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Lee Street Condominiums
Exterior Inspection Report Rev. August 2, 2015
The purpose of this inspection was to locate areas of deterioration on the exteriors of the
condominium buildings located at 24 Lee Street, Marblehead, MA. It should be noted that,
due to the configuration of the buildings, not all areas are accessible without scaffolding or
the use of a lift truck, making detailed inspection of all areas impractical or impossible.
Therefore the approach was to perform a general inspection of all areas and more detailed
evaluation of areas with apparent deterioration.
Orientation: North is considered the BYC side of the complex. East is the harbor side, South
the causeway side, West the Lee St side.
Pictures: Relevant pictures are noted following item descriptions (i.e A01 ,B01, etc.)
Inspection General Notes:
1. Recommended repairs are rated by importance. A “High” rating indicates a critical
issue that should be addressed immediately. “Medium” is an issue that should be
added to the yearly schedule of repairs. “Routine” are items that should be included
in the normal maintenance schedule.
2. Routine: Visual inspection of all building exteriors should be performed annually.
Inspections should include roofs, chimneys, siding, balconies and railings.
3. Routine: Gutters should be inspected and cleaned yearly, preferably in the late fall.
This will help minimize blockage and winter ice dams.
4. High Priority: Strength tests were not performed on the railings. However, several
railings have experienced substantial deterioration requiring replacement and many
others show a flexibility that indicates they probably do not meet the current building
code. A program to replace all “original” railings to bring them to code is strongly
advised.
5. Routine: Several areas, particularly on the walls of Buildings B and D have wooden
shingles that show substantial warping. While no deterioration (rot) was found in most
of these areas, the deformation of these shingles may compromise their effectiveness
in waterproofing the exterior walls. These areas should be included in the annual
inspection and repairs made as necessary.
Building A
1. Building A has been recently repainted and deteriorated siding was located and
repaired as part of that process. A ground level review of the building siding revealed
no indication of siding deterioration.
2. Upper roof
a. Rubber roof and flashings appear in good condition, a new chimney cap has
been installed
b. Medium Priority: The chimney has several cracks that have been caulked and at
least one that has not. Recommend recaulking where needed. (A4)
3. Upper deck
a. Mahogany decking is in good condition. It is being sealed by the condo owner.
(A5)
b. High Priority: Railings are in fair to poor condition. Of the nine rail sections,
three show significant rot on rails and/or balusters, indicating the rail sections
should be replaced. Four post covers and one post cap show significant rot.
Repair or replacement of the entire rail system is required.
4. Lower deck
a. Railings are in good condition
b. Wooden decking generally in good condition. Yearly inspection is recommended
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Exterior Inspection Report Rev. August 2, 2015
c. Support joists are in good condition, but green. Again, yearly inspection is
recommended. (A6)
5. Lower Roof
a. Rubber roof appears in good condition. Several puddles were observed,
indication that the roof does not drain completely (A03)
b. Soft insulation is not good for high traffic areas. If this is other than an
emergency exit roofing protection should be applied
c. Railings are in good condition
d. Medium Priority: Stairs to the ground are in good condition, some minor rust on
supports. The configuration of the stairs does not meet current code and
replacement should be considered.
Building B – South End: This inspection includes only the south end of the building. Areas
undergoing reconstruction due to the fire are excluded.
1. The roof is a combination flat rubber roof with sloped shingled areas on the east and
west sides. These roofs, with associated flashings appear in good condition. (B01)
a. Medium Priority: Several roof vents show significant deterioration and should
be repaired. The chimney has a new concrete cap and many joints have been
caulked. (B02-B03)
b. Medium Priority: The gutter at the southwest corner is filled with leaves and
other debris that is completely blocking drainage and should be cleaned out.
(B05)
2. High Priority: The utility support post attached to the west wall and extending above
the roof is seriously deteriorated and requires repair or replacement. This should be
considered very high priority. (B06, B07)
3. The west fascia is generally in good condition.
a. Medium Priority: Paint on the gutter fascia and soffit is peeling and needs
repair, but no rot in this area was found. Soffit vents have generally been
painted over and blocked and should be cleaned or replaced.
b. Medium Priority: Some rotten shingles were found along the bottom of the wall
adjacent to the electrical conduit entrance and extending southward.
Additional rot was found over the lower window at the south end of the wall.
c. High Priority: The deck at the exit door from Unit B-1 is severely deteriorated
and must be repaired.
d. Medium Priority: Corner trim adjacent to the exit door is rotted and needs
replacement.
4. The south fascia shows much peeling paint and significant warping of some of the
shingles. While not all areas could be accessed from the ground, those that could be
inspected in detail showed no evidence of shingle rot. There was evidence at the third
floor level of insulation foam seeping through joints between the shingles. It is
assumed this insulation was installed as part of the renovation of the adjacent unit
B-8. (B08, B09)
a. Medium Priority: Small areas of deterioration were found in the frame of the
first level air conditioner serving Unit B-3 and the base of the corner fascia at
the southeast corner of the building. These frames should be replaced. (B10)
5. The east fascia is generally in good condition. There are areas of warped shingles, but
no significant deterioration was found.
