If you’ve found yourself in an unpleasant dispute with parties connected to the construction, renting, or ownership of a property in Sydney and Greater New South Wales, you’re likely looking for an expert engineering witness. Well, you’ve found the best ones in New South Wales.
At Endeavour Engineering, we specialise in providing expert engineering witness reports for clients in Sydney and Greater New South Wales who are involved in disputes related to construction, renting, or ownership of a property. We have a long history of providing detailed and compliant witness reports in accordance with NSW regulations. We offer Expert Witness Reports, Expert Building Defect Reports, and Expert Building Report in Responses for residential and commercial properties within New South Wales.
Our team of professionals has extensive experience providing expert reporting and forensic engineering services to clients. We adhere to the Expert Witness Code of Conduct and format our reports in a way that is acceptable to courts and tribunals and can be easily understood by lawyers.
If you have any questions about our services or this field in general, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
What Is Involved With an NCAT Expert Witness Report in NSW
An expert building defect report typically includes descriptions of defects, and non-compliant works, as per the Home Building Act & National Construction Code within a building.
An independent expert engineer prepares the report following the format accepted by the Expert Code of Conduct and Civil Procedure Rules, providing detailed insights, evidence-based findings, and informed opinions. The report is then used to assist tribunals or courts like the NCAT in reaching conclusions regarding conflicts about defects.
What Is Contained in a NCAT Building Expert Witness Report
An expert report contains details about defective and non-compliant building works, along with an engineer’s opinions and assessment regarding the possible causes of damages. It also includes reviews of current developments to ensure their safety and compliance.
So, you’ll find our reports covering the following:
- Our observations and facts
- A review of all submitted documentation
- Our opinions on the matter and the reasons and supporting information behind them
- Details about the testing methodology
- The inspecting engineer’s qualifications
- A note of problems that fall outside our area of expertise (as required by the Courts)
- Suggested solutions, alternatives, and their costs
When an Expert Engineering Report Is Required
In Sydney and Greater New South Wales, you’ll require an expert engineering report whenever you have to submit evidence to NCAT or a court regarding a claim.
If you’re involved in a building dispute, you’ll need experts like Endeavour Engineering to take the matter to court or a tribunal. For instance, if you’ve observed non-compliant work or damages within your property and the builders, insurance companies, or the owners of the building are not addressing them, you’ll require an expert witness report. Disputes that can require expert reports include:
- Claims against the compliance of a building (for example if you are an owner or the manager of an owners corporation and are unhappy with the construction completed by a builder, or you are a builder responding to a claim made by an owner or owners corporation).
In all such cases involving litigation, you will need an expert engineering report prepared by an independent professional witness in accordance with NCAT’s directions. The same is true if you have to defend a claim made against your property.
What is the NSW Civil Administrative Tribunal (NCAT)
The NSW Civil & Administrative Tribunal, known as NCAT, is an independent body that integrates 20 previously distinct tribunals. It’s now authorised to deal with a diverse range of issues like building works and tenancy and even administratively review government decisions in New South Wales. Most importantly, for our purposes, it aims to resolve conflicts regarding building defects between owners, traders and/or insurers. All decisions NCAT reaches are legally binding.
Expert Witness Code of Conduct
At Endeavour Engineering, our expert witness services, led by seasoned engineers, adhere strictly to the Expert Witness Code of Conduct for NCAT hearings and NSW courts.
Our independent reports, grounded in Australian standards and the Building Code of Australia, provide impartial and evidence-based insights for building disputes and mediation.
Understanding the complexities of construction law, our building inspectors Sydney ensure that every report assists the tribunal and parties involved in a fair and effective resolution.
Our Engineers are Experienced and Qualified to Provide Independent Expert Reporting In Sydney and NSW
If you’re looking for the best expert witnesses in Sydney and Greater New South Wales, we’ve got you covered.
We draft our expert engineering reports after a methodical, detailed process to determine, assess and document facts. Plus, we have state-of-the-art technology to perform the right tests when needed. Our seasoned experts will reach the most probable conclusions and assist in any litigation process where required.
Given our experience, we know how to report all facts and expert opinions in line with NSW laws and regulations. We have previously dealt with cases of varying scopes and complexities and have a proven history of exceeding our client’s expectations.
You can read what our past customers have to say about us here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is forensic engineering?
Forensic engineering is a branch of engineering that focuses on investigating failures in structures, materials, or components of buildings or machinery. The goal of forensic engineering is to identify the cause of a failure and determine what led to the failure. This is typically done through a combination of research, inspection, and analysis.
Forensic engineering is often used in legal disputes and insurance claims to help determine liability. For example, if a stage collapses or a bridge breaks, forensic engineering can be used to identify the cause of the failure and help the court hold the responsible parties accountable.
Overall, forensic engineering is an important field that helps to identify and rectify failures in order to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
What should an expert engineering report include?
An expert engineering report should include all documented facts, observations, and details of any tests conducted. The qualifications of the expert who conducted the assessment, their opinions and conclusions, and any disclaimers about areas that don’t fall under their expertise are also mandatory parts of the expert report. All facts that are used to deduce the opinion need to be clearly and comprehensively noted as well.
The report also includes suggested solutions and repairs to the defects and problems alongside the repair costs. It’s essential to note that an expert report needs to be per NCAT’s Procedural Directions at the time of the investigation. Alongside this, the expert needs to perform as per the Expert Witness Code of Conduct.
When is an expert report required?
An expert engineering report is required when disputes arise over construction and building issues. For example, features that are non-compliant with the National Construction Code, breaches of contract etc.
Such a report becomes mandatory if the conflicts have to be taken to NCAT or the court, as the NCAT does not acknowledge evidence unless an expert witness prepares it under its guidelines. The expert report then assists in cross-examinations, interrogations, audits, etc.
What does a structural engineer report cover?
A structural engineer report is drafted after a detailed inspection of a building’s skeleton and structure to review its condition and highlight any defects. It further describes the possible causes behind structural issues, potential solutions, and the costs of repair and correction.
Property owners usually require the report for insurance claims. Property buyers need it to assess the damages in the building, negotiate prices, and evaluate the cost of future repairs necessary. On the other hand, property sellers get a professional structural engineer report to understand their building before marketing it or dealing with concerns about severe damages when there are none.