Expert Witness Reports & Scott Schedules
for Building Disputes in NSW

Yes. We offer an obligation-free quotation for your building dispute or Expert Witness Report. This helps you understand the likely scope, timeline, and costs involved before proceeding.

FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION

The cost of an Expert Witness Report varies depending on the number and complexity of issues involved in your claim. As a guide:
- Site Investigation: $1,100.00 for the first hour, then $550.00 per hour thereafter
- Expert Witness Reporting: $1,100.00 per issue
- Scott Schedule Reporting: $550.00 per issue
- Expert Witness Conclave: $3,850.00 per day or part of
- Court or NCAT Hearing Attendance: $3,850.00 per day or part of

Document and report review, as well as travel expenses, may also apply. All rates include GST and are indicative only.

The example totals one first-hour site investigation ($1,100), one Expert Witness reporting issue ($1,100) and one Scott Schedule issue ($550), including GST. It is a limited subtotal, not a minimum total or a quote for every small claim. Additional inspection time, document or report review, travel, testing and later attendance may be needed. Confirm the services and total in your written proposal.

The total depends on the number of issues, their complexity, the documents to review and the investigation required. There is no single price range that fits every matter. Start with Awesim's published indicative fees, then request a written proposal setting out inclusions, exclusions and any additional charges.

On most occasions, an Expert Witness Report takes around 2–4 weeks from the date of the site investigation to prepare and submit. However, complex matters may take several months to compile sufficient supporting evidence.

Site investigations can be arranged at any time of day by prior agreement. We confirm the appointment time when booking. Let us know about site access requirements or restrictions so these can be considered when arranging the visit.

Yes. Awesim requires payment before the Site Investigation and before commencement of the Expert Witness Report, as set out in the fee proposal. Our opinions must remain independent regardless of who pays for the report; payment does not determine the findings.

We service all of New South Wales, including Sydney, regional cities, and country towns. Our consultants frequently travel to:
- Central Coast (Gosford region)
- Hunter Valley (Muswellbrook, Singleton, Scone, Newcastle)
- Mid North Coast (Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie)
- New England (Tamworth, Armidale, Gunnedah)
- Northern Rivers (Lismore, Ballina)
- Central West (Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo)
- South Coast (Wollongong, Nowra, Batemans Bay)
- Riverina and Murray Regions (Wagga Wagga, Albury, Yass, Young, Tumut, etc.)

We’ve also attended building disputes in Broken Hill and other regional and remote locations across New South Wales.

With more than 35 years in the building and construction industry and Awesim established in 1996, we bring extensive experience and credibility. Our Director, Glen Sim, personally manages most reporting requirements. He’s a qualified builder and accredited consultant with a trade background in Carpentry/Joinery and a Diploma in Construction Management. We are fully insured with Professional Indemnity cover. Our role is to provide independent technical opinions within the agreed brief and the requirements of the proceeding.

A Scott Schedule is a structured report outlining the specific issues in dispute — for example, defects, costs of rectification, or variations. It’s often required by NCAT or the Court to help clearly compare both parties’ expert opinions side by side.

A document bundle brings together the material relevant to your matter. It may include the expert report and Scott Schedule, contract and plans, chronology, correspondence, photographs, invoices and any required statements or affidavits. Not every matter requires every document.

Use an index, clear page numbering and consistent item references. Follow the directions for your case on format, lodgement, service, deadlines and the number of copies. An affidavit or court statement of claim is not a universal NCAT requirement. See NCAT's evidence and witnesses guidance and check any uncertainty with your solicitor or the registry.

Our Expert Witnesses come from trade and management backgrounds in the Building & Construction industry. The company director, Glen Sim, is a qualified Carpenter/Joiner with a Diploma in Construction Management, a NSW Builder’s Licence, and accreditation as a Building Consultant.

Awesim prepares expert reports for NCAT and NSW court matters. Reports should address the applicable expert obligations and case directions. NCAT's expert evidence direction is distinct from the NSW court UCPR Schedule 7 code. The tribunal or court determines the treatment and weight of the evidence; commissioning a report does not guarantee acceptance or an outcome.

Yes. We handle both residential and commercial building disputes across New South Wales. Whether it’s a home renovation defect, a strata dispute, or a commercial construction disagreement, we tailor the report to suit the nature and scale of the claim.

Yes. We remain fully independent and are engaged by both homeowners and builders (as well as legal representatives or insurers). Our findings are impartial and evidence-based, ensuring that all reports meet court standards of neutrality and professionalism.

After your report is submitted, we can assist in conferencing with the opposing expert (Expert Conclave), attending Court or NCAT hearings, and providing clarifications or supplementary reports if required. We’re also experienced in helping clients prepare their Bundle of Documents for submission.

Yes, travel expenses may apply for site inspections outside Sydney or the metropolitan area. However, our team regularly travels across NSW, and we always provide an upfront estimate of any travel-related costs in your quotation.

