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Australia’s Trusted Expert Witness & Building Consultancy

City Wide Building Consultants

Expert Evidence That Stands Up in Court

With over 15 years of tribunal-accepted expertise spanning NCAT, District Court, and Appeal Panel proceedings, City Wide Building Consultants delivers authoritative expert witness services and comprehensive building consultancy across Australia.

Led by Mario Bournelis, a licensed builder and licensed building supervisor with extensive courtroom experience, we provide expert evidence that legal professionals and tribunals rely upon for complex construction disputes.

Tel: 0412 675 270

Our Core Services

Expert Witness Services

Primary Specialisation

  • NCAT Expert Reports – Comprehensive defect analysis and cost of rectification reports
  • District Court Expert Testimony – Cross-examination and concurrent evidence
  • Appeal Panel Matters – Expert evidence for tribunal appeals
  • Scott Schedule Preparation – Detailed defect schedules with agreed/disputed items
  • Expert Conclaves & Joint Reports – Collaborative expert consensus building
  • Home Building Act s18B Disputes – Statutory warranty breach assessments
  • Cost of Rectification Reports – Rawlinson’s Construction Cost Guide-based estimates

Expert Determination Services

Alternative Dispute Resolution

  • Binding Determinations for Construction Disputes – Independent expert decisions that resolve disputes without court proceedings
  • Faster Resolution Than Traditional Litigation – Streamlined dispute resolution that avoids lengthy and costly court timelines
  • Cost-Effective Alternative to Court Proceedings – Expert-led outcomes that significantly reduce legal and procedural costs
  • Contract Dispute Resolution – Clear interpretation and determination of contractual obligations and disputes
  • Expert-Led Final Decision-Making – Authoritative determinations made by an independent construction expert

Building Inspections

  • Comprehensive defect inspections
  • Progress inspections
  • Dilapidation reports
  • Handover/practical completion inspections

Compliance & Certification

  • Building Code of Australia (BCA/NCC) compliance
  • Australian Standards compliance verification
  • Design document review
  • Waterproofing compliance assessment

Project Management

  • Owner’s representative services
  • Quality control and monitoring
  • Contractor management
  • Progress payment verification
  • Project documentation

Technical Expertise

Waterproofing & Wet Areas

  • Membrane failure analysis
  • Moisture testing and diagnostics
  • AS3740 compliance assessment
  • Water penetration investigations

Structural Compliance

  • AS2870 (Residential Slabs and Footings)
  • AS3700 (Masonry Structures)
  • Foundation and structural defect analysis
  • Brick growth and expansion joint issues

Building Systems

  • AS/NZS 2589 (Gypsum Linings)
  • AS/NZS 3500 (Plumbing and Drainage)
  • Service installation compliance
  • Building envelope defects

Cost Estimation

Rawlinson’s Construction Cost Guide Methodology

Cost assessments prepared using recognised Rawlinson’s benchmarks to ensure accurate, current, and defensible construction pricing

Detailed Scope of Works Preparation

Comprehensive definition of rectification and construction works, clearly outlining methodology, sequencing, and required standards

Rectification Cost Assessments

Independent evaluation of reasonable and necessary costs to rectify defective or non-compliant building work

Expert Determination of Construction Values

Authoritative assessment of construction values for dispute resolution, expert determination, or tribunal proceedings

Proven Court Experience

Tribunal & Court Appearances (2014–2025)

NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT)

  • Consumer and Commercial Division
  • Appeal Panel proceedings
  • Expert witness in numerous construction dispute matters

NSW District Court

  • Complex building defect litigation
  • Expert evidence and cross-examination
  • Concurrent evidence sessions

Documented Case Experience

  • Kitchen joinery defects
  • Waterproofing membrane failures
  • Driveway and concrete work disputes
  • Structural compliance issues
  • Rendering and external finishes
  • Wet area defects
  • Construction commencement matters

Why Legal Professionals Choose City Wide

Tribunal-Accepted Credentials

  • Licensed Builder

    Practical construction experience.

  • Licensed Building Supervisor

    Regulatory compliance knowledge

  • NCAT Expert Witness Code Compliant

    Procedural Direction 3

  • 15+ Years Expert Witness Experience

    Established track record.

