Client Feedback

I’ve worked with Keith Rankine for a number of years on a complex defective building claim. I have always found him excellent to deal with. Keith is sensible and balanced in his approach — he doesn’t overstate or inflate claimable defects, and his assessments are always thorough and well-reasoned. Keith has a great eye for detail and gives clear, practical advice about the causes and consequences of defects, plus the appropriate remedial solutions. He also has a talent for explaining technical construction issues in a way that clients, lawyers and the Court can easily understand. Keith is responsive, approachable, and great with deadlines. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him as a building surveyor and expert witness.

Keith came highly recommended by another building surveyor for a High Court matter. At every stage — from his initial inspection and report to the briefing and presentation of his evidence at trial — he was exceptionally comprehensive. He possesses that rare combination of technical and forensic ability, which makes him a helpful and effective expert witness. The quality of his evidence was reflected in the Judgment, where the judge commented that he was “a credible and reliable expert, and his evidence was clear and balanced.” I would not hesitate to engage Keith again should I require the input of an expert building surveyor.

KRT Building Consultants have provided Premier Lifestyle Villages with outstanding professional building consultancy services across a range of complex projects. Keith Rankine has consistently demonstrated exceptional expertise in investigating and managing significant building issues, including passive fire compliance, basement floor cracking, deck waterproofing failures and other structural concerns. His technical knowledge, attention to detail and practical approach have been invaluable in identifying root causes and developing effective remediation strategies. At Settlers Lifestyle Village, Keith Rankine has managed a highly complex project involving passive fire issues, basement floor cracking and deck waterproofing defects, and is currently leading the matter through mediation with Council and other third parties. His professionalism, diligence and project management skills have been instrumental in progressing these matters towards resolution. In addition, Keith Tickner has provided valuable support to Fairview Lifestyle Village by assisting with compliance matters relating to annual Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF) inspections and supporting ongoing regulatory compliance. He will also manage the contractual relationship with the construction company while remediation works are undertaken, providing confidence that the project will be delivered professionally and effectively. The KRT team are true professionals who deliver practical, high-quality solutions to complex building challenges. I have no hesitation in recommending KRT Building Consultants for building consultancy, compliance and remediation project management services.

I engaged Keith as an expert witness on behalf of a client in a breach of warranty and negligent construction works claim. He provided prompt, practical advice and produced a top-quality expert report that clearly explained complex technical issues around causation, remediation options, and costs. Keith was always available for litigation support and served as an efficient coordinator between the various construction professionals involved — I have no hesitation recommending him.

I have worked with KRT Building Surveyors on a number of projects, including building defect investigations, project management, and the preparation of detailed Long-Term Maintenance Plans. Throughout every engagement, they have consistently delivered work of an exceptionally high standard. Their attention to detail is outstanding, they are efficient, responsive, and always follow through on their commitments. Their professionalism and technical expertise gives confidence that every project is managed thoroughly and to the highest standard. I would not hesitate to recommend KRT Building Surveyors to anyone seeking knowledgeable, reliable, and professional building surveying services.

In 2023, as individual private apartment owners in our small 42-unit complex in Auckland, we faced the reality that our buildings had not been built to standard. KRT were initially contracted to provide Building Surveying investigation services and provided the Body Corporate with a Defect Report setting out the defects observed and identifying the risk of other concealed defects. Owners voted to go ahead with further investigations. This required a team of consultants including those covering Passive Fire, Geotechnical & Structural Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Architectural matters and legal representation, and it soon became evident that this project was far outside of our small committee capabilities. We were embroiled in a complex situation with the majority of owners being in their late 70s and 80s, many of whom became very stressed, not only with the financial repercussions, but with having their privacy invaded by contractors and consultants cutting holes in walls, creating noise and dust and requesting yet another inspection. We contracted Keith Tickner of KRT Building Consultants to become our Project Manager for the design and consenting stage then extended his role to being Contract Administrator during the remedial construction work. Another Director at KRT acted as our Independent Certifier to the remedial contract. Keith worked tirelessly with the Committee. He dealt with the uniqueness of our demographic, taking time to stop, listen and respond to questions from apartment owners at EGMs. This was always done with the utmost respect. As remedial work began, he excelled in management skills and professionalism. While we are yet to receive our CCC (at the time of writing), fortnightly site meetings, numerous emails and phone calls with contractors, inspectors, consultants, and committee resulted in our contract not only being completed early, but also on budget. KRT Building Consultants’ commitment to achieving the best possible outcome for us all throughout this long, difficult journey is recognised in the BC Committees “highly recommended” testimony.