A construction expert witness for every stage of a dispute
Construction disputes rarely move in a straight line. A matter may open with a settlement conference, pass through mediation or arbitration, and reach deposition or trial only when earlier efforts do not resolve it. An expert may be needed at any of those points.
de Haan & Associates performs expert witness services for settlement conferences, mediations, arbitrations, depositions, and trial. We aim to provide accurate, organized information, and that goal stays the same from one forum to the next.
We are retained by attorneys, insurance carriers, building owners, homeowner associations, and contractors in California, Arizona, and Montana. The firm’s philosophy is to provide a balanced, educated opinion for fair resolution. An expert’s opinion is most useful to every party when it follows the evidence and can be explained plainly.
How settlement conferences, mediation, arbitration, and trial differ
Each forum asks something different of an expert. In a settlement conference or mediation, findings help the parties and the neutral understand the claimed conditions and what it would take to address them. The setting is less formal, and the goal is a negotiated resolution.
Arbitration is closer to trial. Testimony and exhibits are presented to an arbitrator or panel, whose decision is often binding, and the arbitrator may be an attorney or a construction professional. A deposition is sworn testimony taken before trial, where opposing counsel examines the basis for each opinion. Deposition testimony can be used again at trial, so precision matters.
At trial, the expert explains findings to a judge or jury who may have no construction background. In every one of these settings, an expert’s usefulness rests on the same things: careful observation, sound reasoning, and clear explanation.
Opinions built on field investigation
An expert opinion is only as sound as the observations behind it. Gregg de Haan, our founder and principal, leads field investigations, gathers field data, and prepares field testing data for trial.
His role also includes attending expert meetings, mediations, and arbitrations, and appearing at trial as an expert witness for owners and builders. He specializes in preparing repair scopes, cost estimates, and complex defect reports.
Behind the testimony is the record. We use state-of-the-art cameras and video documentation techniques to provide trial-ready exhibits, and we generate comprehensive field reports, photo documentation, conceptual repair scopes, and cost estimates. That record gives the testimony its foundation and lets other experts examine the same evidence.
Information that makes sense to attorneys
Building envelope and construction problems sometimes need to be resolved through litigation or arbitration. When that happens, technical findings have to be presented in a way that makes sense to attorneys as well as to building professionals. Technical terms need plain explanation, and photographs and drawings often do more than words.
Our goals in any dispute are clarity and accuracy. Our team of associates regularly provides case development and testimony services for litigation, so that a resolution can rest on solid, well-presented research, analysis, and information.
The firm is founded on two basic concepts: industry experience and integrity. Its philosophy is to bring together a group of experts, much as a building brings together its trades, to reach a balanced, educated opinion for fair resolution.
Expert witness experience across building types
Our expert witness experience includes services for a wide range of buildings and owners. Gregg de Haan’s current caseload consists of universities, school districts, casinos, commercial properties, and single-family homes.
Each building type brings its own issues. A campus may hold many buildings of different ages, a casino may operate around the clock, and a condominium association may act for many owners who share common areas. Explaining findings in that context helps every party understand them.
Gregg is qualified to testify in Sacramento County Superior Court, San Francisco County Superior Court, and Alameda County Superior Court. He is a member of the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) Industry Expert Program, the Western Construction Consultants Association (WESTCON), ASTM International, the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), and The Bar Association of San Francisco.
- Universities
- School districts
- Casinos
- Condominium associations
- Vacation resorts
- Single-family homes
- Commercial buildings
- Restaurants
What we examine
- 01Claimed construction defects and building deficiencies
- 02Conditions observed and documented in the field
- 03Field testing data, including window and door water testing
- 04Repair scopes and cost estimates
- 05Past and current building codes and SB800
- 06Change orders, project costs, and RFIs
- 07Product literature and performance testing data
What you receive
- Expert witness testimony for settlement conferences, mediations, arbitrations, depositions, and trial
- Comprehensive field reports
- Complex defect reports
- Field testing data prepared for trial
- Trial-ready exhibits
- Repair scopes and cost estimates
How the work proceeds
- 01
Field investigation
Gregg de Haan leads the field investigation and gathers field data on the conditions at issue.
- 02
Documentation
Conditions are recorded with photo and video documentation, prepared to serve as trial-ready exhibits.
- 03
Reports, scopes, and estimates
Findings are organized into field reports, complex defect reports, repair scopes, and cost estimates as the matter requires.
- 04
Expert meetings and mediation
Gregg attends expert meetings, mediations, and arbitrations, where the findings support settlement discussions.
- 05
Deposition and trial
Where a matter proceeds, Gregg prepares field testing data for trial and testifies as an expert witness.