Forensics

Written by Paul Watrous

Credentials open the door and method carries the opinion. What a court examines when a roofing professional is offered as an expert, and how to build toward it.

Written by Paul Watrous

Water enters at one point and drips at another. The investigation that connects the two, and the report that lets three contractors bid the same defined scope.

Written by Paul Watrous

Storm, installation, product or age. Each answer assigns the bill to a different party, and a claim is denied for lack of proof more often than for lack of damage.

Written by Paul Watrous

Cause and timing decide these disputes, not condition. What a forensic assessment establishes, which credentials stand up to questioning, and what to keep in the file.

Written by Paul Watrous

Repeat leaks, premature failure, a contested claim or pending litigation all call for evidence rather than opinion. Here is how a forensic investigation is run and documented.

Written by Paul Watrous

A standard inspection answers what is wrong. A forensic one answers why, and produces evidence that holds up when a carrier, a contractor or an attorney reads it.

Written by Paul Watrous

Retaining the wrong roofing expert costs more than the fee. A working guide to methodology, testing protocol, credential fit and the questions to ask before the site visit.

Written by Paul Watrous

Four factors set what a roof expert witness charges, and none is a flat rate. Here is how each moves the number before you sign a retainer.

Written by Paul Watrous

A forensic look at why roofs fail, which situations justify a full investigation, and what a defensible cause determination report should contain before you act on it.