Umbrella Waterproofing

Exterior Siding Consulting and Inspections

Umbrella provides trusted third party expertise to negotiate successful repairs

Western Washington’s building boom in the 2010’s stretched resources very thin, resulting in countless buildings falling into premature disrepair due to shoddy workmanship and cut corners. Property owners and managers are finding some damage isn’t covered by insurance and are having trouble negotiating a fair resolution with the original builders. This is where we come in.

Umbrella Restoration has successfully negotiated resolutions for condo boards, HOAs, and managers of large residential and commercial properties. We also work with homeowners on properties of significant scale, typically 10,000+ sq.ft. of affected siding.

Why hire a professional exterior siding consultant?

Any major repair is going to hit the builder’s pocketbook hard, so they may invest considerable effort to deny your claim. They often do this by burying you in contract small print and industry jargon, until you’re convinced the problem is yours and not theirs.

We don’t stop at the negotiation – we also supervise the work to ensure it’s done right this time. If necessary, we can negotiate a legal arrangement to do the work ourselves and charge the builder.

Professional Consulting: Exterior Envelope Repairs and Remediation

If the roofing or siding on your apartment or condo building, or commercial property is failing prematurely – and your builder is not taking responsibility for repairs – we’re the ones to call.

We help level the playing field by translating the builder’s language for you. We know every fine detail about exterior envelope products and services – siding, insulation, roofing, gutters and downspouts, waterproofing and sealing, etc. We’re experts in how these products should be installed and can thoroughly document signs of poor workmanship or cut corners. By calling the bluff of unreputable builders, we can best equip you to negotiate a claim in your benefit. We can clearly explain details and strategies every step of the way.

Litigation Support

For court cases involving manufacturing defects or poor installation claims, we can provide expert witness testimony to clearly explain in layman’s terms the complex issues at hand, including:

Product selection and expected performance
Building codes related to exterior envelope projects
Field inspections, investigation, and reporting - on our own or in conjunction with your architects and engineers
Resolution and repair strategies – including reasonable cost projections
Maintenance procedures and strategies – including signs of improper use or negligent care

Case Study: Solar Panels and a Leaky Roof

A property owner wanted to reduce their environmental footprint and utility bills, so they invested in a rooftop solar array. Within three years, the roof started leaking. Because it was a slow leak, and not one caused by a weather event or accident, the insurance company refused the claim. Both the roofer and solar company declined to accept responsibility.

A few attempts were made to repair the damaged ceiling, but the moisture always returned. That’s when we stepped in. Our thorough inspection revealed that the solar panels were stacked incorrectly, providing no room for the heated panels to vent. This led to a build up condensation with no chance to dry or evaporate.

We presented our findings to the property manager and then helped negotiate a complete reinstallation and repair by the solar company. We supervised the work to ensure quality and billed our services to the solar company. Today, both the panels and the roof are performing and venting as expected.

Preventable Maintenance

Lasting Solution

Professional Inspections

Consulting