Case Studies
The project involved a ~480K-square-foot senior living community. Upon completion, the site will be home to more than 275 units at 11 concrete and wood building structures featuring aluminum storefronts/windows, formed metal panels, and aluminum plank siding. At the time of the loss, excavation and building foundations had just begun. The insured claimed heavy rain events during construction caused extensive damage to open excavations, building pads, and trenches for the eventual installation of piping, waterlines, sewage lines, and electrical conduits. Due to the complexity of earthwork claims, J.S. Held was engaged to review the documentation provided and determine applicable damages.
J.S. Held reviewed the as-submitted claim costs and associated backup documentation. Earthwork claims are often complex as they depend on if/when excavation activities started and the policy coverage. Upon review, we noticed claim costs beyond the known scope of damages and necessary repairs. We determined that portions of the as-claimed costs were associated with contract work and specific excavation activities had not started before the loss events.
Our team constructed the impacted scope of damage diagrams to estimate the total quantity of soil removed from the site. Utilizing the earthwork subcontractor’s haul/dump tickets, we calculated the claim’s quantity of soil removed off-site and aligned it with the associated date of loss events. We then compared the expected amount of soil off-haul based on the known scope of damage/repairs. To further support our measurement comparison, we utilized drone photographs and developed photo comparison documents to display monthly existing site conditions of the earthwork from pre-loss to post-loss repairs. We presented our findings to the insurance market to communicate the claim background and pending issues at stake.
Ryan Fiesta
Senior Project Manager
Builder's Risk Practice
+1 206 844 1542
[email protected]
> Construction Insurance Claims Services
We have a dedicated team of experts that have consulted on and testified in complex matters involving buildings and infrastructure that have been damaged during the course of construction. Our team of global experts calls upon decades of technical field experience working for many of the largest commercial contractors in the world. We have specialized expertise in delay analysis, schedule review, construction contract interpretation, repair cost review, and estimating.
> Construction Contract Claims Services
J.S. Held construction claims experts support construction project stakeholders by assisting in the avoidance and resolution of project-related disputes. We deliver objective and independent analyses of complex construction matters based on years of technical field experience and industry knowledge.