What we can do for you
We provide expert help to builders, contractors, attorneys, home owners,
and home owner associations to develop solutions to construction related issues
and issues of non disclosure of residential structures.
An Expert Opinion is a group of industry professionals
formed by John Schneider of All About Homes, Inc. Having worked as an expert witness for over 15 years he
has seen the inherent disparities of the legal system and how it can cripple a
case with legal fees, and seemingly never ending delays. Most cases he has
worked on have taken a minimum of 2 to 5 years to resolve, and anywhere from
$20,000.00 to $700,000.00 in legal fees to pursue the claim. Many times, the
cost to litigate far exceeds the cost to repair the defect, creating an undue
and economic hardship on the plaintiff.
His concept in forming the group was to create a resource for the industry that
is focused on providing solutions to construction related issues through accurate documentation and viable resolutions, while at the same eliminating the legal
obstacles and delays normally associated with the legal process.
Each member of this group has worked in a legal capacity as either an expert or attorney in
cases involving residential construction or ownership of residential property.
The group includes general contractors, soils and structural engineers, industrial
hygienists, water proofing experts, attorneys, and real estate and appraisal experts.
All of these individuals are committed to providing quality services to resolve
problems in a timely and cost efficient manner. Equitable Dispute resolution
is stressed throughout the process.
A typical construction related issue consists of a discovered problem.
Someone is usually at fault, and needs to take responsibility for the problem.
Professional documentation is necessary to properly identify the dilemma and
determine its full scope. Once the defect is properly identified, a claim
can be made to the party responsible. Often, the responsible party declines
to acknowledge the claim. This is when legal assistance is often necessary.
An attorney can draft a demand letter and outline the legal measures available
to resolve the dispute.
A Unique Approach
Once the responsible party agrees to respond to the complaint, the appropriate industry experts step in to develop a specific scope to correct the condition and an associated cost for the repair. The experts then can act as facilitators to resolve issues with the opposing party, and the opposing experts. Once agreement can be made with the experts, attorneys can then step in to create any necessary legal documents. This concept of allowing the experts to drive the resolution of a case is a unique departure from cases that are purely driven by legal fees and delays, and produces quick and economically feasible results.
Typical resolution process:
- Initial investigation of claim of damage/defect
- Documentation to determine the scope of existing defects
- Decision on initial course of action / determine party responsible / determine
approximate cost of correction
- Present claim to responsible party and evidence proving responsibility
- If responsible party refuses to participate in the correction, obtain legal
assistance
- Attempt to settle complaint with experts
- Allow responsible party opportunity to investigate complaint with their own
experts
- Allow experts and parties meet together to come up with a solution
- Have attorney work out legal agreements
- Formally settle and resolve issue
Specialized Services for Residential Construction
- Investigation of Builder defects
- Assistance in resolving home remodeling problems
- Documentation of non-disclosed defects in the purchase of residential structures
- Scopes of work for repairs to existing buildings
- Investigation and documentation of repairs to Home Owners Associations
- Assistance in managing a construction project
- Document and bid review
- Assistance in obtaining permits for new work
- Assistance in obtaining permits for existing (un-permitted) work