is the New Buzz Word for Google Search

Attention contractors and manufacturer's! The new buzz word in search isn't keywords or SEO (although SEO is still important) or meta tags anymore. 

Your website is probably where many of your clients come from. A few of you are probably still throwing money into a stagnant Yellow Pages ad, but that advertising medium is rapidly going the way of the dinosaur...let us just tell you to stop wasting money there and realize that the new buzz word for web search is now "Mobile Friendly". 

That smart phone/phablet in your hand, which is probably what you are reading this post on, is driving Google and the other search engines to start ranking websites on how friendly they are to use on mobile devices. Yep, the desktop and laptop is still important, but with the dramatic increase in smart phone use, "mobile friendly" has taken over as the dominate factor for ranking websites during searches. 

Test your website using Googles website mobile friendly testing site

So get going and find out is your website is "mobile friendly" and learn more at the link below. 

https://developers.google.com/webmasters/mobile-sites/?hl=en-US&utm_source=MFT&utm_medium=incoming-link&utm_campaign=MFT

Play the Safety Game Safely With Fine Homebuilding's Online Interactive Game

How much do you know about decks and safely building them? See how knowledgeable you are with this new game...

From Fine Homebuilding-

The Inspector game challenges you to spot code and safety violations, missing structural elements, and anything else we decided to delete or add to a real photo or diagram from Fine Homebuilding magazine. Ace the quiz by getting all five answers correct.

Brag about your score or post a comment

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/inspector/decking-dos-and-donts

Read more: http://www.finehomebuilding.com/inspector/decking-dos-and-donts#ixzz30Cn2Jr6o
Follow us: @fhbweb on Twitter | FineHomebuildingMagazine on Facebook

Deck Expert Recommends You Read DURADEK President John Oglivie's White Paper on Waterproofing and Tile Decks-BEFORE YOU TILE, Not After.

One of our advertisers (full disclosure here) has just published a white paper on the waterproofing and tiling of decks over living space.

Entitled "COMMON SOURCES OF FAILURE OF TILE DECKS ON WOOD FRAME CONSTRUCTION" the article discusses the issues and problems that result when one cheaps out on properly preparing and waterproofing the deck, the importance of drainage planes and Duradeks recommendations. John Oglivie, president of Duradek, is the author.

Here's an excerpt from John's article. 

There are few outdoor surfaces as attractive and durable as tile or stone and they can be used outdoors even in very extreme climates providing there is a great deal of care put into the choices of materials and trades people. As so often happens, attempts to cut corners on costs or by taking shortcuts, even ones that seem to make sense, result in the most expensive installations. The common themes in this report are to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to the letter and employ only experienced professionals for each part of the job. The chances of a successful, long lasting installation increase exponentially if you do.

 The most surprising thing we discovered was that that if you were willing to research the issue and look to the industry experts and follow the recommended “best practice” standards, the success rate would be dramatically increased. Simply knowing the questions to ask and who to ask is the first step to getting the right answers.
Some of the best advice given to us by a “long in the tooth” tile contractor was this: He tells his customers who are interested in having tile or stone outdoors (especially on a wood frame building) that if they don’t have a budget sufficient to do it properly they should not even consider it. Taking money-saving short cuts with an “assembly” that requires all the components to work together could prove to be extremely expensive in the long run.


Click here to read the rest of this article at Duradek.com
 read this article or you'll probably pay a heavy price to fix the failures that commonly occur...

Allen Face's Rules for subcontractors...

I am reading the March issue of Concrete Construction from Hanley Wood. There's a good article by Allen Face on rules to live by when on a  job...

Now he was discussing concrete flatwork so his language is specific to that trade, but with a couple small changes, it can be applied to any trade.

I took one of his rules and as it to fits waterproofing or any trade without changing a thing, I quote from Allen Face "Rule 6d: Never accept any demand that requires you to abandon your better judgment, unless it is in writing and unless it relieves you of all liability for any adverse consequences."

See the rest of Allen's rules and fit them to apply to your trade, you'll be better off for it. CLICK HERE TO READ

DeWalt's Trade/Code/Exam and Certification Series of Books Are a Great Tool!

A couple months ago I got an email from Bobby Person at VCengage Learning. They are the published of DeWalt's series of books-on Building Codes, Electrical Codes, etc.Construction Reference guides, exam guides etc. are all covered.
Cengage was looking for someone to write a book on building decks, which they thought I might be qualified and interested...sad to say I'm not a deck builder but as I posted a blog on the search, Bobby was good enough to mail me a couple of books to look at.

I asked for the Building Code Reference

and the Construction Professional Reference book

and got them shortly after our email exchange.
Reading through these 2 books, I am left with a very good impression...I especially like the Building Code Reference book, it's wire bound binding and heavy glossy pages look like they'll take a lot of abuse and use in the field which is where they should be used!