6. High Priority: Roof drainage downspouts at the north end of the east wall have broken
free from the wall and should be reattached. (B11) These downspouts drain large
areas of roof down to a single drain pipe leading under the parking lot. It is understood
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Exterior Inspection Report Rev. August 2, 2015
this commonly causes ice dams in the winter. Modification of the drain system should
be considered. Possible changes include additional downspouts at the other ends of
the gutters or a larger drain system under the parking lot.
7. High Priority: The railings serving the deck for Unit B-3 (on the roof of Bldg D) are
dangerously deteriorated and require immediate repair or replacement. As stated
below, the Bldg D exterior shingles adjacent to this deck are also in poor condition and
require replacement. The decking is in good condition but replacement with composite
material should be considered as part of the repair project.
8. It should be noted that roof drainage from the south end of Bldg B and much of the
west side of Bldg D empties into the passage between the two buildings. This creates
icing problems in the winter and an alternate drainage configuration should be
implemented.
B/D Connector
1. The B-7 deck over Unit B-3 has been refurbished with composite decking which is in
good condition. The framing below is not accessible. The sill on the door leading from
B-7 to the deck shows significant deterioration and should be replaced. This may be
contributing to the deterioration found in the B-3 dining area wall (see #3 below) and
should be considered a high priority.
2. Medium Priority: The other half of the deck serving B-7 is older decking and framing.
The decking is highly weathered. Some decking repairs have been made, but other
deterioration (rot) was noted and additional repairs are needed. Generally the
framing and decking are in acceptable condition, but the single 2×10 stringer at the
north end of the deck is badly deteriorated and should be replaced: High Priority. (B-D
01-04)
3. High Priority: The shingles on the south wall of the Unit B3 dining area show significant
deterioration at the juncture with the Building B east wall. These should be replaced
and the full extent of the deterioration determined. (B-D-05) The north wall of the
dining area is in good condition with the exception of one piece of corner trim that is
rotted and needs replacement.
Building C
1. Similar to Building A, the east and south fascias of Building C have been recently
painted and repaired and generally appear in good condition. The east fascia also
appears in good condition.
2. High Priority: The north fascia, adjacent to the BYC, shows significant deterioration.
This wall is finished above the level of the BYC roof with wooden shingles and below
the BYC roof level with what appears to be plywood siding. This siding could not be
inspected more than a short distance below the level of the BYC roof.
a. Roof gutter at the northwest corner is pulled away from the fascia. Both fascia
and soffit in this area show significant rot. (C01)
b. Both shingles and siding at the northwest corner show significant rot. (C02-03)
c. A fascia panel just below roof level near the northeast corner is rotten. (C04)
d. Shingles along the north wall showed random areas of rot. Replacement of all
shingles is advised. (C05)
3. Roof
a. The rubber roof is in good condition with flashings, while a little wrinkled at
the perimeter, intact.
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b. Brick chimneys are in good condition with newly replaced caps. The metal
chimneys show some surface rust, but are in good condition. Periodic
inspection of these is advised. (C06)
4. Balconies/Decks
a. Unit C1: Medium Priority: The exterior deck is made of 1×4 wooden decking
which shows areas of significant deterioration, particularly at or near the step
down to ground level. It is recommended the decking be repaired or replaced.
b. Unit C3: The deck has been recently reconstructed with composite decking and
stainless steel wire railings and is in excellent condition. The fascia and soffit
at the base of the deck are in good condition, however a slight softness was
noted at the outside corner of the fascia. This should be included in the annual
inspection.
c. Unit C4: Decking has been recently replaced and is in excellent condition.
Railings show no sign of deterioration. High Priority: The seat has one rotted
board and the support connection at the south end of the seat has failed and
should be repaired.
d. Unit C5:
i. Entry balcony is in acceptable condition with no obvious deterioration of
decking or rails. Decking nail heads are rusty and stringer supports
below the deck show considerable rust. These should be inspected
regularly and replaced as necessary. Medium Priority: The support angle
below the west end of the deck has undergone significant rusting and
should be replaced.
ii. Decking on the harborside balcony has been replaced with composite
material and is in good condition. The southeast railing section has been
removed and will be replaced as part of the unit renovation. High
Priority: The east rail is deteriorated and should be replaced. The
southwest rail section shows no significant deterioration.
iii.Medium Priority: Harborside window roof is deteriorated and should be
replaced
e. Units C6 & C7: The decks have been recently reconstructed with composite
decking and stainless steel wire railings and are in excellent condition.
f. Unit C8: The balcony is in good condition. Decking has been replaced with
composite material and railings appear in good condition. Support stringers are
in good condition. The center support beam (6”x8” wood) on the harborside
end of the deck has been reinforced with a support post at the exterior end. It
seems this beam was also reinforced with a 2×6 sandwiched to its side. This 2×6
shows significant rot and should be removed. While it is not possible to perform
a full structural analysis, given the support provided by the end post, it is not
felt the 2×6 is needed. (C08)
Building D
1. Roofs over areas of the first, second and third floors are all rubber and appear in good
condition.
