What you receive
A written report, delivered 2 to 5 days after the visit, giving you what you need to decide and to act:
- the probable causes of the defects, established by measurement rather than by eye;
- a classification of the defects: what is superficial, what is progressing, what is urgent;
- a ballpark figure for repairs, so you can negotiate or compare quotes on an informed basis;
- the legal regime that applies to your situation: ten-year builder’s warranty (garantie décennale), drought natural-disaster insurance claim (CATNAT), hidden defect (vice caché) or construction-damage insurance (dommages-ouvrage);
- template letters to send to your insurer or to the builder.
How the assignment works
- Before the visit. You send us photos, the history of the problem (when it first appeared, any nearby works, periods of drought), the plans and any previous reports. This preliminary review means we arrive with the right equipment.
- On site. Mapping of the defects, instrument readings, fitting of tell-tales to monitor any movement, and examination of contributing factors (soil, vegetation, drainage, ventilation).
- The report. Written and delivered within 2 to 5 days.
- Next steps. The report can be used in an out-of-court negotiation, with your insurer, or in legal proceedings alongside your lawyer. We can support your lawyer with a written technical submission to the court expert (a « dire ») or a technical note.
Why an independent expert
Cassini Expertise carries out no repair work and sells no equipment: no treatments, no ventilation systems (VMC), no partner contractor to pay. The practice never works for insurance companies. It therefore has no financial interest in finding any particular defect: its only role is to establish the facts, which are equally useful to a homeowner, a property manager (syndic), an insurer or a judge.
Hands-on construction experience
The practice, draws on fifteen years in public works and on construction sites, in construction project management. Reading plans, overseeing works, coordinating trades, taking handover of completed buildings: this knowledge of construction underpins every diagnosis.
Instruments used on site
- Crack gauge: millimetre-level tracking of how cracks develop
- Moisture meter and depth probe: moisture content of materials, rising damp
- Thermal imaging camera: thermal bridges, water ingress, insulation defects
- Anemometer: ventilation airflow rates (VMC)
- Laser level and total station: plans, levels, setting-out, ceiling heights
- Metal detector: reinforcement bars, metal frames
See the full equipment list, with real photos
What the report is, and what it is not
Your report can be used in legal proceedings as evidence, open to challenge by the parties. It does not replace a court-appointed expert assessment (expertise judiciaire): a judge cannot base a decision solely on a report that was not produced through an adversarial process (Cour de cassation, chambre mixte, 2012). Our role is to produce the technical document that supports your case and guides the court-appointed assessment, should one take place.
Our commitments
- A free, no-obligation quote, with a reply within 24 hours.
- A single point of contact, reachable directly.
- A clearly defined service area: Alpes-Maritimes (06), Var (83) and Bouches-du-Rhône (13).
- A rigorous, measurement-based report, delivered within the stated timeframe.
- Professional liability insurance with Allianz.
A question before you sign?
Call 04 22 46 06 04 or email contact@cassini-expertise.fr. The next available visit slot is shown at the top of this page.
This page describes the practice’s method. Your quote sets out the scope, price, terms and timeframe that apply to your case.
Find out more : l’article 1641 du Code civil et la garantie des vices cachés, expliqués.
Related reading: About
📅 Last updated 17/10/2026 - Cassini Expertise, independent building expert – departments 06, 83 and 13.