Take a look at the whole series, maybe one of their many available titles would interest you...here are a few I thought would be of interest. Disclosure-I received 2 books free from Dewalk/Cengage. No other compensation is expected.

Subscribe or Buy as a Gift for Your Favorite Tradesperson! Christmas Deal from Journal of Light Construction!

Passing it on, I subscribe, you might want to also...

JLC is the perfect holiday gift for builders and remodelers.
And gift subscriptions are on sale now at 38% off the regular rate. Just $24.95 each!

It's the practical gift that thanks, rewards, and inspires your staff and friends.

Order by December 15th for 12 monthly issues, starting with the January issue.

To order, call (877) 277-2721 Mon - Fri, 7 am to 10 pm CST. Saturday 8:30 am to 5 pm CST.

Mention code X0912EB for this special gift subscription rate.

Happy Holidays from all of us at JLC!

Great Deal on Blastrac BL-233 and Metabo W23-180 Grinders at QUEST Building Products in Anaheim!

I got an advertising flyer faxed from my friends at Quest Building Products in Anaheim the other day...

They have Blastrac's BL-233 7" Grinders and Metabo's W23-180 7" Grinder at a great price when you buy three or more...

The Blastrac deal is buy one for $180.00 or buy 3 or more for $165.00 each. That $165 price is a great price, I couldn't find a better deal online at any internet store.

The Metabo deal is a little pricier, but still a great deal on a great tool...buy one for $190.00 or buy three for $174.00 each. Again, a great deal that the online giants don't have...

Call Quest and order yours today at 714-738-6640, tell them you saw this deal at the Deck Expert's blog! Act soon, this deal ends December 31st, 2009.

and no, I did not receive any compensation for this post....

I'm calling to order my Blastrac today!

Our New Website Has Arrived!

Check it out today! WWW.DECKEXPERT.COM
All new design, easy to navigate, and best of all, optimized for every browser.

Thanks to Valerie Spencer, my designer...

Three spaces are available at the top of each page for advertisers...call me for rates at 805-801-2380.

New Issue of WATERPROOF! Magazine Out

The summer 2009 issue of Waterproof! Magazine is now in subscribers mailboxes...

This issue has great articles on Foam and Waterproofing, Solar Roofs and the waterproofing considerations neccesary when installing solar panels on a roof.

An interesting article about silicone sealants from Dow Corning being used on the Antarctica science station "Princess Elisabeth Station" shows the versatility of silicone in extreme environments.

Waterproofing contractors, general contractors, architects, manufacturer's and suppliers-I recommend that you get yourself a subscription. Call The publisher at 877-229-9174 with your info and credit card. One year is $20.00, two years is $35 or 5 years is only $50.00.

Keep Your Client Entertainment Costs Down With a Little Golf

While this has nothing to do with decks and waterproofing, we all have to entertain our customers now and then...

and many of my clients like to golf. So how do you take them golfing on a budget? Especially when the average round is $60.00-$100 or more?

Well Deck Expert is here to tell ya...go to www.golfnow.com and book your next client golf round and save a bundle while looking like a hero.

In Orange County? You can golf Talega or 12-14 other courses. In Monterey? You can golf at Poppy Hill. Many courses, great prices... check out any state in the Union for tee times/prices. Palm Springs? Cheap cheap cheap in high summer

I just booked at Rancho Canada in Carmel Valley for a foursome for $27.00 a player, including 2 carts and 18 holes... Rancho Canada charges $89 a round if you just make a direct reservation...course we're teeing off at 2:20 pm..if you want to go at 730 am you'd pay $55 per.

That's todays advice, save a lot of money and look like a big shot! You'll save enough to buy drinks at the 19th hole.

Bay Area Law Firm Berding Weil Offers Their 18th Annual Community Association Law Seminar November 21st!

Our goal is education...HOA members and Board of Directors in the Bay Area would do well to take the time to attend...Berding & Weil's Law Seminar will help you and your Association...go, sign up now!

OUR 18^th ANNUAL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION LAW SEMINAR

The Game Has Changed . . . And So Have the Rules!

November 21, 2008 - At the San Ramon Marriott

What you need to know to successfully manage a common interest development today.

• New Legislation (If we have any!)
• New Cases (fiduciary duty, enforcement, dangerous common areas)
• New CC&Rs (working with new docs: avoiding blunders)
• Law Redux (how recent laws work "on the street")
• Repairing Bad Buildings (bank loans, claims)

Seminar Registration Fee: $30 (per person)

Certified managers will receive 1 CACM credit for attending this legal seminar.

San Ramon Marriott
2600 Bishop Drive
San Ramon, CA 94583
Directions

Registration: 8:30am

Program: 9:15am - 12:00pm

Cocktail Reception following program.

