Out of many websites for deck coatings, I've only found one whose website is "bi-lingual", that of Pacific Polymers.
A link at their home page to an all Spanish site is certainly friendlier to Spanish speakers than just an "English only" web site and will certainly bring in more users to their site and ultimately using their product.
Another nice feature of the site is the coverage calculator for their materials; allowing a fast way to get an estimate of how much material you'll need and what. I did the BT-90 below grade waterproofing to 90 mils dr film thickness on 1200 square feet.
The calculator tells me I need 4 gallons of primer and 90 gallons total of BT-90 in three applications to achieve 90 mils. Now I can call Whitecap or Smalley & Co. to get pricing on the totals I need...very useful tool indeed.
I wish other manufacturer's would put up Spanish websites. I know a lot of my guys aren't great when it comes to reading and writing in English, but are fluent and able to read Spanish!
A nice website all in all from Pac Poly...
The experts on pedestrian traffic coatings brings you the information you need on one website! We have information on all pedestrian traffic coatings manufacturer's, including Pli-Dek, West Coast Specialty Coating Systems, Desert Brand, Life Deck, Tufflex, Mer-Kote and Dex-O-Tex systems. Browse our website for articles, videos, news stories and more. We'll be updating and adding more pages soon so bookmark this site and come back and visit!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Sure Signs That Business is Slow....and My Prediction That a Few Deck Coating Companies Will Fold Before Long. In the meantime, it's the wild wes
Around here in San Luis Obispo/Santa Maria/Paso Robles area, there were a number of big projects going on...multi=family housing, apartments, production single family...most of it is stopped dead in their tracks, homes not selling, foreclosures way up, business down.
Went by my competitor's office in Grover Beach after looking at a small job in GB. I don't know how many trucks he has, but 7 of them were lined up side by side, idle in the parking lot out front.
Last week I was talking with the owner of a large manufacturer of deck coating materials; he was telling me that sales were off from last year by 40%.
I heard in last week passing that the owner of a deck coating company in San Clemente had his house foreclosed on by the bank...sure enough, a quick check of public records shows a "Reconveyance" title was recorded on May 12th. Sad to see a family down on their luck...
A Westcoat installer/general contractor related to me at at CAI luncheon in Orange County on Tuesday (6/10)that he was "way off" from last year.
One installer told me that their deck coating business is way down, and below grade work was now accounting for more than 70% of their business. He complained that companies he's never seen before in the deck coating business are now pushing in, seeking to increase their cash flow wherever they can.
I've seen that too, painters who now do deck coatings and waterproofing, general contractors who are doing their decks "in house" rather than sub out the work, in an effort to control costs and keep more of the pie to themselves.
These days it's very much "buyer beware" as low ball bids will grab a buyers eyes and they may be lured in by the scent of a low cost and one of two things may occur; one you'll get hit with cxhange orders for "work that wasn't included on your bid" because they ignored it until they had you in a contract, or two, you'll just get a crappy job that doesn't address all the issues you have.
Waterproofing isn't something one does when business is slow, waterproofing is something one does because it requires an expert and you as the contractor are expected to have that expertise.
If you don't have the required expertise to properly inspect and bid a job, please stay in your comfort zone and pass on the bid to someone who knows what they are doing...
I think we'll see a time not to far away when companies start dropping out, victims of over leveraged business and personal homes that they can't support with their current cash flows and income...
Went by my competitor's office in Grover Beach after looking at a small job in GB. I don't know how many trucks he has, but 7 of them were lined up side by side, idle in the parking lot out front.
Last week I was talking with the owner of a large manufacturer of deck coating materials; he was telling me that sales were off from last year by 40%.
I heard in last week passing that the owner of a deck coating company in San Clemente had his house foreclosed on by the bank...sure enough, a quick check of public records shows a "Reconveyance" title was recorded on May 12th. Sad to see a family down on their luck...
A Westcoat installer/general contractor related to me at at CAI luncheon in Orange County on Tuesday (6/10)that he was "way off" from last year.
One installer told me that their deck coating business is way down, and below grade work was now accounting for more than 70% of their business. He complained that companies he's never seen before in the deck coating business are now pushing in, seeking to increase their cash flow wherever they can.