2. North Fascia
a. Some shingles adjacent to the D-1 entrance have been replaced and are in good
condition. Medium Priority: Other areas along this wall show significant
deterioration and should be repaired.
b. Medium Priority: Second floor shingles adjacent to the Unit B-3 deck show
significant deterioration and should be replaced. (D01)
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c. Third floor shingles have been replaced and are in excellent condition.
3. East Fascia
a. 1st Floor: Most of the shingles on this face of the building have been replaced and
are in good condition. A few deteriorated areas remain.
b. 2nd Floor: Fascia shingles have been replaced in some areas, but not all. A few
minor areas of deterioration were found.
c. 3rd Floor: Shingles on the fascia appear in good condition, but need painting.
4. South Fascia
a. This wall has been recently painted and is in good condition. One small area of
shingle deterioration was noted. (D02)
5. West Fascia
a. Routine: Much of this wall has also been recently repainted. Many old, warped
shingles can be seen, but no significant rotting was found. (D03, D04, D05) Again,
the deformation of these shingles may compromise their effectiveness in
waterproofing the exterior walls. These areas should be included in the annual
inspection and shingles replaced as needed.
b. High Priority: An area at the west edge of the Unit B-3 deck has significant
drainage issues which should be addressed. (D16)
6. Balconies/Decks
a. 1st floor North End: High Priority: Decking at the north end shows numerous areas
of deterioration and should be repaired or replaced. Framing was not accessible
for evaluation. Railing seems very weak and should be strengthened.
b. 1st Floor East Side: High Priority: Railing along the east side of the balcony
adjacent to Unit D-1 is very weak and should be reinforced or replaced. The deck
fascia in this area is rotted and should be replaced. Decking and stringers along the
remainder of the building at this level have been repaired where necessary and
seem in good condition. The fascia shows no rot but is seriously weathered.
Railings are better than adjacent to Unit D-1, but still may not meet code. (D06,
07, 08) The foundation under this area shows significant deterioration which should
be addressed. (D09)
c. 2nd Floor East Side: The original 2×6 decking has been covered with sleepers and
1×4 decking. The original decking and cantilevered support stringers seem in good
condition except for two areas showing rot near the deck fascia at 21’ and 25’ from
the south corner of the building. (D10) The 1×4 decking above is in reasonable
condition, with some deteriorated areas needing repair, Medium Priority, and some
areas having been repaired. (D11) The concern here is that water can collect in
the space between the original and new decking and accelerate deterioration of
both levels of decking.
i. Areas of the deck support numerous pots and planters for flowers and other
plants. These were not moved to inspect the deck underneath, but the
concern here is they provide areas for water to collect, not dry out, and
accelerate deterioration of the decking. (D12) It is recommended all
planters and pots be placed on bases with “legs” or “feet” that keep the
pots above the decking and allow the decking to dry out.
ii. High Priority: Serious deterioration was found in the framing supporting the
egress stair from the third floor. This was pointed out to the management
team and temporary support has been installed. (D13) An adjacent balcony
support also shows significant deterioration. (D14)
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iii.High Priority: A water leak has been reported in Unit D-2 under the D-4 deck
near the chimney. While no issues were observed at the deck level, there
may be a roofing problem under the deck. Additional inspection is required.
d. 3rd Floor East Side: Decking and deck framing appear generally in good condition,
with some small areas of rotted decking found, Medium Priority. Again, areas of the
deck support numerous pots and planters for flowers and other plants. These were
not moved to inspect the deck underneath, but the concern here is they provide
areas for water to collect, not dry out, and accelerate deterioration of the
decking. (D15)
e. South end egress stairs: Generally these are in good condition with the exception
noted above. It is understood these stairs are to be replaced.
Retaining Walls
1. The wall between the condominium complex and the BYC has been the subject of much
inspection and discussion. High Priority: The concrete block wall adjacent to the NW
corner of Bldg C shows significant deterioration and movement and should be removed
and replaced. This will require the hiring of a structural engineer to assure the new wall
will perform properly. It is recommended the remaining stone wall be regrouted and the
position of the wall face monitored every six to twelve months to determine if it is, in
fact, moving.
2. Harborside Sea Wall
a. High Priority: The harborside sea wall has shown some recent and ongoing
deterioration of the mortared section above high water requiring repair and
regrouting. Requirements of the Conservation Commission should be finalized so
that repairs can begin.
b. Routine: The condition of the sea wall below high water should be reviewed as part
of the yearly building inspections and repairs performed as necessary.
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