HOW TO REGISTER

Attendees may REGISTER ONLINE, by Phone, or by completing the BERDING | WEIL 2008 COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION SEMINAR REGISTRATION FORM and mailing or faxing the completed form to:

Berding & Weil LLP
3240 Stone Valley Road West
Alamo
CA 94507
Phone: (925) 838-2090
Fax: (925) 820-5592

Registrations received without full payment will not be processed. We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

Checks should be made payable to Berding & Weil LLP.

If you have questions directly related to the seminar registration, please contact Roxanne Jolicoeur at (925) 838-2090.

SEMINAR REGISTRATION

Public Service Announcement-RCI SoCal Chapter Brings Title 24/Cool Roof Seminar to Long Beach October 20th!

So Cal Chapter of RCI, Inc.

Monday, October 20, 2008 Leed and Title 24: Roofing Issues Long Beach, CA California Title 24 Cool Roof: The focus of this class will be on new requirements involving the inclusion of roofing for residential and certain institutional entities and the new requirements for sloped roofing, shingles, tiles and metal panels. Both of these areas where previously excluded from Title 24 Cool Roof requirements. The last topic for Title 24 Cool Roofs, will be the 3 year progress updates on how the reflectivity of Cool Roofs has played out in the field and how it will impact any revised requirements. These portions of class will be presented by John A. Goveia, President of Pacific Building Consultants, Inc. and Philip D. Dregger PE RRC FRCI, President of Technical Roof Services, Inc. LEED: This session will provide a brief overview of the LEED program and process. Then lead into a more in-depth look at how roofing and waterproofing are involved in the LEED process. This portion will be presented by Peter Barsuk, Gensler. RCI Continuing Educational Hours (CEHs) from RCI 5 AIA Learning Units (LUs) from the American Institute of Architects 5 Registration and Location Registration Time: 1:30 pm Program: 2 pm to 7:30 pm Registration Fees: RCI / AIA / CREIA Member: $100 Non-Member: $125 Registration fee includes course handouts, beverages at registration and a light dinner. Parking: FREE Location: The Grand Event Center 4101 East Willow Street, Long Beach, CA 90815 (562) 426-0555 To register, go to www.RCISoCalChapter.org Questions call: 866/914-4RCI

SoCAL RCI HAS SEMINAR ON THE NEW CODES Aug 18th. in SF

Click our headline to go to RCI So CAL's Website...and register!

So Cal Chapter of RCI, Inc.

Monday, August 18, 2008

2008 Calif. Building Code Update

San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf

Roofing, Waterproofing and the Building Envelope

The new California building code, which became effective statewide on January 1, 2008, is based on the 2006 International Building Code and not the 1997 Uniform Building Code that we have all become accustomed to using for the last 10 years.

The new IBC and CBC have many specific changes that effect roofing, waterproofing and building envelope professionals. Most significantly, the old Codes generally required that the construction (builder) prevent water intrusion to the interior. The new Codes have been changed to make them more stringent and specific. Language has been added in the Codes that requires both "design and construction" to meet the intent of the codes, not just construction. As a result, the new codes shift more liability on the design professional, requiring them to properly design the building envelope systems. In regards to water intrusion and water damage, new codes include vapor barriers and vapor migration within an assembly. This seminar will include a side-by-side comparison between the old code and new code as related to roofing, waterproofing, exterior walls and building envelope systems.

RCI
Continuing Educational Hours (CEHs) from RCI 5

AIA
Learning Units (LUs) from the American Institute of Architects 5

Registration and Location
Registration Time: 12:30 pm Program: 1 pm to 7 pm
An afternoon break and a light dinner will be provided

Registration Fees:
RCI / AIA / CREIA Member: $100 Non-Member: $125

Parking: $17 plus tax

Location: The Holiday Inn Fisherman's Wharf
1300 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, CA 94133
Hotel Reservations: (800) 942-7348


To register, go to www.RCISoCalChapter.org

Questions call: 866/914-4RCI

Contractor Jon A Gratzol, Inc. Has Excellent Booklet Online Regarding Deck Waterproofing and Prep

I found Jon A Gratzol Company's website on a Google search.
Serving only Western Washington state, Jon has the same attitude I do when it comes to waterproofing; we're the most important guy on the job, and if you don't like it, we'll walk if the conditions aren't right to enable us to perform the quality job we expect to perform for you. If your not going to do your part, Hasta La Vista Baby...it's not worth putting our name onto your project that is destined to have problems later because of existing problems today.

Substrate, sloping, plywood type, gapping, all things discussed here is in Jon's booklet.

Read Jon's booklet and learn yourself something by clicking our headline to go to his pages. I recommend it.

BACKGROUND SEARCHES USING COURTHOUSE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS REVEAL VERY INTERESTING REULTS Construction Defects, Breach of Contract, even criminal!

