Services

Our qualified DBI appraisers and umpires resolve property damage valuation disputes for a variety of construction-related matters with honest objectivity. DBI staff leverages their experience and knowledge to bring all panel members to reasonable loss measurements based on the facts of each case.

We fully investigate construction defect claims and advise on the defect’s cause, solution, and repair cost. Our objective and accurate approach is respected by all parties. Whether engaged pre-litigation or as part of an expert team, DBI opinions are utilized to bring expeditious resolution.

We know the urgency and complexity of Builder’s Risk claims and the cost impact they have on active construction projects. Our intimate knowledge of construction management, combined with our expertise in insurance, provides us with a unique advantage. We are able to adeptly analyze construction documents and schedules, accurately identify loss-related expenses, and reach timely agreements with owners/developers.

Driven by accuracy, we specialize in cost estimating complex structures, anywhere in the world. We have mastery of industry-standard estimating formats and meticulously research and verify cost information, recognizing that markets change, pricing is often in flux, and structures can be highly specialized. We take a deep dive into each individual assignment to discern its precise requirements and exposures, often stepping beyond industry estimating tools by utilizing our vast cost database and verifying costs with qualified contractors. We’re adept at preparing various types of cost estimates, including ROM, segregated costs, or ACV with depreciation. Our cost recommendations are clear and concise, and we share our findings in comprehensive reports.

DBI completes damage evaluations for all types of structures worldwide. Our rigorous inspection and assessment standards include the use of field-verified quantity take-offs, precise physical measurements, moisture & damage mapping, and imaging technology such as drones and 3D image capture, all of which produce accurate scopes of repair. 

We take pride in our transparency: all data, measurements and documentation are easily referenced in our final reports, allowing determinations to be made objectively, for our clients to fully comprehend the magnitude of damage and most importantly, to pave the way toward swifter resolution of their claims. 

Following a loss event, DBI can quickly mobilize to provide scope and cost management in the critical Phase I of a disaster recovery project. Our decades of experience working with top-tier restoration vendors, constant monitoring of industry labor and equipment pricing, and knowledge of industry accepted invoice methods, is combined to cost manage the mitigation and stabilization of a project. Our menu of cost control tools includes negotiation of cost and terms at project inception, daily job site clerking, scope of work monitoring, and forensic review of cost for completed work.

The DBI team provides expert testimony—via depositions and as trial witnesses—in complex court cases involving scope of repair and damage valuation disputes. We establish facts through a careful analysis of construction project documents as well as site surveys and then present our findings in a concise, court-ready format. Our reports and testimonies have helped resolve cases throughout the United States and the United Kingdom.

We provide the services needed for fast-moving projects whose scope and cost are being determined in real-time, all highly effective in avoiding any delays for damage evaluation. Our team controls schedule and costs related to loss by daily site presence; clear, thoroughly documented reports on site conditions; and meticulous observations and photographs of equipment, labor, and materials. Our consultants are adept at segregating loss by project, as well as maintaining a cohesive team, keeping adjustment, the insured, and the contractor working as a unit and the overall process a streamlined experience for our clients.

Optimization of schedules and avoiding delays are paramount to our work. We have the construction expertise to build schedules for the most intricate and specialized projects. Our team routinely prepares schedules to determine the period of restoration (POR) and delay in project completion. Additionally, we’re adept at employing various schedule delay analysis techniques, along with forensic review of schedules and relevant project documentation, to quantify delay and business interruption claims. We deliver our findings in a clear and concise format.

DBI’s cross-disciplinary team of construction experts provides a comprehensive range of services to sureties that mitigate exposures and lead to the most effective and fair solutions across the market. From swiftly analyzing the causes of a project’s distress to advising on critical project decisions to devising and implementing a plan to lead a project to closure, DBI is positioned to support and amplify a surety’s capabilities in any role.