Pricing · SB 721 / SB 326
What a California balcony inspection costs, and what drives the number.
There is no single price for an SB 721 or SB 326 inspection — cost follows the number of exterior elevated elements, the access conditions, and the sampling the statute requires. Here is how the quote is built, so you can compare bids on equal footing.
What you're actually buying
A statutory inspection has two parts: the on-site assessment of your exterior elevated elements, and a stamped report a building department or board will accept. Firms that quote a low number for a walk-through without the stamped deliverable are not selling compliance.
The biggest cost driver: element count
Pricing scales with the number and type of exterior elevated elements — balconies, decks, stairways, walkways — not with the building's unit count alone. SB 721 requires at least 15% of each element type to be inspected; SB 326 requires a statistically significant sample. More elements, more inspection time, more report.
Access and destructive testing
If soffits are sealed and there is no visual access to the framing, some elements may need borescope openings or selective removal of soffit material to observe the structure — that adds cost. Aerial photogrammetry, which we include as documentation, reduces time on lifts and ladders for envelope-level review.
Market context
Southern California pricing for statutory balcony inspections is typically quoted per property based on the factors above — small walk-up buildings sit at the low end of the market range, large multi-building communities at the high end. We quote a fixed price after seeing the element count, so there is no hourly meter running.
The cost of waiting
SB 721 authorizes local code enforcement to assess $100–$500 per day in civil penalties for buildings that missed the deadline. Measured against that range, the inspection is the cheap part of compliance — and the report is what stops the clock.
How to get a real number
Send the property address, building count, and approximate number of balconies and elevated walkways. We'll return a fixed quote with scope and schedule within one business day.
Inspections are led by a licensed engineer under the firm's Class A + B CSLB license #1044379, with a stamped report as the deliverable. Full statute details, FAQ, and re-inspection cycles are on the SB 721 / SB 326 balcony inspection hub, and you can estimate your penalty exposure before you book.
Scheduling
Book an inspection
Tell us about the property and we'll come back within one business day with scope, schedule, and a fixed quote.