The Forensic Engineer as a Roofing Expert

Journal Article Title: The Forensic Engineer as a Roofing Expert
Article Author(s): HEYER, EDWIN F., P.E.
Volume: 6
Volume #: 1
Month: June
Year: 1989

Abstract:

A small firm forensic engineering practice often begins as an expansion of service by a firm whose original and probably continuing practice is basically in the construction industry, probably civil engineering or in the design of facilities. The client of this forensic practice should, in the opinion of the author, be an attorney for the reason explained in a previous article ( 1 ). If you begin a forensic practice in the construction industry you will soon realize that the single issue most often appearing in construction industry litigation is building roofs. To an owner, the roof is probably the most important component of his building. Roofing problems are usually expensive to repair, are time consuming, and cause disruptions to the productive use of the facility. Also, owners may feel cheated if they experience roofing problems in less than 20 years of ownership, and may want monetary revenge. In the last decade, roofing based litigation has probably been the cause of a much-needed revolution in the design, specification and construction of roofs. You may need to become a roofing expert if you enter into the building construction litigation field. It is not too difficult to gain experience in this field, which formerly was studiously avoided by most design professionals, but it does take some work and some study.