Qualifications for an Exterior Elevated Element

There is a housing code in California that requires the inspection and certification of an exterior elevated element. The requirement involves property owners of residential buildings with 3 or more sleeping units.

So these are weather-exposed elevated elements such as wood and metal decks, balconies, guardrails, handrails, landings, stairways, and walkways, among others.

An exterior elevated element must be inspected by a licensed general contractor, professional architect or engineer. So they should verify that these elements are in a safe condition, adequate working order, without any signs of corrosion, decay, deterioration, or any similar damage that may pose safety concerns.

The said requirements would apply to the following occupancies:

Apartment houses, condos, and live/work units
Dormitories, convents, fraternities, monasteries, and sororities
Hotels, motels, or vacation timeshare properties
Boarding houses or congregation residences, categorized with 10 occupants for transient and 16 occupants for non-transient
Residential assisted living facilities

Apartment property owners who fail to file an inspection certification or complete corrective work upon the specified period will face penalties. This means that owners need to have their exterior elevated element inspected and certified by authorized personnel. So if corrective work is necessary, owners need to apply for a permit within 60 days of the certification date. Likewise, owners need to respond to plan check comments within a ten-day period of the correction letter.

Moreover, only a ten-day period is allowed to obtain a building permit within the date of notification of plan approval. All work must be completed within 90 days of the issuance of the permit.

Deck Inspectors for Southern California is happy to offer our services in Los Angeles, Orange County as well as San Diego and all Southern California surrounding areas like: Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, Santa Monica, Anaheim, Temecula, Vista, Escondido, Carlsbad, and El Cajon