Service
Structural assessment and water-intrusion investigation for cracking, concrete spalling, corrosion, leaks and settlement.
01 / The Documented Cause
The Direct Answer
A forensic investigation provides a structural assessment and evaluation of cracking, concrete spalling, leaks, settlement or movement before repairs are bid. The assessing engineer documents the observed conditions and develops conclusions within the agreed investigation scope.
The point is a documented cause, not a guess: repairs bid against an unexplained symptom tend to be repeated.
Scope
Structural movement, subsidence, and foundation compromise are evaluated to determine whether observed distress is active, progressive, or stable.
A water-intrusion investigation traces visible leak paths and moisture migration to their source so repair recommendations address the documented cause rather than only the symptom.
Concrete spalling, delamination and reinforcing-steel corrosion are assessed to document their visible extent and support appropriate engineering recommendations.
Every observation is recorded in the field with photographs tied to a specific building location and dated for the record.
The final deliverable is a written root-cause assessment signed and sealed by a licensed Florida professional engineer.
Findings are presented to the board by a Fortis PE, so directors can act on a documented cause rather than a contractor’s estimate.
When the findings support repair documentation or engineering oversight, the next scope may be concrete restoration engineering. Fortis engineers and may oversee that work; the repair contractor performs the physical construction.
Your final root-cause investigation report will be signed and sealed by a Fortis PE working to the Fortis Standard.
Each Fortis inspection report includes 20+ photographs, each located and dated in the field.
Forensic investigations are not driven by a county deadline, so there is no Broward-versus-Miami-Dade distinction to reconcile. Fortis performs forensic investigations across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach.
The Forensic File
September 24, 2026
Questions
A forensic investigation provides a structural assessment and evaluation of cracking, concrete spalling, leaks, settlement or movement. The assessing engineer documents the observed conditions and develops conclusions within the agreed investigation scope before repair recommendations are prepared or repairs are bid.
A water-intrusion investigation evaluates visible leak paths, moisture migration and the building conditions around them. The assessing engineer documents the observed evidence so engineering recommendations can address the supported cause rather than only the visible symptom.
When the cause of the distress is not established. Boards and owners bring Fortis in when cracking, spalling, leaks or movement need a documented cause before repairs are bid. Bidding first means contractors price a symptom, and the board has no independent basis to judge whether the proposed scope addresses what is actually wrong.
No. Forensic investigations are not driven by a county deadline, so there is no Broward-versus-Miami-Dade distinction to reconcile and no filing date to work back from. An investigation is commissioned because a condition needs explaining — usually before repair money is committed, an insurance position is taken, or a dispute hardens.
Each finding is photographed, located and dated in the field, then carried into a sealed report the board can act on. Distress is located on the building elevation and photographed with a scale reference, so the record supports the conclusion rather than merely accompanying it. The findings are documented to stand up to insurers and counsel.
The investigation is performed under the responsible charge of a Fortis PE working to the Fortis Standard. The work follows the same documented method whoever is assigned, and the final engineering report is sealed when required by the agreed scope.
Fortis performs forensic investigations across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach. Because the work is not tied to a county filing programme, the same method applies in each of the three counties — the investigation is scoped to the condition being explained rather than to whichever jurisdiction the building happens to sit in.
Scope reference
Cracking, spalling, rust staining and settlement are located on the building elevation, photographed with a scale reference and dated in the field, so the record supports the conclusion.
Send the property details and Fortis will confirm which requirement applies and provide a written scope before any fieldwork begins.