Typically, we’ll ask for copies of your building contract, plans, correspondence, defect lists, and any photographic or inspection evidence you already have. This helps us assess the matter in detail and ensure that our site visit and reporting are comprehensive.

An expert report may provide technical evidence for an insurance or warranty matter, including an HBCF claim. Tell us the intended use and provide the insurer's requests, existing reports and any case directions so the scope can be considered. A report does not itself establish policy cover, claim eligibility or acceptance; those questions depend on the relevant requirements and decision-maker.

Contact us by phone, email or the online form for an obligation-free quote. Once you accept the quote and payment is confirmed, we will arrange the site investigation and confirm the appointment time with you. Provide any access restrictions and report deadlines when making your enquiry.

Awesim Pty Ltd is a privately owned Australian building consultancy, established in 1996. The business was founded by Glen Sim, who brings over 35 years of experience across the building and construction industries and more than 15 years providing litigation support to homeowners, builders, and lawyers.

We provide independent building consultancy and litigation support, specialising in expert witness reports and Scott schedules for building disputes before NCAT and the NSW courts. As independent consultants, our role is to investigate impartially and prepare clear, evidence-based reports for tribunals and courts.

We focus on building disputes and defects, including waterproofing failures, structural defects, incomplete and defective building works, and construction litigation. Our reporting covers expert witness reports, Scott schedules, and quantum meruit assessments.

We provide services throughout New South Wales, including regional and remote locations. Our offices are located in Sydney CBD and Tamworth, and we travel across New South Wales for inspections and investigations.

We assist homeowners, solicitors and legal representatives, builders and contractors, developers, property owners, owners corporations, and parties involved in insurance-related building matters.

Our services include expert witness reports, Scott schedules, and quantum meruit reports for litigation support, alongside client-side project management, contracts administration, and construction scheduling.

We provide independent, objective reporting backed by more than 35 years of practical building and construction experience and over 15 years of litigation support. Our reports explain the observations, supporting evidence, relevant building requirements and reasons for our opinions. We communicate clearly and travel across NSW for agreed inspections and investigations.

We help with building defects, disputes over incomplete or defective work, waterproofing and structural issues, and disagreements that require independent expert evidence to resolve — particularly matters heading to or already before NCAT.

You can expect a report explaining the technical findings, their basis and any limitations within the agreed scope. An independent opinion may support some disputed items and not others. It can inform your next steps, but it does not guarantee settlement, claim acceptance or a tribunal or court outcome.

Awesim draws on more than 35 years of building and construction industry experience, with strong working knowledge of the National Construction Code, Australian Standards, and NSW building requirements, plus extensive experience assisting in NCAT and construction litigation matters.

Awesim's indicative rates include GST: site investigation is $1,100 for the first hour, then $550 per hour; Expert Witness reporting is $1,100 per issue; and Scott Schedule reporting is $550 per issue. Conclave or court/NCAT hearing attendance is $3,850 per day or part of a day.

Document and report review, travel, testing and further work may add to the total. One first-hour investigation, one reporting issue and one Scott Schedule issue total $2,750 before any additional charges. Obtain a written proposal for your actual scope. Our expert report cost guide explains the published line items.

A purchase inspection and an expert report serve different purposes. The evidence needed for your dispute depends on the technical issues and the directions for the proceeding. Provide any existing inspection report with your brief so the need for further investigation or an expert opinion can be assessed.

An expert report should explain the basis of the opinions and any limitations within the agreed scope. Awesim prepares Expert Witness Reports and Scott Schedules for NSW building disputes. Confirm which documents your matter requires before commissioning the work.

A forensic waterproofing investigation is priced the same way as Awesim's other expert witness work:
site investigation is $1,100 for the first hour and $550 per hour thereafter, with additional reporting costs thereafter.
Waterproofing matters often involve more diagnostic time than a standard defect inspection, because forensic testing — thermal imaging, moisture meters, dye testing, level checks for falls — is used to trace water pathways rather than relying on a single visual inspection. Glen Sim holds a Master Builders Association qualification in Waterproofing Compliance & Inspection, and assesses each defect against the relevant standard — AS 3740 for internal wet areas or AS 4654.2 for external balconies and decks — depending on the date and approval pathway of the original work.
All rates are GST-inclusive and confirmed in an upfront written quote before any site work begins.

Visible water damage does not by itself identify the source. Investigation should consider the location, history and available evidence before attributing the problem to waterproofing.

Awesim can assess which inspection or testing methods are appropriate for the particular issue and access available. These may include moisture readings, thermal imaging, level checks or controlled dye testing. Not every matter requires every test.

The report should explain what the findings support, any limitations and whether further investigation is needed. Contact Awesim with photographs and any existing reports to discuss a suitable scope. Read about our forensic waterproofing inspections.