Structural Repair
- Joist, beam, and rim replacement
- Ledger board reinforcement and re-flashing
- Connection hardware upgrades
- Support post and deck footing reconstruction
★ 1,000+ Inspections
15+ Years
CSLB #1060736
NADRA · CREIA
24h Response
Napa, CA — Deck & Balcony Inspections
Napa County · SB 721 & SB 326 specialists
After the South Napa earthquake of August 2014, more than 1,500 structures in the city were red- or yellow-tagged, and many balconies, stairs, and walkways were repaired in the months that followed. Those repairs are now more than ten years old, and an SB 721 or SB 326 inspection is often the first close look at them since. Our SB 721 and SB 326 work in Napa covers rental buildings and condo associations from downtown and the Oxbow District to Alta Heights, Westwood, Linda Vista, Browns Valley, and the complexes along Soscol Avenue, Jefferson Street, and Trancas Street. Any deck repair or balcony repair the report calls for is done by our own crew.
- SB 721 Inspections
- SB 326 Inspections
- Repair & Reconstruction
- Waterproofing
What We Do
Inspection & Repair Services in Napa
Inspection, compliance, repair, and reconstruction for Napa apartment owners, HOA boards, and property managers — handled end‑to‑end by one licensed team.
Waterproofing
- Walkable deck membrane systems
- Flashing detail correction
- Drain, scupper, and threshold rework
- Sealant and caulking refresh
Compliance
- SB 721 reports for Napa apartment buildings (3+ units)
- SB 326 reports for condominium HOAs
- City of Napa permit submittals for deck and balcony repair
- Engineer-signed final compliance letters
Safety Inspections
- Load-bearing assessment
- Moisture probes & infrared scanning
- Railing and guardrail load testing
- Deck footing inspection and flashing integrity checks
Free Compliance Check
Does Your Napa Property Need an Inspection?
What type of property do you manage?
Which exterior structures are 6 feet or more above ground?
Select all that apply
Get your free compliance assessment
We'll send your personalized report within 24 hours
Thank you! We'll contact you within 24 hours with your personalized compliance report.
Construction Types
We Work With Every Type of Napa Deck & Balcony
Wood Decks
Napa's population grew from 22,170 in 1960 to 72,585 in 2000, and most of its apartment and condo buildings from those decades have wood-framed balconies, stairs, and walkways. In a strong earthquake, the weak points of these elements are their connections: the ledger bolted to the building, the stair stringers hung from a landing, and the posts set on footings. On a Napa deck inspection we check every connection in the sample for movement, gaps, bent hardware, and elongated bolt holes, as well as for the usual water damage.
Concrete Balconies
Downtown Napa has older masonry and concrete buildings, several of which were damaged in 2014. On some of them, wood balconies, landings, or rear stairs are anchored into the masonry or concrete wall. On a building with at least three dwelling units, those wood parts are within SB 721, and the anchorage into the wall is one of the most important points to inspect. We check the anchors for corrosion, cracking in the surrounding masonry, and any sign that the element has pulled away from the wall.
Composite Decks
When Napa owners replace worn wood stair treads and decking, they frequently choose composite. Most composite products require closer support spacing on stairs than on flat decks, and stair stringers built for thick wood treads are often too far apart for composite. Treads installed over wide stringer spacing flex and can crack under load. We measure stringer spacing on every composite stair in the sample and compare it with the product's requirements.
Not sure what your Napa property needs?
A 30-minute on-site walkthrough tells you exactly what's required.
Local Expertise
Why Napa, Specifically
Napa grew from 13,579 residents in 1950 to 50,879 in 1980 and 79,246 at the 2020 Census, with mid-century subdivisions such as Alta Heights, Westwood, and Linda Vista and later apartment and condo complexes along the main corridors. In 2020 the city had 31,071 housing units, and renters lived in 43.8% of the occupied homes. Downtown, long quiet after a 1970s redevelopment plan, came back in the 2000s around Main Street and the redevelopment of First and Main and the Napa Mill.
Two events shape the condition of Napa's buildings today. The magnitude 6.0 South Napa earthquake on the West Napa Fault, early on August 24, 2014, caused one death, sent about 200 people to Queen of the Valley Medical Center, and by mid-September had left 156 structures red-tagged and 1,398 yellow-tagged in the city. Flooding is the other: the Napa River flooded downtown in 1986 and again in 2005, which led to the Napa River Flood Project, approved by county voters in 1998. On every Napa inspection we look for signs of past earthquake movement and of repairs made after 2014, and we check the base of stairs and posts on sites near the river and Napa Creek.
Neighborhoods & corridors we cover
- Downtown Napa
- Oxbow District
- Fuller Park
- Alta Heights
- Westwood
- Linda Vista
- Browns Valley
- Main Street
- First Street
- Soscol Avenue
- Jefferson Street
- Trancas Street
- Lincoln Avenue
- Imola Avenue
- Redwood Road
- Silverado Trail
- Browns Valley Road
- Old Sonoma Road
Climate Note
Rainfall in Napa averages about 31 inches annually, falling on roughly 61 days, about twice the rainfall of Livermore, while July afternoons average a mild 79°F and January afternoons about 57°F. Almost all of that rain arrives in the cooler months. Summers are warm enough to dry wood out, so sun damage is moderate, but the winter rain is heavy, and the places where a balcony meets the wall take most of it. That is where we focus our moisture testing.
Common Problems
What We See Most Often in Napa
Issues that repeat across the local building stock — from climate, construction era, or common materials in this area.
Quick repairs from 2014 that were never finished
After the earthquake, many owners needed stairs and balconies usable quickly. Some of those repairs were meant to be temporary: added posts, shims under beams, extra brackets, or sistered joists without new flashing. Years later, they are still in place. We identify these repairs, check them for permits where records exist, and note which ones need to be completed properly.
