Construction Advice, Inspections, Estimating and Forensic Testing


We have helped clients like you answer tough questions such as:

  • We just had a room addition done and found out the windows leak. We suspect there may be other work-quality problems or code violations. How do we know if there are any other problems? How do we talk to our contractor about this?
  • I am a property manager and need a deck assessment for 100 old decks at the Ocean View Apartments. Who is going to decide which decks to repair and how to repair them before they become unsafe?
  • There is an apartment building that I want to purchase. Who will walk the property with me and tell me what repairs I could expect to have to do within the next five years?
  • We’ve just had a fire at our house and the insurance adjuster says they only cover 20%. Who will help us with documenting the damages before we make repairs and also help us negotiate a fair claim amount with our insurance company?
  • My client emailed me photos of water stains on the ceiling of the back bedroom in one of the condominium units I manage. What should I do?
  • We own an ocean front property and need new windows. The last ones succumbed to water damage due to the wind driven rain. Which windows will work best for our building year after year?

The answer to all these hard questions?  Call MFC for useful, professional solutions tailored to your specific situation.

Construction Estimates
Estimating is part science, part art. We will prepare our estimate for you with the degree of confidence your project needs and your budget allows. When you are undecided regarding a retrofit, remodel, or new construction project, conceptual estimates are a valuable decision-making tool for affordability. MFC publishes conceptual estimates using industry preferred software, Xactware.  80% of insurance-repair contractors and property insurers use Xactware to determine the cost of repairs. Our formats and terminology are easy for the layperson to read and understand.

We are positioned to prepare estimates with market-based pricing included or scopes of work without cost details suitable for putting out to competitive bidding. As needed, we blend our conceptual estimating with actual third-party subcontractor estimates, which allows the MFC client to receive our report, pick up the phone, and arrange a contract with a local, licensed contractor who wants to perform the specified work.

Forensic Testing
For MFC, forensic testing is part of the bigger picture of identifying real problems and realistic solutions. Using a multifaceted approach, we perform a series of tests to understand exactly what is going on with your building.

We are equipped and trained to perform a range of water tests, from simple to conforming to-ASTM-Standards.  Whether on windows, walls, doors, rooftop flashings, and decks, depending on your case’s needs, we look for how building components respond to the elements. These recorded tests are the evidence you need for your case.

We frequently provide destructive testing for stucco, windows, roofs, etc., to find out where a problem is coming from, and how to solve it in the most effective way possible. MFC can provide Borescope observation, vapor transmission testing (calcium chloride), level surveys, and hardscape crack monitoring, to name a few.

MFC also provides preliminary mold testing.  Our level of testing and inspecting will reveal whether or not you have elevated counts of mold growth inside your or your client’s building.  These results can then inform you if the expense of a mold study performed by a professional industrial hygienist is warranted.