I like to think I'm tech savvy, yet always I find a way to get humbled by a tool on the Web I never saw; like the PACER system for Federal Court actions.

Emboldened by my new tool, I then got the thought in my brain that the other courthouses are online too! Duhhh...so when you want to know about a company your thinking of doing business with, these tools will help you separate the wheat from the chaff.

So off i went to the world of online courthouse records. Having spent a little time there, searching some names out and seeing what came up, boy was I surprised! One company I worked for from Lake Forest/Aliso Viejo has a few civil actions against it or did, one very large installer in Orange County has/had a wrongful death action brought against them, and yet another installer/manufacturer company had about 20 actions against it that I found in Orange County and San Diego alone. Construction defect allegations, breach of contract, declaratory relief were the main actions brought up in the suits I saw on line. The Los Angeles website site is having difficulties so I couldn't search that site.

Civil actions, criminal, domestic, all manner of records are available with which to do your research and do back ground checks on potential companies your considering to do your work on waterproofing your deck.

I even found a criminal record on someone in one search...didn't say what it was for though. I think one must go to the courthouse to see the actual records.

Now, one must consider that I don't know, nor did I research, the disposition of any of these cases mentioned. I can only say that one must make decisions based on knowledge available and I would say that if it came to it, I would probably pick the company that had "only" 4 lawsuits recorded against it than one that has 15 or more...but that's just me.

The links below take you to a new tool to getting information on the dirt behind anyone your thinking of dealing with...a good tool to put in your arsenal. Have fun storming the castle!


san diego superior court

click here for the orange county civil court search page

Deck Expert Endorses Depiction Software's Imaging Software as best software to buy that will increase your decorative coating business.

Having been sold on this software by the graciousness and care shown me by Diane Squire at World of Concrete, despite a horde of people clustering around, that and a 30 day money back guarantee...cause I'm thinking, like at most shows where I buy something that looks slick and will make me money, I am many times disappointed.

Not so with this software. I had to learn it and you will too, but learn it and work it and watch as maybe's and we'll get back to ya's become a thing of the past. Never mind lugging samples around of stuff that customers don't want to see.

Simply take out your digital camera (you do have one right?) take a picture or two of your customers project, then load the pictures into the software. In a few minutes, you can have sample images up on your screen of what the clients project will look like with a new finish on it. Thousands of images are available and you can add your own. Amazing...and so easy too.

As your clients get excited about what they're seeing, your asking the closing questions that gets you to take a contract and print it out on your HP portable printer, because you'll need to be ready to print out a contract with this software in your arsenal.

Buy this software and you'll leave your competitor in a workshop, making samples, while your closing their customer...or the next competitor will close them with Depiction Software. CLICK OUR HEADLINE TO GO TO DEPICTION'S WEBSITE

Deck Drains-Deck Expert Recommends Thunderbird Products

In my many inspections of decks throughout the years as an estimator, I have seen many failed methods that were used in an attempt to install a drain through the floor of a deck coating. I often see drains that came from Home Depot type stores, and also see professional type drains that came from a plumbing supply house.
The drains you buy at these places are not manufactured with deck coatings terminating into them as part of their function. Because of that one flaw, the decks are doomed to fail. The picture above shows a plastic drain system with overflow. The deck guy had the right idea but executed the job with the wrong drain. The plastic deteriorated over the years, the flange is flexible and stepping on it probably damaged it too. As a result, water leaked by the flange and into the ceiling below. We removed that drain and installed copper drains with overflows on them.

The only drain systems I use are from Thunderbird Products, Inc. of El Cajon, CA. They have specific drains for decks and roofs, including tile deck systems, that allow the proper termination of the drain with the deck coating/waterproofing materials. Click the link above to see their online catalog of drains and scuppers or call them at 800-658-2473 to place your order. Tell them Bill Leys sent you their way!

Deck Expert recommends Quickflash Weatherproofing Products

In the mind to recommend a few products and try to reduce our headaches in the waterproofing industry; Quickflash Weatherproofing Products Inc manufactures a unique line of flashings that enable one to quickly and easily weatherproof plumbing, electrical, hvac and gas lines that penetrate exterior vertical wall penetrations.

So many times in new production homes that i worked on, a leak complaint centering on the deck area would come in and after extensive time inspecting our work, we would look at penetrations adjacent to our work and invariably there would be an electrical box or gas bbq line etc. nearby. Pour some water from a hose into the area and lo and behold, there'a a leak.

The picture shows a Quickflash electric box flashing. One would slip the building paper up underneath the bottom of the flange, then drop building paper down over the top, completing a weather shedding barrier.

Deck contractors should recommend to their contractors to use these products on their job-you'll reduce call backs on leak problems that weren't yours in the first place!