Areas served
Forensic Engineering in Georgia
In and around Atlanta
What we investigate in Atlanta
Atlanta's structural losses cluster around two forces: the Piedmont red clay that shifts once grading and paving change its moisture, and the tornado and severe-storm wind that reaches deep into the metro. We investigate what actually failed and document it to a standard that holds, and a licensed engineer responds within 24 hours with no travel charges.
The conditions we see in Atlanta
Metro Atlanta grew across Piedmont red clay, soil that stayed stable for centuries under forest cover but turns active once grading, impervious paving, and altered drainage change how much water reaches it. The New Georgia Encyclopedia documents these clay-rich Piedmont soils, and the movement they cause shows up as cracked slabs, sticking doors, and separated foundations that read like cosmetic settling. Decades of rapid suburban expansion placed a vast wood-frame housing stock on that ground.
Severe weather compounds it. On March 14, 2008, an EF2 tornado tracked through downtown, damaging high-rise buildings across the core, blowing out windows and cladding on the Westin and the CNN Center. In September 2009, historic rainfall dropped several feet of water in places and overwhelmed drainage across the metro. Intown neighborhoods hold older brick and masonry, downtown carries high-rises, and cold snaps with ice-storm outages push heating loads that all factor into how damage reads here.
How we help in Atlanta
The evaluations Atlanta cases usually call for
- Foundation and structural evaluation
When a slab cracks or a wall separates over Piedmont clay, the question is whether it is soil movement, a drainage change, or a construction defect. Our licensed engineers evaluate the structure and the soil behavior together and document which one caused the damage, across both older intown masonry and the large suburban wood-frame stock.
Our structural engineering services- Storm and water loss investigation
After a tornado, straight-line wind, or a flooding rain, we determine whether the damage came from the storm wind, from water intrusion, or from a condition that predated the event. That distinction decides the claim, so we base it on the physical evidence at the property rather than assumption.
Our forensic engineering in Atlanta- Hail and storm damage
We evaluate hail and wind damage across Atlanta, separating fresh storm damage from wear, prior repairs, and conditions that predated the storm.
Our hail damage services in Atlanta
Fire origin & cause
Fire origin and cause in Atlanta
Atlanta's fire loss spans a wide range of stock. Aging electrical systems and unpermitted additions in older intown brick and masonry housing start fires that are hard to read in the debris, while the dense downtown and midtown core carries commercial and high-rise fire risk that behaves very differently. Cold snaps and ice-storm outages push furnaces and space heaters hard for weeks. Reaching the scene before the evidence is gone is what a disputed claim turns on.
Our NAFI-certified investigators work every scene to NFPA 921. They examine the scene systematically, trace the burn and char patterns back to the area of origin, evaluate the electrical and mechanical systems, and rule out causes until the evidence supports one conclusion, accidental or incendiary. We preserve the evidence early, document the finding in a written report, and the same engineer testifies to it at deposition and trial.
Fires we investigate
- Residential and commercial fires
- Electrical and wiring fires in older masonry housing
- Heating-system and space-heater fires
- High-rise and midtown commercial fires
- Vehicle fires
Common questions
Forensic engineering in Atlanta, Georgia
A different question about your case? An engineer, not a call center, answers within 24 hours.
Is foundation cracking in Atlanta usually the clay?
Often, but not always. Piedmont red clay moves once grading and drainage change its moisture, yet plumbing leaks, poor drainage, and construction defects produce similar cracking. We evaluate the structure and the soil behavior before assigning a cause.
Can you tell tornado or storm damage from older damage?
Yes. Distinguishing fresh tornado or straight-line wind and water damage from pre-existing wear is a core part of a storm loss investigation, and it is usually the point the claim turns on.
Do you charge travel to reach Atlanta?
No. We work Atlanta-area cases from our Omaha lab and Los Angeles office with no travel charges, and a licensed engineer responds within 24 hours.
Have a loss that needs answers?
Tell us what happened. An engineer, not a call center, will review your case.