Career
Construction Claims Consultant
Consultants & Advisory
Gets brought in when a project dispute is heading toward, or already in, a legal claim, to untangle what actually happened and what it's worth.
What is a Construction Claims Consultant?
A Construction Claims Consultant analyzes construction disputes, delay claims, cost overrun claims, defect claims, for whichever party hired them (owner, contractor, or their attorneys), then builds the documented, defensible position that side takes into negotiation, mediation, or litigation. Unlike an Insurance Adjuster, who works specifically within insurance claims, a Claims Consultant works across any construction dispute regardless of whether insurance is involved, often serving as an expert witness when a case goes to litigation.
What they do
- Analyze project schedules to determine the cause and length of a delay and who's responsible for it
- Review cost documentation to substantiate or challenge a cost overrun claim
- Reconstruct a timeline of project events from RFIs, change orders, daily reports, and correspondence
- Prepare detailed claim reports and exhibits used in negotiation, mediation, or litigation
- Serve as an expert witness, testifying to findings in depositions or at trial
- Advise clients on claim strategy and the strength of their position before committing to litigation
A typical day
- 8:00 AMReview a contractor's daily reports to build a timeline for a delay claim
- 9:30 AMAnalyze the project's critical path schedule to determine what actually drove the delay
- 11:30 AMDraft a section of a claim report quantifying additional costs caused by the delay
- 1:30 PMCall with the client's attorney to discuss claim strategy ahead of mediation
- 3:30 PMReview a prior expert report for a case heading toward deposition
Skills
Schedule analysis (critical path method)Cost analysis and documentation reviewTechnical writing for claim reportsReading contracts and construction documentation closelyCommunicating complex technical findings clearly to attorneys and juries
Software
Scheduling software (e.g. Primavera P6, Microsoft Project)Bluebeam
Education
- Required:
- Bachelor's degree in construction management, engineering, or a related field
- Preferred:
- Several years of construction project management or scheduling experience before moving into consulting
- Helpful:
- PMP or CCM certification, PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP) credential
- Not necessary:
- A law degree; claims consultants provide technical/schedule/cost expertise, not legal representation, though they work closely with attorneys
Career progression
- 1.Project Engineer or Scheduler
- 2.Claims Analyst
- 3.Construction Claims Consultant
- 4.Senior Consultant or Expert Witness (Construction Litigation)
Who hires for this role
Consulting FirmsLaw Firms (construction litigation practices)Owners and General Contractors (directly, for major disputes)
Explore next
Insurance Adjuster (Property/Casualty)Change OrderScope of LossDelay ClaimTermination for DefaultNo Damage for Delay ClauseDispute Resolution (Mediation, Arbitration, Litigation)Public AdjusterConstruction Consultant (Cost/General)Expert Witness (Construction Litigation)SchedulerScheduling & Delay ConsultantConsultants & Advisory Interview GuideHow a Schedule Delay Actually Becomes a Formal DisputeConstruction AttorneyAnti-Concurrent Causation ClauseBusiness Interruption InsuranceWind vs. Water Causation DisputeCardinal ChangeConstructive AccelerationDiffering Site ConditionsNotice Requirements (Contract Claims)Request for Equitable Adjustment (REA)