Investigation and Repair of Subsidence Damage
Mungall Associates have substantial involvements in the investigation and remediation of subsidence and typically undertake around 50 to 60 such assignments each year. These are usually undertaken on behalf of Insurers, by way of Loss Adjusters, but sometimes work is undertaken directly for building owners. Properties investigated range from small domestic dwellinghouses through major tenement buildings in multi-ownership to large industrial or commercial properties. The practice has recent experience of all the principal subsidence remediation techniques and has good working relationships with all of the major piling and underpinning contractors.

Investigation and Repair of Superstructure Damage due to Fire, Flood or Storm
A significant part of Mungall Associates' work is the investigation and design and repair administration of damage to building superstructures caused by fire or storms.

Damage by Third Parties
Mungall Associates are regularly involved in investigating structural damage caused by third parties. Typical of such damage is that which sometimes occurs when excavations are opened next to an existing building, for example when excavating for an adjacent development, often resulting in the undermining of existing foundations and consequent structural failure. Similarly, damage often occurs to a property when an adjacent proprietor undertakes structural alterations which, for whatever reason, impact adversely on properties round about.

The practice also becomes involved, with surprising regularity, in situations where buildings have been damaged by vehicle impact.

Latent Defects
The practice is often called upon to investigate alleged latent defects within structures, and have regularly acted on behalf of plaintiffs, defendants or the Insurers or professional advisors of either.

Recent examples of such defects which the practice have investigated include several examples of inadequate ties between the roof of a building and its main walls as a result of which substantial parts of the roof had blown off in high winds, similar failures where parts of gable walls had been blown down and instances where a new building required to be demolished and re-built as a result of what was shown to be inadequate foundations.

Mungall Associates' experience in the investigation of foundation and superstructure failures renders them well qualified to provide advice in the identification and remediation of such latent defects.

On occasion, the nature of the defect is such that it is outwith the practice's area of expertise in which instance an appropriately qualified individual or professsional practice can usually be recommended.

Liability and Recovery Aspects
The practice works extensively with Insurers, Solicitors and Loss Adjusters assisting in the resolution of questions of liability relating to construction losses and in subsequent recovery aspects.

Ground Engineering and Geotechnics
The practice is regularly involved in ground stabilisaton, often as a result of being appointed to investigate problems of landslip or erosion or retaining wall failure. It has consequently developed an expertise in retaining wall design encompassing conventional, diaphragm, bored pile and steel sheet piled walls. Additionally it has experience in rock anchors, soil nailing and remedial grouting.

Expert Witness
Allan Mungall often acts an expert witness in disputes relating to structural and civil engineering failure and is currently involved in several cases relating to the partial collapse of buildings following adjacent construction works, extensive damages to new properties under high winds as an alleged effect of latent defects and the repair of properties exhibiting vatious types of structural distress as a result of inappropriate design and/or construction. Additionally, over the past few years, Allan Mungall has acted as "expert" in a number of Expert Determinations,

Health & Safety
By virtue of the specialist nature of the practice's work, it has developed a particular interest in some aspects of construction health & safety. Allan Mungall, for example, has recently acted as an expert witness in support of a main contractor prosecuted under the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 1994, the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 following a fatality as a result of a trench collapse.