A Yelp Review Leads to A Lawsuit, Which Results in Defamation Judgement Against Reviewer

A contractor's client wrote a bad review on Yelp, Angie's List and several other sites. Whether the women's statements  was opinion or fact becomes the crux of the matter and the result was a lawsuit and the reviewer was found to have defamed the contractor. The lesson is to be careful of what you write when you review...

From ARS Technica 

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/02/in-yelp-review-lawsuit-defamation-is-all-around-so-everyone-loses/

In Yelp review lawsuit, defamation is all around—so everyone loses

Homeowner rants about contractor, contractor responds, and everything ends in court.

by Nathan Mattise - Feb 2 2014, 3:00pm PST

A scathing Yelp review and accusatory reaction posts in the comments—Virginia homeowner Jane Perez and local contractor Chris Dietz were playing the online reputation game for keeps. Initially, Dietz's work led to Perez's review, which resulted in Dietz's lawsuit for defamation. And as Arspreviously reported, it was a complicated matter. In December 2012, a lower court ruled that Perez was required to edit her harsh comments on Yelp and Angie’s List against Dietz and his company, Dietz Development. But then Public Citizen and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a 21-page petition for review to the Supreme Court of Virginia later that month, and the highest state court overturned the injunction just two days later.

READ THE REST BY CLICKING THE LINK ABOVE.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section. 

 

Bill Leys-The Deck Expert

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Discussion at Inspectionnews.net on horizontal cable railings has some less than thrilled...

Cable railings that are strung horizontally can create several problems on decks; a "ladder" that can be climbed as well as the 4" sphere test may fail. These Home Inspectors discuss the problems on this post found here. http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/exterior-systems-home-inspection-commercial-inspection/38618-using-wire-infill-vs-cable-horizontal-deck-railing.html

What do you think of these stainless steel cable railings? Let us know in the comments section!

Bill Leys-The Deck Expert

NEW PAPERLESS FAX # 805-856-1528 (by Hello Fax)

805-801-2380

www.centralcoastwaterproofing.com Lic 890269

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Did You Know That Dex-O-Tex's name came about as a contraction of "decks of latex"?

On my list of I didn't know that...comes the history of Crossfield Products and their Dex-O-Tex decking. 

From their website page at http://dex-o-tex.com/About/history comes this info.

Crossfield Products History

In the early part of the decade of the 1930's, a British Chemist by the name of Crossfield had developed a formulation for mixing natural rubber and cement (which are not compatible by nature) to be used as a sloping compound and underlayment for ocean going vessels. Crossfield's company was called Surfacing Products. In 1938, a group of investors purchased his company and formed Crossfield Products Corp. During World War II, natural rubber was put on allocation and, at the same time, synthetic rubber polymers came into play. Crossfield Products adopted the new technology and began using polymer modified concrete on both the interior and exterior of ships such as the Queen Mary, the SS America and the Queen Elizabeth. It also began offering these products to the U.S. Navy.

To identify this family of products, the company coined the trade name Dex-O-Tex® which is a contraction of the term "decks of latex". Dex-O-Tex® has become synonymous with quality construction chemicals with worldwide distribution.

Although the marine business was its core, the company began to explore uses for its polymer modified concrete products on land. In the 1950's the company added polymer modified terrazzo and a patented flexible roof deck surfacing material. In the 1960's the company added epoxy resin technology to its product offering, eventually coming out with a complete line of fluid-applied flooring for heavy duty, high impact areas of use.

Later, chemical technologies such as Urethane Concrete, Polyapartic and Polyurea were added, making Crossfield Products Corp. the go to company for the most diversified product line of construction coatings. The company prides itself on its lasting experience in developing state-of-the art systems, precise manufacturing capabilities and excellent marketing of its brands.

 

Interesting to know! 

Bill Leys-The Deck Expert

NEW PAPERLESS FAX # 805-856-1528 (by Hello Fax)

805-801-2380

www.centralcoastwaterproofing.com Lic 890269

www.concretefloorstore.com  gallery of concrete flooring, installed by CCW

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Westcoat's ALX System ICC-ES Report Has Been Updated-Now One Hour Rated + More!

We just received word that Westcoat's ALX system has a new ICC report behind it. President Paul Koury, in an email to us here at DeckExpert.com, provided the news that their ALX system has been recognized after testing and evaluation to be a "One Hour" Fire Rated Construction system as well as now being recognized as Class A roofing with their WP-40 sheet membrane under it. 

"Bill,

On the ALX topic, we finally completed all of the "hoops" to jump through and finalized the ICC update.  Here is a link on our site http://www.westcoat.com/alx-p-6.html and to the report http://www.westcoat.com/images/file/ESR-2201.pdf"

Sincerely,

Paul Koury

President

With this news we will now be retracting our earlier reports from several years ago where we had great concerns over the use of peel n stick membranes under the ALX system for use when a Class A rated roofing deck system is required.

Westcoat ALX has been tested and evaluated and is code compliant with the 2012, 2009 and 2006 International Building Code as well as the 2012 2009 and 2006 International Residential Code. 

Westcoat tested their ALX system with their custom stain/sealer finishes as well and this information is included in their updated report. 

I keep hearing stories from manufacturer's who have been going through hell with ICC-ES to get their products evaluated...congrats to Westcoat for sticking it out and getting their updated report. 

See why solid surface decking is the superior alternative to wood and composite decks. Visit us at www.deckexpert.com to learn why. 

Bill Leys-The Deck Expert

NEW PAPERLESS FAX # 805-856-1528 (by Hello Fax)

805-801-2380

www.centralcoastwaterproofing.com Lic 890269

www.concretefloorstore.com  gallery of concrete flooring, installed by CCW

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DeckExpert.com Founder Bill Leys to Present Special 3 Hour Program at JLC LIVE in Providence RI

I'll be at JLC LIVE on Thursday March 20th, 2014 to present a 2 part program on deck waterproofing using pedestrian traffic coatings and waterproofing exterior decks for tiling.

Use the special discount code in the flyer to get preferred early bird pricing on the conference. 

Hearst Castle's Outdoor Pool Leaks, State Stops Filling It Up Due to theDrought

The state parks department will stop filling the continually leaky outdoor pool at Hearst Castle due to the low water supplies from the Castle's springs and the drought we are suffering through. 

From the Cambrian- 

Hearst Castle visitors will soon find dusty buses, dry fountains and an empty pool, thanks to one of the worst droughts in California history.

Springs that supply the state historical monument are running at just one-sixth normal, said Nick Franco, superintendent of the San Luis Obispo Coast District of State Parks. Only 47,000 gallons a day now flow from the springs, which State Parks shares with the Hearst Ranch, down from a normal of 285,000 gallons a day in a normal year.

That means a trio of reservoirs that typically are filled with 2.75 million gallons of water this time of year are only about a third full, not enough to carry the Castle through the summer.

So it doesn’t make any sense to keep topping off the iconic, but leaky, outdoor 
Neptune Pool, which loses 3,000 to 5,000 gallons of water a day through several cracks. The pool was started in the 1920s and underwent a couple of revisions not long after.

Read the rest here...

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/01/29/2898401/neptune-pool-is-drying-up.html#twt 

What do you think? Should the state fix the leaks and refill the pool or leave it empty while we are in the midst of a drought?

Bill Leys-The Deck Expert

NEW PAPERLESS FAX # 805-856-1528 (by Hello Fax)

805-801-2380

www.centralcoastwaterproofing.com Lic 890269

www.concretefloorstore.com  gallery of concrete flooring, installed by CCW

 Learn more about deck waterproofing at  www.deckexpert.com

 

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