Connections loosened by shaking
Strong shaking can open gaps between a ledger and the building, stretch bolt holes, and shift stair stringers on their landings, even when nothing collapses. Small gaps then let water into the connection, and decay follows. We look for gaps, staining, and movement at every ledger and stair connection in the sample.
Siding installed down to the deck surface
On many balconies, the wall siding runs all the way down to the deck surface with no gap. The bottom edge of the siding then sits in water after each storm and wicks it up into the wall and the framing behind. With Napa's heavy winter rain, this detail causes damage quickly. We check the clearance at every wall-to-deck corner in the sample.
Climbing plants on balconies and stairs
Vines, wisteria, and other climbing plants on guardrails, stair stringers, and the walls next to balconies hold moisture against the wood and push their way behind flashing and trim. We note every element with plant growth on it and check the framing underneath, since the plants often hide early decay.
Steel railings anchored into wood
Some older apartment buildings have steel or wrought-iron railings bolted into the wood fascia or rim of a balcony. Water runs down the railing posts into the bolt holes, the wood around them rots, and the steel corrodes at the base. The railing can look solid while its anchorage has lost most of its hold. We load-test these railings and probe the wood at every anchor in the sample.
Who We Serve
Property Types We Work With
Apartment Buildings
Napa apartment properties of three units or more fall under SB 721, which sets a 6-year inspection cycle. Our work covers the whole city, from older buildings near downtown to complexes along Soscol Avenue, Jefferson Street, and Trancas Street, and we check whether any element in the sample was repaired after 2014. Tenant entry is arranged through your property manager.
Condominiums
Napa condo associations follow SB 326, which calls for an inspection at nine-year intervals. The inspector must be a licensed structural engineer or architect and works from a random, representative sample. Before that sample is drawn, we read the CC&Rs to define which balconies, stairs, and walkways are in the association's care.
HOA Communities
For Napa HOA boards, our report separates earthquake-related findings from ordinary wear, which helps when the board talks with its insurer. It includes repair pricing by building, permit filings, and the final compliance letter for the association's files.
Multi-Family Housing
Fourplexes, older homes later split into several apartments, mixed-use buildings downtown, senior and income-restricted housing, and townhome complexes on the north and west sides of the city.
Schedule a free on-site assessment
Serving all of Napa with fast response times. Most assessments within 3 business days.
What You Get
Project Deliverables
After the work is complete, you walk away with a full archive package — ready for your HOA board, insurer, city, or next property sale.
-
Photo Journal
Before, during, and after photos tagged to every structural element inspected.
-
City Permits & Acceptance
Full permit package, inspection card sign-offs, and city correspondence archived.
-
Material & Workmanship Warranties
Manufacturer warranties plus our labor guarantee in writing.
-
Work Summary Report
Detailed scope-of-work summary covering every repair and reinforcement.
-
Final Compliance Letter
Engineer-signed SB 721 / SB 326 letter for your HOA archive, insurance, and lender.
For Napa properties, the package also lists each post-2014 earthquake repair we found, how it has held up, and whether the City has a permit on file for it. Repairs we completed are documented so that future buyers, lenders, and insurers can see the work was done to current standards.
How It Works
Our 5-Step Process
-
01
Initial Assessment
We walk the property, identify scope, and flag any urgent safety items. No cost, no obligation.
-
02
Detailed Scope & Estimate
Full proposal with line-item pricing, material specs, and a realistic timeline.
-
03
Permits & Scheduling
We handle city permits and coordinate tenant notices with property management.
-
04
Execution
One licensed crew, start to finish. Daily photo updates and clean worksites.
-
05
Final Inspection & Handoff
City sign-off, warranty package, and compliance letter delivered to you.
Proof
Trusted by Property Managers in Napa
Our building was yellow-tagged in 2014 and the stairs were fixed in a hurry. ABD found that two of the posts added back then were sitting on loose pavers instead of footings. The stairs were rebuilt properly this time, with a permit.
We had wisteria covering half the balconies on one side. ABD had it cut back during the inspection and found soft guardrail posts under it on four units.
- CSLB #1060736CA Licensed Contractor
- NADRADeck Industry Association
- CREIAReal Estate Inspectors
- $1M+ InsuredGeneral & Workers' Comp
FAQ
Questions from Napa Property Owners
Our building was repaired after the 2014 earthquake. Does the SB 721 inspection look at those repairs?
Yes, if the repaired elements are in the inspection sample. SB 721 does not treat earlier repairs differently. Repaired balconies, stairs, and walkways are inspected like any other element. We also check whether the repairs were permitted and whether any temporary supports from 2014 are still carrying load.
What happens if the inspector finds a balcony that is unsafe?
Under SB 721, if an element poses an immediate threat to the safety of occupants, the inspector must give the report to the owner right away and to the local enforcement agency within 15 days. The owner must act immediately to prevent access to the element, for example by closing the balcony or stair, until it is repaired. We can install barriers the same day and start on the repair plan.
Do vines and plants on balconies cause problems?
Yes. Climbing plants keep wood and siding wet, hide damage, and can push behind flashing. They also make it hard to see the framing during an inspection. We recommend cutting plants back from guardrails, stair stringers, and the walls around balconies before the inspection, and keeping them off those elements afterward.
Nearby
Other Cities We Serve Near Napa
In the wrong city? Jump to the right page for your property.
Get Started
Book a Free Assessment in Napa
Tell us about your property and we'll come out, walk it, and give you a written plan — free of charge, no obligation.
- 916-269-5277
- Info@abdteam.com
- 191 Lathrop Way, Suite N, Sacramento, CA 95815
- CSLB #1060736