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Construction Litigation & First Party Claim Support for Commercial & Multi-Family Buildings

Disputes and insurance claims can cause major set backs and become costly. We help our clients confidently navigate these challenges.

Trusted construction claims experts.

As experienced construction forensic experts and building litigation consultants, we leverage our extensive knowledge of construction and building envelopes and in-depth forensic analysis to guide our clients through the complex litigation and claims process.

First party claims funding option.

First party claims refer to an insurance claim filed by the HOA for damage or loss to the building. This option for funding repair and capital projects is often overlooked. Contact us to learn more.

Construction expert witness.

We frequently serve as expert witness for our clients. We provide a wealth of knowledge and expertise, a reputation for integrity, and an unbiased approach. Contact us to learn more.

Reasons to Call Us

    Planning a major project, such as new siding
    Painting the building’s exterior
    Reported leak or other sign water damage may be present
    Building envelope inspection
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Myth vs Reality

Here are some things you should know.

Myth: The building is more than 4 years old, so there isn’t any recourse for damages.

Reality: These aren’t third-party claims against a contractor or developer, such as traditional 4-year Washington Condo Act claims. These are property insurance claims that can possibly be made against all previous property insurance policies, including earthquake policies.

Myth: My association's attorney and/or expert said there likely isn’t coverage, or we tried filing a claim and were denied, so it isn’t worth pursuing further.

Reality: A very limited number of attorneys have the specialized knowledge and track records to be able to successfully pursue these claims. Any expert that steers you away from pursuing a claim either doesn’t understand the process or is more interested in the prospect of work now than the best interests of their client.

Myth: We found some hidden damage, but the framing isn’t severely decayed, so I heard we won’t have coverage.

Reality: These are different than Collapse or Substantial Structural Impairment claims and don’t require the level of damage that those claims do. Often, the prerequisite for triggering coverage is hidden water damage.

2328 Fairview Seattle condo after image

Condo & Multi Family Property Owners in Washington

RCW 64.55

Brief summary: In Washington State, once the cost of an exterior project exceeds 5% of the tax assessed value of the buildings, the following requirements from RCW 64.55 must be met:

  1. A set of drawings and details, including waterproofing details, must be prepared and stamped by a licensed architect.
  2. During construction, periodic site visits must be performed by a third party (typically the architect of record) to ensure all work is being performed in compliance with the drawings and specifications.
  3. A representative sampling of windows must be tested by a testing agency to ensure that the windows comply with current performance standards. This requirement almost always necessitates the replacement of the windows.
  4. The architect of record needs to prepare a letter at the completion of the project indicating that all work was performed in compliance with the construction documents. This will be utilized for closing out the building permit.

Forensics & Investigation Work

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