Construction Dispute Resolution for a Senior Living Facility, TX

The Challenge

A Complex Professional Liability Claim

A recently retired Texas architect became involved in a legal dispute following his role in the development of a senior assisted living facility.

The architect had entered into a joint venture with another architectural firm and agreed to serve as the Architect of Record, signing and sealing the drawings required for city approvals. The arrangement was intended to help advance the permitting process for a long-standing client.

After construction, however, the facility experienced significant damage associated with highly expansive clay soils. Changes in moisture levels caused movement in the subgrade, with impacts extending across multiple areas of the property, including interior and exterior walls, paving, and flooring.

The property owner subsequently retained another architect, who issued a Certificate of Merit alleging that the architect had failed to meet the applicable professional Standard of Care. A formal claim for damages followed, placing the retired architect in a significant legal and professional dispute.

The case required a clear assessment of the available information and an independent evaluation of the issues surrounding the claim.

The Solution

Independent Inspection and Expert Reporting

In 2024, SOCOTEC conducted a detailed site inspection to evaluate the conditions relevant to the dispute. Our expert led the assessment and prepared a comprehensive Report of Findings later that year.

SOCOTEC's work included:

• Inspection of the senior living facility and relevant site conditions
• Dispute resolution support for the architectural claim
• Preparation of a detailed expert report documenting the findings

The objective was to provide the client with a clear, technically grounded assessment that could be used to address the allegations raised in the dispute.

Following the distribution of SOCOTEC's report, the joint venture partner also engaged SOCOTEC to support its position in the matter. This required SOCOTEC to apply its technical expertise to a complex dispute involving multiple project stakeholders and substantial financial exposure.

The Results

Swift Resolution of a Multi-Million-Dollar Claim

Within three weeks of the report's distribution, both clients were released from the litigation. The resulting summary judgment brought a favorable resolution to a multi-million-dollar claim.

This project demonstrates SOCOTEC's ability to provide independent technical insight and expert reporting in complex architectural disputes, helping professionals and project stakeholders navigate challenging claims with greater clarity and confidence.