I've seen that too, painters who now do deck coatings and waterproofing, general contractors who are doing their decks "in house" rather than sub out the work, in an effort to control costs and keep more of the pie to themselves.
These days it's very much "buyer beware" as low ball bids will grab a buyers eyes and they may be lured in by the scent of a low cost and one of two things may occur; one you'll get hit with cxhange orders for "work that wasn't included on your bid" because they ignored it until they had you in a contract, or two, you'll just get a crappy job that doesn't address all the issues you have.
Waterproofing isn't something one does when business is slow, waterproofing is something one does because it requires an expert and you as the contractor are expected to have that expertise.
If you don't have the required expertise to properly inspect and bid a job, please stay in your comfort zone and pass on the bid to someone who knows what they are doing...
I think we'll see a time not to far away when companies start dropping out, victims of over leveraged business and personal homes that they can't support with their current cash flows and income...
Thursday, June 12, 2008
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
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
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Many Deck Coating Manufacturer's Still Need to Re-test and Upgrade their ICC reports
ICC-ES.org's website is a great provider of information. One item they provide free of charge to the public for their education and edification, is access to the thousands of reports on file with them regarding the fitness of a particular product for an construction application.
Much like Underwriter's Laboratory, where you wouldn't buy a product for your house like a lamp or tv that wasn't tested and approved by UL, you probably don't want to buy a building product that hasn't been approved by one of the industries trusted stalwarts, ICC.
Of the eighteen listed approved products on ICC's website for Division 7 Traffic Coatings, only 11 carry the new "ESR" tag before their report number.
Evaluation Service Reports supersedes the older "Legacy" report that a fair percentage of products are still living off of. These reports will need to be updated and converted to the new ESR reports if the manufacturer's of these products want to put the product onto new construction in the future as new code requirements must be met.
The new ESR report holders products all meet the new 2006 International Building and International Residence Code's. California has adopted a new code recently too, in 2007.
We advise that you be careful on putting down products that aren't converted or updated to the ESR reports. Substantial testing (and costs) are performed on the products to test them against the new code requirements. Click the headline to go to ICC's site for a full list of products with the "ESR" tags vs. those beginning with "ER". Installers need to be very careful, as do inspectors and architects and builders in what goes down on their buildings meets the intended fire codes.
Manufacturer's such as Mer-Kote's Weather deck and Shurdeck, AVM's Elasto fiber deck 100 Roof and Walking Deck system, Life Paint's AL system, and Excellent Coatings are the bigger companies/products awaiting an updated report. One should check with them directly to find out the staus of any new reports they may be expecting. See the list of manufacturer's at our website at
for contact information.
Although the new ESR reports do meet IRC and IBC, their are restrictions on the products in certain instances, so be careful to review each product under consideration. For example, both Pli-Dek and Hill Brothers products have wind resistance ratings that are much higher than others such as Westcoat's ALX system, which is restricted to buildings 40' in height in certain wind zones up to 80 mph (mostly the coastal areas). Desert Crete on the other hasnd is approved for wind up to 100 mph on buildings 60 feet in height in Exposure B zones.
I advise a careful review of each product to ensure it meets the original intended use and specifications. Consultation with experts is always advised, manufacturer's want to sell product, so one needs to be careful when cultivating their advice and opinions.
Much like Underwriter's Laboratory, where you wouldn't buy a product for your house like a lamp or tv that wasn't tested and approved by UL, you probably don't want to buy a building product that hasn't been approved by one of the industries trusted stalwarts, ICC.
Of the eighteen listed approved products on ICC's website for Division 7 Traffic Coatings, only 11 carry the new "ESR" tag before their report number.
Evaluation Service Reports supersedes the older "Legacy" report that a fair percentage of products are still living off of. These reports will need to be updated and converted to the new ESR reports if the manufacturer's of these products want to put the product onto new construction in the future as new code requirements must be met.
The new ESR report holders products all meet the new 2006 International Building and International Residence Code's. California has adopted a new code recently too, in 2007.
