Author: ZACHARY

The Dotted Line: What builders need to know about the Brazilian plywood ‘ban’

Is Brazilian plywood the next Chinese drywall, or are American manufacturers just trying to exclude a cheaper alternative from their market? That’s the question contractors need to consider as a dispute between the U.S. Structural Plywood Integrity Coalition and third-party certification firms continues to play out in federal court. In May, a federal judge in […]

5 Key Strategies from The White House Initiative to Advance Building Codes

The Administration Proposes Measures to Make America’s Built Environments More Resilient As the Atlantic hurricane season began, the White House announced the launch of an initiative to make built environments across the nation greener and more resilient. The National Initiative to Advance Building Codes has introduced an ambitious program to upgrade construction standards, reduce energy waste, […]

Commercial Roof Warranty Disputes

In this short video, Texas attorney Marc Gravely offers an overview of roof warranty problems and related legal options. TRANSCRIPT One of the biggest complaints we hear from our school district clients is complaints about their roof warranties and damages that never seem to be covered by the roof warranty. The roof warranty is a […]

Texas Construction Defects Lawyer: Marc Gravely

Marc Gravely, leading Texas Construction Defects Lawyer, renowned speaker, and author of the new book, “Reframing America’s Infrastructure,” offers unique insight into the state of American infrastructure, the role infrastructure played in the collapse of leading civilizations, and the players responsible for ensuring we don’t meet the same fate. Interview Platform sat down with Gravely to […]

The Era of Green Infrastructure

As storm intensity and floods increase, urban expansion is putting U.S. infrastructure at risk. According to a 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers report, stormwater floods lead to $9 billion in damages annually. As hurricane Katrina eloquently demonstrated, seawalls are not the solution to preventing floods. Green infrastructure is our only hope in the face of […]

Texas Panel Revives Condo’s Hail Damage Coverage Suit

A Dallas condominium community hit by two hailstorms was given another chance to secure millions in coverage for the first storm when a Texas appeals court decided that an appraisal of damages only accounted for the second storm. A panel of Fifth District judges Monday said RSUI unit Landmark American Insurance Co. failed to show […]

U.S. Bridges: A Tragedy Waiting to Happen

Humans have been building bridges since Neolithic times. In the 21st century, as we prepare to colonize other planets, one would think the most powerful nation in the world would have perfected the technology enough to ensure that our bridges are safe. That is, unfortunately, not the case. There are at least 231,000 bridges in a […]

America’s Unsafe Schools

It’s no secret that the infrastructure of America’s schools is largely unsafe and outdated. The pandemic has highlighted the need for better ventilation systems, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. According to a 2016 report, we should be investing about 33 percent more annually to keep U.S. schools in good repair. In […]

Can I Sue My Insurance Company for Denying My Metal Roof Hail Damage Claim?

Many Texas residents are stunned to hear that their insurance policy will not cover metal roof replacement or dent repair after a major hailstorm. Maybe a Texas insurance agent sold you a policy claiming to cover hail dents and wind damage – and is now refusing payment. Many Texans ask us if they can sue […]

Deadly construction collapse opens investigation into what went wrong

More than 24 hours after the collapse of a stairwell, at a high-rise construction project, that killed three, the long process of investigating the cause of the accident is just beginning. Construction on the foundation of the new Marathon Oil building started late last year, and the City of Houston issued a permit to build […]