Construction and Building News

AKRON, OH -- (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- April 7, 2005 -- Bert L. Howe & Associates, Inc. (www.berthowe.com) a full-service construction-litigation support firm, specializing in construction defect claims, general construction investigation, and dispute resolution, has expanded its eastern regional operations, adding increased client services, educational seminars, as well as two new southeastern offices.

"With expanded services in the Akron office, as well as new offices in Louisville, Kentucky, and Columbia, South Carolina, Bert L. Howe & Associates (BHA) is now uniquely positioned to provide multi-disciplinary construction claims support to insurers, attorneys, property managers and owners throughout the Eastern United States," said Christopher Gallo, Construction Management Specialist with BHA.

On February 22, 2005, Ohio Governor Bob Taft signed into law a bill that requires homeowners to provide written notice to builders before filing a construction defect lawsuit in order that the builder might settle the claim. Nevertheless, the home-building industry has seen a dramatic increase in construction defect litigation since the early nineties. In response to this trend, BHA has made significant investments in the development of proprietary software and systems which are uniquely tailored to providing construction claims professionals with an integrated litigation support resource.

Plus, with the introduction of BHA's new Axiom Service Packages, BHA is now able to provide top-level expert support services, while simultaneously reducing expert-related expenditures. BHA's credentialed construction professionals include recognized experts in the fields of repair cost estimating, forensic architecture, and civil/structural engineering to name just a few.

"The approach at BHA is to provide a single point of reference for construction-related claims support," said Gallo. "Relevant experts are brought together under one organizational umbrella to ensure effective inter-expert communication while minimizing duplicative administrative and operational costs."

As a service to the community, BHA will also be hosting a number of free professional development seminars aimed at attorneys, owners, and construction claims professionals. Seminars include:

- Investigating Construction Defect Claims:

A multimedia presentation developed in 3D, demonstrating the entire construction sequence from site acquisition to project completion with emphasis on components/systems that are typically involved in construction defect claims.

- Understanding Mold Claims:

A discussion of the circumstances surrounding mold proliferation, coverage implications, mechanism(s) of failure, determining proximate causes, and establishing liability.

- Site Drainage:

Covers the methods and systems employed in surface and below-grade drainage systems with an emphasis on forensic investigation, design requirements, site drainage issues, and the implications pertaining to resultant damage.

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