We advise that you be careful on putting down products that aren't converted or updated to the ESR reports. Substantial testing (and costs) are performed on the products to test them against the new code requirements. Click the headline to go to ICC's site for a full list of products with the "ESR" tags vs. those beginning with "ER". Installers need to be very careful, as do inspectors and architects and builders in what goes down on their buildings meets the intended fire codes.
Manufacturer's such as Mer-Kote's Weather deck and Shurdeck, AVM's Elasto fiber deck 100 Roof and Walking Deck system, Life Paint's AL system, and Excellent Coatings are the bigger companies/products awaiting an updated report. One should check with them directly to find out the staus of any new reports they may be expecting. See the list of manufacturer's at our website at
for contact information.
Although the new ESR reports do meet IRC and IBC, their are restrictions on the products in certain instances, so be careful to review each product under consideration. For example, both Pli-Dek and Hill Brothers products have wind resistance ratings that are much higher than others such as Westcoat's ALX system, which is restricted to buildings 40' in height in certain wind zones up to 80 mph (mostly the coastal areas). Desert Crete on the other hasnd is approved for wind up to 100 mph on buildings 60 feet in height in Exposure B zones.
I advise a careful review of each product to ensure it meets the original intended use and specifications. Consultation with experts is always advised, manufacturer's want to sell product, so one needs to be careful when cultivating their advice and opinions.
Builder & Developer Magazine Features Article Predicting That "The Perfect Litigation Wave Gathering Speed"
Don't know why May 2008's issue of Builder & Developer Magazine is just hitting my mailbox, however, inside the issue is an article by litigator Joe Ferrentino of Newmeyer & Dillon LLP in Newport Beach CA.
Joe's article discusses the "Right to Repair law" known as SB-800 and reviews what rights builders have and steps builders must take to protect those rights. The author predicts a coming wave of litigation brought about by plaintiff attorney's who fins easy targets in homeowners, who are unable to sell their homes due to current market conditions and see nothing to lose in tying up a property that isn't selling with litigation to recover for "defects".
Joe advises builders to carefully reviewing their risk management strategies as all the ingredients for the perfect litigation wave are present...
One thing the article doesn't discuss and is important to note, builders have to give maintenance manuals and owners are expected to maintain and inspect to be able to make claims later on "defects" that were instead caused by a lack of proper maintenance.
Read the article at Builder & Developer by clicking on our Headline above...
Joe's article discusses the "Right to Repair law" known as SB-800 and reviews what rights builders have and steps builders must take to protect those rights. The author predicts a coming wave of litigation brought about by plaintiff attorney's who fins easy targets in homeowners, who are unable to sell their homes due to current market conditions and see nothing to lose in tying up a property that isn't selling with litigation to recover for "defects".
Joe advises builders to carefully reviewing their risk management strategies as all the ingredients for the perfect litigation wave are present...
One thing the article doesn't discuss and is important to note, builders have to give maintenance manuals and owners are expected to maintain and inspect to be able to make claims later on "defects" that were instead caused by a lack of proper maintenance.
Read the article at Builder & Developer by clicking on our Headline above...
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Ouch! These Condo Owners In Sarasota FLA Get Hit With Big Assessments to Fix Waterproofing Problems
My news feed this morning sent me this tip on a condo in Florida that has big waterproofing problems discovered in 2001 when Tropical Storm Gabrielle water tested the building...
and it apparently failed in a huge way.
A big mess of subcontractors, the developer, the waterproofing consultant, the architect and everyone else dragged in to the suit has bogged down the legal process and now the owners are special assessing themselves an average of $12,000+ (assessments are based on the square footage of your unit) to pay an estimated 3.15 million in repair costs and design fees.
Click our headline to go to Sarasota and read their article on these residents misery...
and it apparently failed in a huge way.
A big mess of subcontractors, the developer, the waterproofing consultant, the architect and everyone else dragged in to the suit has bogged down the legal process and now the owners are special assessing themselves an average of $12,000+ (assessments are based on the square footage of your unit) to pay an estimated 3.15 million in repair costs and design fees.
Click our headline to go to Sarasota and read their article on these residents misery...
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