CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY:
Waterproofing: 909 Ocean Front Walk - Los angeles, CA
The Challenge:
Terra-Petra was retained by the prospective purchaser of a coastal Los Angeles property to perform forensic waterproofing due diligence prior to acquisition.
An existing third-party report characterized the building’s water intrusion issues as relatively limited and isolated. However, Terra-Petra’s review of the documentation raised immediate concerns that the problems were potentially far more systemic.
Areas of concern included:
Parking garage wall assemblies
Interior ceiling water damage
Skylight and fenestration systems
Elevated walkways and exterior wall transitions
The buyer needed to determine:
whether the issues were cosmetic or systemic,
the likely repair exposure,
and the potential impact on the transaction.
The solution:
Terra-Petra implemented a phased forensic investigation to validate the true extent of the building enclosure failures.
Key actions included:
Detailed review of existing reports, drawings, and construction documentation
Site observations and forensic investigation of reported intrusion areas
Destructive testing to evaluate concealed conditions and waterproofing transitions
ASTM-based water testing to recreate and isolate failure points
Root-cause analysis of the observed water intrusion conditions
Rather than relying solely on prior reporting, Terra-Petra used field investigation and testing to independently validate the building’s actual performance.
The investigation ultimately confirmed that the water intrusion concerns were broader and more systemic than initially represented.
The outcome:
Identified systemic waterproofing and enclosure deficiencies prior to transaction close
Provided the prospective purchaser with clearer visibility into potential repair exposure and building risk
Validated concerns through destructive testing and controlled water testing methodologies
Helped prevent reliance on incomplete or potentially understated prior findings
Established a technical basis for remediation planning and transaction decision-making
the takeaway:
In real estate transactions, surface-level reports can miss deeper systemic failures.
Terra-Petra’s forensic due diligence approach combines:
Document review
Destructive testing
Water testing
Root-cause analysis
Helping purchasers understand the true condition of a building before acquisition—not after the liability transfers.
Project Details
4 Stories (1 Subterranean)
1 Levels Below Grade
32,404 SF Footprint
service provided
Forensic Waterproofing Investigation & Remediation Consulting
Location
909 Ocean Front Walk
Los Angeles, CA
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