Symptoms Are Not Causes
A stain, crack, gap or loose component is a symptom. It tells you something happened; it does not tell you why. Good defect evaluation resists the urge to name a cause from a photograph. Paul starts with the symptom, identifies the plausible explanations, and then looks for evidence that supports or rules out each one.
Four Categories of Explanation
| Category | What it means | Typical evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Defective work | Work performed below the governing requirement | Installation details, fasteners, sequence, product instructions |
| Incomplete work | Work not performed or not finished | Scope documents, punch lists, payment records, photos |
| Other causes | Movement, later damage, lack of maintenance, owner changes, product failure | Timeline, maintenance records, alterations, pattern of conditions |
| Combination | More than one cause contributing | Comparison across locations and over time |
Placing each condition in the right category is the core of the evaluation, and it often decides who should pay for correction.
Testing Each Explanation
Paul uses several practical checks to sort explanations:
- Pattern. Does the condition repeat wherever the same installer did the same work, or is it isolated?
- Timing. When did the condition appear relative to completion, occupancy and any later work?
- Comparison. Is the same item performing well elsewhere under similar conditions?
- Requirements. Does the installation match the documents and manufacturer instructions?
- Alternative sources. Is there evidence of impact, water from another source, alteration or neglect?
Where an explanation requires engineering, laboratory or medical analysis, Paul identifies that need and does not offer the opinion himself.
Why This Matters to Both Sides
For a claimant, a well-founded evaluation shows which conditions are attributable to the work and can be recovered. For a contractor or insurer, it identifies conditions that have another cause or fall within reasonable tolerance. Either way, the evaluation gives counsel a realistic picture early, which helps in mediation and settlement as well as at trial.
For correction once causes are identified, see repair scope and cost. For how deficient and incomplete work are documented, see defective construction workmanship.
Common Alternative Explanations
In residential and commercial work alike, the same alternative explanations come up again and again: wood shrinkage and seasonal movement, impacts from moving or later trades, water from a plumbing leak or roof issue unrelated to the disputed work, cleaning or maintenance practices that damaged finishes, and alterations made by owners or tenants after completion. Each is considered before a condition is attributed to the original workmanship.