When tile fails, we explain why.
Independent forensic investigation, testing, and expert witness testimony
Our Story
Professionally obsessed
Most people go to Vegas for the shows. We go for the tile and stone. We inspect the shower in every hotel we check into, we can walk into a chain store and name the exact ANSI standard that wasn't followed, and we'll flip over a loose tile just to read the mortar on the back. We've spent careers on the committees that write the standards the industry runs on — not for a resume line, but because we genuinely love getting tile right. It's a little much. But when your tile fails, that obsession is working for you.
How it works
From first call to final word
Homeowner, attorney, builder, or insurer — the path is the same.
Find out what actually happened, and prove it.
Consult
Tell us what's failing. You'll hear back within one business day — and get a straight read on what it'll take, not a sales pitch.
1
Investigate
On-site or by live video, whichever fits your case, we gather and document the evidence the right way.
2
Report
A confidential, standards-cited written report that says what happened and what to do about it — in plain language.
3
Resolve
Use it to get the work fixed, back a claim, or make your case — with expert testimony if it goes that far.
4
Three ways we investigate — matched to what’s at stake
You don't always need us standing in the room (though we'd happily tap every tile in it). For commercial and litigation, we're there in person to control chain of custody. For residential cases, we offer live-video options that deliver the same standards-based answers without the travel expense.
On a live video call, we direct the deconstruction step by step — you point the camera and do the lifting, and we read what's underneath in real time. It's the fastest way to find out what actually failed, from anywhere in the country, without the cost of flying us out. You walk away with a standards-based written report on what failed and why.
A local Certified Tile Installer does the hands-on deconstruction while we direct the investigation live — then we write the report. Installer included, so there's no scrambling to find a pro who'll cooperate. You get back a structured written report with our findings, likely causes, severity, and a clear action plan you can hand to a contractor, insurer, or attorney.
We come to you. This is a complete, in-person forensic investigation of your tile failure — conducted on-site with professional methods and documented to hold up to scrutiny. You get back a structured report with our findings, likely causes, severity, and a clear action plan, prepared to stand up to a contractor, insurer, or court. Travel and scope are quoted to your project. Required for commercial, recommended for litigation.
Tell us what's failing.
We'll recommend the right way to investigate — on-site or by live video — and reply within one business day.
We've spent years cleaning up other people's work
Forensics isn't where we started. As contractors, the call we got most often wasn't for a fresh install — it was from someone who'd already hired someone, paid for it, and watched the work fail. We spent years taking apart bad workmanship, finding what went wrong, and making it right. So when you tell us something's off, we believe you. We've seen it more times than we can count.
If someone took your money and did the job wrong, that should have consequences. We give you the standards-based proof to hold the right party accountable.
Client Reviews
"My contractor did substandard work and refused a refund, and I needed an expert report for court. I called several companies — no one could help, until Erin. We don't even live near each other, so she did the inspection virtually from my videos and photos, and within a few days I had a thorough report noting exactly which installation standards weren't met. I was amazed at all she could tell from the photos."
— Homeowner"I found myself in a stressful legal dispute over a failed tile installation in one of my properties. They were professional, detail-oriented, and thorough — they documented every issue with clear references to industry standards, photographs, and technical data my attorney used effectively in litigation, and translated it into clear language a judge or jury could grasp. Their work was instrumental in reaching a favorable resolution. They truly protect your investment."
— Commercial Property Owner"After a month and a half of my concerns being brushed off by my contractor, I finally had an expert confirm not only that my suspicions were right, but that the work was much worse than I thought. The inspection found code and safety violations and saved us from inevitable water damage. She never made me feel dumb for hiring a bad contractor — she explained every violation and how to protect myself in the future."
— HomeownerWe are a National Tile Contractors Association Industry Recognized Tile & Stone Consultant, Regional CTEF/CTI Evaluator, and NTCA State Ambassador for Texas.
Who You're Hiring
The People who help write the standards
Credentials that hold up in a deposition — because the people behind the report help write and teach the standards the industry runs on.
If you are on the hunt for tile nerds, you have found your people. We read TCNA Handbook details for fun, have detail EJ171 memorized, and will happily argue about thinset over dinner.
Erin Albrecht
Lead forensic analyst
NTCA 5-Star Contractor · CTEF Board of Directors · TCNA Handbook Committee · ANSI Gauged Porcelain Technical Committee · NTCA Education & Training Committee · Master's in Education.
Has been known to critique a hotel lobby’s stonework mid-conversation.
Triniti Vigil
Lead installation analyst
Advanced Certified Tile Installer (ACT — fewer than 40 in the U.S.) · 2022 NTCA Craftsperson of the Year · Regional CTEF Evaluator · Certified Tile Installer · large-format & thin porcelain · Schluter, Wedi, Ardex, OSHA 10.
Can tell a properly built mud floor by the sound it makes.
Forensic answers, defensible reports
We investigate tile and stone failures against TCNA and ANSI standards, document the evidence, and stand behind it. From the first site visit through the courtroom. Nationwide — in person or by live video to fit your project and budget.
Failure Investigation
Honestly, this is the part we love: reading a failure the way a detective reads a scene. We find the root cause — substrate movement, the wrong mortar, the step that got skipped — and prove it against the TCNA Handbook and ANSI standards. (We can read a tile's whole story off the mortar on its back.)
Installation Issue Analysis
We identify defective workmanship, wrong methods, and unsuitable materials — and document each against the standards, so responsibility is clear.
Expert Witness
Testimony for depositions, arbitrations, and trial — for plaintiffs and defendants alike. We explain the evidence so a judge and jury can follow.
Insurance Claim Support
Slip-and-fall, technical failures, and disputes — documented so the right party covers the cost.
Testing Services
When a case warrants it, we go deep: tile-assembly deconstruction, petrographic and chemical analysis, ASTM physical properties, slip-resistance, mold, mock-up replication, and accelerated weathering. (We find petrography genuinely thrilling.
Quality Control
Pre-construction consultation and on-site oversight for complex projects. Our favorite kind of failure is the one that never happens.
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