For Attorneys

Home Inspection Expert Witness & Litigation Support in Sonoma County

Clear, photo-documented findings from a Certified Master Inspector who works for no contractor, remediator or real estate agent.

When a case depends on the condition of a house, you need an inspector who documents what's there and explains it plainly. I'm Juan de la Cruz, CMI. Before inspecting homes, I spent decades in public safety as a firefighter, building inspector, lab analyst and code enforcement officer. I've inspected hundreds of buildings in various stages of construction, modification, decay and distress.

Who I work with

Tenants with unresolved habitability problems such as leaks, mold, no heat or pests
Landlords defending against tenant claims, who need a neutral record of the unit's condition
Rental property owners in a dispute with a tenant. (Checking a rental before leasing, with no dispute? A standard home inspection or Home Maintenance Inspection covers it, starting at $595.)
Attorneys representing tenants or landlords in these cases

Habitability, Construction Defect and Disclosure Cases

Real estate disclosure disputes: what was visible, and what a buyer or seller could reasonably have known
Construction defect and workmanship claims on single-family homes
Water intrusion, moisture and mold, including air and surface sampling analyzed by an accredited lab
Habitability and landlord-tenant conditions, assessed by an ICC-certified property maintenance and code enforcement inspector
Insurance and storm damage disputes
Sewer lateral condition, documented by camera

What you receive

A written, photo-rich report of observed conditions, organized by system
Infrared thermography where it helps document moisture or heat loss (Infrared Certified Thermography Inspector)
Lab results for any mold or air samples
A plain-English consultation on the findings
Declarations, deposition and trial testimony
Review of other inspectors' reports and the conditions they describe

How I work with counsel

Independent.

I don't sell repairs or remediation, and I don't take referral fees.

Documented.

Findings are tied to photos, measurements and lab data, not opinion.

Scoped in writing.

We agree on scope, access and deliverables before the site visit. Before I accept a matter, I confirm I have no prior connection to the property or the parties, such as having inspected the home for someone else in the case.

Within my lane.

I'm a home inspector, not an engineer or contractor. When an issue needs a structural engineer or licensed specialist, I say so in the report.

Credentials

Certified Master Inspector (CMI) · InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector · Infrared Certified Thermography Inspector · ICC certified (ICC #5279426): Code Enforcement Technician, ICC/AACE Code Enforcement Officer, Zoning Inspector, Property Maintenance and Housing Inspector, and Residential Building Inspector · Former firefighter, building inspector and code enforcement officer

Service area

Santa Rosa and Sonoma County. Napa and Marin based on availability.

Fees and turnaround

Housing condition assessments for litigation start at $2,500. Travel and other case-specific costs are added when they apply and quoted in writing before work begins. The written report is delivered within 7 days of the site visit. Consultation, report review, deposition and trial testimony are billed under my fee schedule, provided at engagement.

Call 707.326.6115 or email juan@buywiseinspect.com to discuss a matter.

Request a consultation

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Access is arranged through counsel.

Yes: declarations, depositions and trial. Rates are in my fee schedule, provided at engagement.

Yes. I can review the report and, where access allows, the conditions it describes.

Within 7 days of the site visit.

Litigation assessments start at $2,500. Travel and other case-specific costs are added when they apply and quoted in writing up front.