With our engineering, inspection, and construction background, Boatwright Building Consultants, Inc. is uniquely qualified to assist with construction-related and inspection-related problems and disputes. Integrity, service, and honesty are our core values.

Click to open a section below for more information:

Expert Witness

Whether you are an attorney, architect, contractor, construction manager, owner, or building inspector, we can provide the necessary understanding to ensure an informed and knowledgeable approach to your dispute; and we do this in practical and meaningful terms. Our goal is to provide an informed, unbiased opinion and form a close productive working relationship with our client.

We thoroughly investigate and evaluate any issues pertinent to a dispute. This support includes, but is not limited to, onsite forensic investigation and an exhaustive review of all relevant documentation, including an examination of inspection reports, correspondence, contracts, design documents, bid estimates, schedules, change orders, building codes, and standards of practice.

Although construction and inspection-related claims are often complex, we can distinguish and define the relevant facts of a claim. If a claim is tried or arbitrated, our comprehensive and exhaustive research and ability to communicate to a judge, arbiter, or jury provides a reliable impartial account so they can more easily distinguish truth from allegations. It is not uncommon, however, for disputes to be settled after our investigation and research is completed and we present our findings.

Don Boatwright has served as a panel member of the American Arbitration Association since 1994 and has been appointed as a sole arbitrator or group panelist to more than two dozen arbitrations. These cases have involved disputes over single-family, multifamily and commercial construction, and include projects built on private and government land. This experience uniquely qualifies him as an expert. He knows and understands what is meaningful and how to present this information before a trier of fact.

Help With Illegal Construction

Illegal construction is construction work without a valid construction permit. Are you the owner of a multifamily dwelling with any illegal or “bootleg” units? Or maybe you own a single-family dwelling with an unapproved addition, remodeling, or modifications such as an enclosed patio or a converted garage? Often, owners have no clue their property is in violation until a code citation is issued; because the work was done by a prior owner, or they hired a contractor to do the work and assumed it was approved.

Getting a citation for your property is an unpleasant experience and can be frightening. When the citation is issued it is not uncommon for a Building Inspector to state that “the property cannot be legalized” and that you will have to “return the structure to its original condition”. While this is sometimes true, more often it is not. The Building Inspector seldom has spent the needed time to research and investigate the conditions relevant to your specific circumstances. That is where we can assist you. BOATWRIGHT has worked with local building authorities and planning departments since 1973 and is knowledgeable and experienced in obtaining “after-the-fact” approval for illegal construction. We can help solve your legal or technical difficulties, which will also optimize your property’s value.

Why Did The Building Inspector Select My Property?

There are a myriad of different ways an Inspector may become aware that your property has illegal construction. Often, a neighbor phones in a tip to the building authority. Sometimes a Building Inspector is in the neighborhood and observes a minor problem at your property, then upon taking a closer look determines a more serious violation. And sometimes the Inspector is at your property at your request to approve new work and observes prior unapproved work.

Common Single-Family Dwelling Violations

  • converting a garage into living space
  • converting an attic into living space
  • converting a basement or underfloor area into living space
  • enclosing a porch or patio
  • adding a bathroom
  • adding a room
  • adding a guesthouse or studio
  • adding a carport

Common Multifamily Dwelling Violations

  • adding a dwelling unit
  • converting an existing dwelling unit into two units
  • converting storage space into a dwelling unit
  • converting common area into a dwelling unit