  • ASBC Member

    Australian Society of Building Consultants

  • Professional Indemnity Insurance

    Full coverage maintained

Our Approach

Comprehensive Site Inspections

  • Detailed photographic documentation
  • Moisture meter testing
  • Measurement and verification
  • Adjacent area assessment

Evidence-Based Reports

  • Australian Standards referenced
  • Industry best practice cited
  • Rawlinson’s Cost Guide methodology
  • Clear opinions and conclusions

Collaborative Process

  • Expert conclave participation
  • Scott Schedule preparation
  • Joint expert report authoring
  • Professional expert-to-expert communication

Court-Ready Evidence

  • Withstands cross-examination
  • Concurrent evidence experience
  • Clear, defensible opinions
  • Non-partisan expert approach

Common Defects We Identify

  • Foundation and slab issues
  • Brick growth and expansion
  • Structural non-compliance
  • Masonry defects
  • Membrane defects
  • Water penetration
  • Wet area non-compliance
  • Moisture-related damage
  • Rendering defects
  • Tiling issues
  • Joinery defects
  • Paint and finish failures
  • Plumbing defects
  • Drainage issues
  • Service installation problems
  • Ceiling and lining defects
  • BCA/NCC non-compliance
  • Australian Standards breaches
  • Building Code violations
  • Specification departures

National Service Coverage

  • Sydney & Greater Sydney (Head Office)
  • Newcastle
  • Wollongong
  • Central Coast
  • Regional NSW
  • Canberra
  • Melbourne & Greater Melbourne
  • Geelong
  • Regional Victoria
  • Hobart
  • Launceston
  • Brisbane & Greater Brisbane
  • Gold Coast
  • Sunshine Coast
  • Adelaide
  •  Perth
  • Darwin

Construction Types

Residential

  • Single dwellings
  • Multi-storey homes
  • Townhouses and duplexes
  • Apartments and strata buildings
  • Renovations and extensions

Commercial

  • Office buildings
  • Retail premises
  • Mixed-use developments

Industrial

  • Warehouses
  • Factories
  • Industrial facilities

Case-Proven Expertise

Sample Matters (Anonymized)

Waterproofing Disputes [2017] NSWCATCD 4

  • Tribunal preferred Mario Bournelis’s qualifications and methodology over opposing expert
  • Moisture meter testing demonstrated limited membrane failure
  • Rawlinson’s Cost Guide methodology accepted for rectification costs
  • Expert opinion on reasonable scope of works adopted by tribunal

Driveway & Concrete Works [2023] NSWCATCD 7

  • Successful Scott Schedule preparation
  • Rectification work ordered based on expert scope of works
  • Expert witness costs awarded at $4,400

Kitchen Defect Analysis [2019] NSWCATCD 90

  • Comprehensive kitchen joinery defects report
  • Identified 4 specific defective work items
  • Expert evidence on plumbing alignment and installation issues

Construction Commencement Matters [2017] NSWCATCD 38

  • Expert evidence on construction preliminaries
  • Survey and set-out work analysis
  • Environmental Planning and Assessment Act interpretation

Multi-Unit Residential [2021] NSWCATCD 44

  • Licensed builder and supervisor qualifications recognized
  • Substantial building experience acknowledged
  • Expert Scott Schedule preparation
  • Concurrent evidence with multiple experts

Balcony Waterproofing & Falls [2024] NSWCATCD 66

  • Expert conclave participation
  • Agreement on multiple defect items
  • Technical analysis of drainage falls
  • Australian Standards compliance assessment

Cost of Rectification Appeals [2025] NSWCATAP 148

  • Appeal Panel proceedings
  • Cost estimation methodology accepted
  • Rawlinson’s-based scope of works preferred
  • Evidence withstood appellate review

Complex Residential Construction [2025] NSWDC 380

  • District Court expert testimony
  • Multiple defect categories analyzed
  • Australian Standards compliance evidence
  • Cost rectification evidence accepted

Why Choose City Wide?

  • Court-Proven Expertise

    Our expert evidence is regularly accepted by NCAT, District Court, and Appeal Panel tribunals. With documented case experience spanning over a decade, legal professionals trust our expert opinions.

  • Comprehensive Technical Knowledge

    From waterproofing failures to structural compliance, from moisture testing to cost estimation, our expertise covers the full spectrum of building defects and compliance issues.

  • National Coverage

    While headquartered in Sydney, we provide expert witness and building consultancy services across all major Australian cities, ensuring consistent quality nationwide.

  • Independent & Professional

    We maintain professional independence, adhere to NCAT Expert Witness Code requirements, and provide non-partisan expert evidence that serves the tribunal’s need for accurate information.

  • Established Track Record

    Over 15 years of tribunal-accepted expert witness work demonstrates reliability, credibility, and expertise that legal professionals and tribunals depend upon.

Professional Affiliations & Credentials

Memberships

ASBC – Australian Society of Building Consultants (Member)

Licenses & Qualifications

Licensed Builder
Licensed Building Supervisor
Substantial building experience
Expert report preparation experience

Insurance & Compliance

Professional Indemnity Insurance maintained
NCAT Expert Witness Code compliant
Procedural Direction 3 acknowledgment

Contact City Wide Building Consultants

Head Office

10 Plymouth Street, Enfield NSW 2136

For Legal Professionals

Expert witness enquiries for NCAT, District Court, or Appeal Panel matters

For Building Disputes

Expert determination and alternative dispute resolution

For Property Owners

Building inspections, defect reports, and compliance assessments

For Developers & Builders

Project management, quality control, and owner’s representative services