Expert Witness & Litigation Support in San Antonio, TX
WE HELP ATTORNEYS AND INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS BUILD A DEFENSIBLE RECORD ON BUILDING ENVELOPE DISPUTES
A building envelope dispute rarely turns on a single photo or a single opinion. Whether the issue involves a roof leak, a failed sealant joint, or water finding its way in around a window system at a multifamily property, the outcome usually depends on whether the failure was documented correctly, tested against the right standard, and explained in terms a judge, mediator, or adjuster can follow.
Building Envelope Solutions supports attorneys, insurance professionals, and construction stakeholders across San Antonio and Austin with independent forensic investigation, defensible testing, and expert reporting for building envelope and water intrusion disputes. Founder Thomas Kita Jr. brings a combination that is difficult to find in this market: hands-on building science experience and a license to practice law in Texas.
When a Building Envelope Dispute Needs an Expert Witness
Water intrusion claims involving commercial and multifamily properties often arrive with conflicting explanations. A contractor may point to the roof. A property manager may point to the windows. An insurer may question whether the damage is even covered. Without an independent investigation, the parties are left arguing opinions instead of findings.
An expert witness is often the right next step when a water intrusion or building envelope claim involves disputed causation, a coverage question, a construction defect allegation, or repair work that has already failed once. This applies to office buildings, retail space, institutional buildings, and apartment or multifamily communities, where window systems, wall assemblies, and roof transitions are common points of failure and common points of disagreement between owners, contractors, and insurers.
We have investigated water intrusion at a range of property types, including a
retail storefront window and wall assembly in San Antonio,
balcony and window-related leaks at a San Antonio multifamily property, and
water infiltration at an institutional building on the UTSA campus. The same field methods used on those projects apply when the findings need to hold up in a legal or insurance context.
Signs Your Case Needs a Building Envelope Expert Witness
A case may benefit from an independent building envelope expert when the parties disagree about the cause of a leak, when a prior repair failed to resolve the intrusion, when an insurance carrier has denied or disputed a claim, when a construction defect allegation involves the roof, walls, or window and glazing systems, or when opposing counsel has already retained their own expert.
This type of support is useful for
litigation, arbitration, mediation, and pre-suit insurance claim review, and applies to disputes involving roof systems, wall assemblies, window and door perimeters,
EIFS cladding, waterproofing, and flashing details.
What We Provide for Attorneys and Insurance Professionals
- Independent forensic investigation. We evaluate the building envelope on-site to identify the actual source of water intrusion, not just the visible symptom, using the same AAMA and ASTM testing methods referenced throughout our field work, including ASTM E1105 water spray testing for window and wall systems.
- Written expert reports. Findings are documented in a report built to withstand scrutiny in litigation, mediation, or insurance claim review, connecting the observed conditions to a defensible cause.
- Deposition and trial testimony. Thomas Kita Jr. is available to testify to his findings and methodology as a retained expert.
- Scope of Work and contractor documentation review. We evaluate existing repair scopes, pay applications, and contractor proposals for accuracy and completeness.
- Contract interpretation and dispute resolution support. As a licensed Texas attorney and construction mediator, Thomas Kita Jr. can help interpret construction contracts and support mediation between owners, contractors, and insurers.
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- Coordination with outside counsel. We work directly with the retaining attorney's team so findings are framed in terms that are useful for the case, not just the repair.
Observe, Test, Diagnose, and Advocate
Every engagement starts with understanding what is actually in dispute. We begin with a review of the claim, the property's history, prior reports, and the specific allegations or coverage questions at issue.
From there, we conduct an on-site investigation of the building envelope, focusing on the roof, wall, window, and glazing systems most likely connected to the reported intrusion. When appropriate, we perform targeted field testing to confirm or rule out potential sources rather than relying on visual inspection alone.
Once testing is complete, findings are documented in a written report that lays out what was observed, what was tested, and the conclusion those results support. If the matter proceeds to deposition, mediation, or trial, Thomas Kita Jr. is available to testify to that report and defend the methodology behind it.
Throughout the engagement, our role is to advocate for an accurate, well-supported finding, not for a predetermined outcome. An expert report is only useful to a case if it can withstand challenge.
What Affects the Cost of an Expert Witness Engagement
Expert witness and litigation support fees vary by case. Factors that affect scope and cost typically include the size and complexity of the property, how many building systems are in question (roof, wall, window, or a combination), whether field testing is required in addition to visual investigation, the volume of prior reports and documentation to review, and whether the engagement includes deposition or trial testimony in addition to the written report.
We do not publish flat rates for this service because no two disputes present the same scope of work. Contact our office with the case details and we will provide a scope-based estimate.
This page describes the scope of our expert witness and litigation support services. It is not legal advice, and case-specific guidance should come from the retaining attorney.
Why Attorneys and Insurance Professionals Choose Building Envelope Solutions
Building Envelope Solutions brings a combination of credentials that is uncommon in this market. Thomas Kita Jr. has 18 years of hands-on experience diagnosing roof and wall system failures, and is also a licensed Texas attorney and construction mediator, giving him the ability to interpret contracts, understand the legal standard an expert opinion needs to meet, and communicate findings clearly to a judge, mediator, or claims professional. Attorneys and claims teams can confirm current license status for any Texas attorney through the State Bar of Texas attorney search.
Our approach is the same one we use on every building envelope investigation: observe conditions directly, test rather than assume, and reach a conclusion the evidence actually supports.
Expert Witness Support for San Antonio and Austin Attorneys and Insurers
We provide expert witness and litigation support services for attorneys, insurance professionals, and construction stakeholders throughout San Antonio and the surrounding area, with Austin as a secondary service area. Our work supports counsel and claims teams who need an independent, defensible finding before a case moves further into litigation, mediation, or claim resolution.
Whether the dispute involves a commercial property, a school or institutional building, or a multifamily or apartment community, we help identify the true source of a building envelope failure and document it in a way that holds up under scrutiny.
Hire a Building Envelope Expert Witness Today
If you are an attorney or insurance professional evaluating a building envelope or water intrusion dispute in San Antonio or Austin, contact Building Envelope Solutions to discuss the case and scope an independent expert investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a building envelope expert witness do?
A building envelope expert witness investigates the physical cause of a roof, wall, window, or water intrusion failure, tests the likely points of entry, and provides a written report and, when needed, deposition or trial testimony explaining the findings and methodology behind them.
Is Thomas Kita Jr. qualified to testify as both a technical expert and an attorney?
Yes. Thomas Kita Jr. is a building envelope specialist with 18 years of roof and wall system experience and is also a licensed Texas attorney and construction mediator, which allows him to understand both the technical failure and the legal standard his findings need to meet.
Do you support insurance claim disputes, or only active litigation?
Both. We support pre-suit insurance claim review, litigation, arbitration, and mediation. Many engagements begin before a lawsuit is filed, while a claim or coverage question is still being evaluated.
What types of building envelope disputes do you handle?
We handle disputes involving roof systems, wall assemblies, window and door perimeters, EIFS cladding, waterproofing, flashing, and other building envelope components, on commercial, institutional, and multifamily properties.
Do you work on multifamily and apartment property disputes?
Yes. Window and wall-related water intrusion at multifamily and apartment properties is one of the more common disputes we support, alongside commercial and institutional buildings.
Do you serve Austin as well as San Antonio?
Yes. San Antonio is our primary service area, and Austin is a secondary service area we serve from our Austin office.
If your case involves a roof or wall failure rather than a dispute, our commercial roof consulting and water intrusion testing services cover the diagnostic side of the same building systems.
