Expert Witness Services - What We Do

Expert Witness Services from ClystCore Chartered Surveyors: Independent and Impartial.

Whether you are facing a construction dispute, a defect claim, or a complex quantum disagreement, having the right expert witness in your corner can be the difference between a favourable outcome and a costly, drawn-out battle. At ClystCore Chartered Surveyors, our RICS-regulated expert witness services deliver independent, court-compliant professional opinion across both building surveying and quantity surveying disciplines, covering the entirety of the UK.

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What Is an Expert Witness in Surveying?

An expert witness is a suitably qualified professional appointed to provide an independent, impartial opinion on technical matters that fall outside the general knowledge of a court, tribunal, or adjudicator. In surveying and construction disputes, this expertise is invaluable, helping decision-makers understand complex issues relating to building defects, construction costs, contractual entitlements, and professional negligence.

Unlike a standard consultant who advises their client, an expert witness's overriding duty is to the court or tribunal, not to the party who instructs them. This principle is enshrined in CPR Part 35 (Civil Procedure Rules), which governs expert evidence in civil proceedings across England and Wales. At ClystCore, we take this duty with the utmost seriousness. Our reports are always our own, independent, and evidence-based; never shaped by the pressures of the instructing party.

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Our Expert Witness Services

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ClystCore offers expert witness appointments across two core disciplines:

Building Surveying Expert Witness:- covering building defects and pathology, breach of duty and professional negligence claims, pre-purchase survey disputes, and reinstatement cost assessment disputes.

Quantum Expert Witness:- providing forensic cost analysis and independent opinion on construction cost disputes, disruption and prolongation claims, contractor and subcontractor claims, employer's deductions, and full adjudication, mediation, and litigation support.

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How We Add Value as Expert Witnesses

Engaging ClystCore as your expert witness adds real, measurable value to your dispute or legal process:

• Technical depth and credibility:- Our Director holds MRICS status with hands-on experience across building surveying, quantity surveying, and cost management. Courts and tribunals respond to experts who clearly know their subject.
• Proportionate, clear reporting:- We produce written reports that comply fully with CPR 35 requirements, including a clear statement of truth, a declaration of our duty to the court, and transparent disclosure of the facts, assumptions, and materials relied upon.
• Responsive to your legal timetable:- Whether you need a preliminary review, a letter of opinion, or a full CPR 35-compliant report, ClystCore provides prompt, professional service.
• Single joint expert (SJE) appointments:- Where the court or parties agree to a single joint expert, ClystCore is well-placed to act impartially on behalf of both sides, reducing costs and helping resolve disputes efficiently.
• Seamless legal team integration:- We work closely with solicitors and barristers, attending experts' meetings, preparing joint statements, and providing clear responses to supplementary questions.

RICS Standards and Court Compliance

ClystCore operates in full compliance with the RICS Professional Standard: Surveyors Acting as Expert Witnesses, which sets out the requirements for RICS members providing expert evidence in civil proceedings, covering engagement terms, conflict of interest management, fee arrangements, and report preparation. The 5th Edition of this standard is expected to come into effect in 2026, and ClystCore will implement all updates accordingly.

All of our expert witness work also adheres to CPR Part 35 and Practice Direction 35, the Ikarian Reefer principles of objectivity and independence, and the RICS Practice Alert (2025), which reinforces that expert opinion must be entirely within the expert's own personal professional expertise.

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Who Instructs Us?

Our expert witness services are regularly sought by solicitors and law firms, property owners and developers facing defect claims, contractors and subcontractors in final account disputes, insurance companies and loss adjusters requiring independent technical opinion, and employers and funders needing independent assessment of contractor claims.

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Get in Touch

If your dispute requires independent, impartial, and technically credible expert witness evidence in building surveying or construction quantum, ClystCore Chartered Surveyors is ready to help. We are RICS-regulated, based in the South West, and available to accept instructions across England and Wales. Contact us today to discuss your requirements in complete confidence.

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