Fool's Paradise to Forcon Believer

First Edition

By: Dara Thomas, PE & Brittany Yahr Forcon’s Staff Accountant

THE project is complete, the budget was under or on target and the structure looks beautiful, but there are problems lurking. The foundation is cracking, the plumbing is wrong, the electrical is misrun, the drywall is uneven. Whether you are an attorney, or a claims adjuster, construction defects can leave your client feeling like they got stuck holding the broken pieces and they don’t know how to start putting them back together.

CONSTRUCTION defects range from structural integrity to mechanical and electrical issues, to finishes not installed correctly, to doors or windows that don’t function properly, to water intrusions that can lead to mold. All of these can seriously compromise the safety and the value of the property. Getting them addressed sooner rather than later is vital and knowing how that process is going to happen can help bring some peace.

Here’s what to expect when Forcon gets involved:

Who.  When Forcon gets involved, even before the case is started, we are going to make sure we get you not just an expert but the right expert with the best possible experience and knowledge for your exact type of claim. You can’t compare apples and oranges and you can’t expect an electrical engineer to evaluate a structural problem. And wouldn’t it be even better if you had a structural engineer with prior experience with similar defects? We think so, and that’s why we match you and our expert, perfectly.

What. During the investigation phase our expert(s) will review the material you already have, make an onsite visit and speak with all pertinent parties. They will use their training and experience to dig down into the origin of the defect, not just the skim the surface. Armed with the facts they will draft a report, when needed, laying out their findings and identifying their recommendations. Before our report gets to your hands, we take the time to examine it in our internal review process, ensuring accuracy and completeness.

When.  We keep our clients informed of our progress throughout the process. After you’ve had us do the research, all your questions will be fully answered. Whether your case/suit requires a verbal or a written report, our goal is to provide it within the agreed upon budget and agreed upon timeline. We want to do the job right the first time and ensure you get a perfect overview, that’s why we spend time doing QA/QC on it. If it’s not up to our standards we perfect it, until it is. You’ll have all the files, reports and/or reviews you need, and we can be available to you up to the end.

While there can never be certainties when construction starts, and each project often has its own set of surprises and challenges, if things go wrong it’s nice to know how to get things back in order. Knowing the details of our process is a great place to start.

When you discover defects turn to Forcon. With construction experts, engineers, architects and forensic accountants of all types, no matter what the issue Forcon can provide the right expert.  With decades of hands on construction and design experience and proven experience as construction defect experts we can help get you from Fool’s Paradise to Forcon Believer.