Expert Witness Services

Landscape & Arboriculture Expert Witness Services
Construction Defect & Personal Injury
Drainage, Irrigation & Water Damage
Evaluation of Exterior Property Loss From Fire
Concrete, Brick, Stone & Block Evaluation
Homeowner & Contractor Disputes
Site Review, Testing, Destructive Testing & Analysis
Servicing San Diego County, So. & No. California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Florida, New York & Services Available Throughout the U.S.

Areas of Expertise:

  • Providing landscape construction, horticulture, and arboriculture Expert Witness services

  • Providing litagation services to attorneys specializing in construction defect and personal injury cases including:
    • Inspection and cost of repair and replacement
    • Photography - forensic imaging and construction documentation
    • Aboriculture analysis
    • Landscape construction defects and failures
    • Homeowner/Contractor evaluation of contract and degree of completion
    • Wildfire Evaluations to establish valuations at the time of the fire, as well as Cost to Repair at today’s Construction costs.

  • Industry Expert for C-27 Landscape Construction

  • Review of project drawings, details & specifications

  • Lifelong nursery and landscape construction experience
  • Exterior Construction - I started in the Nursery industry with Walter Andersen Nursery in 1966, which lead to a Landscape Design business and eventually as a Design & Build Landscape Contractor in 1980.

    I currently still provide exterior landscape construction services throughout San Diego County, in addition to Expert Witness services throughout the State of California, Nevada and Arizona.

    I have been a member of the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA), the Forensic Expert Witness Association (FEWA), the Irrigation Association (IA), the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA), the Interlocking Concrete Paver Institute (ICPI), and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating.

  • Industry Standards - consulting, design, and installation for residential and commercial exterior construction;


    • View defect photos Click Here
      Drainage - system design, selection of materials, and installation of basic natural site drainage to repair and replacement of existing systems.
      "Water intrusion" site review often is reviewed with drainage evaluation.


    • View concrete details and
      defect photos Click Here.
      Hardscape - Concrete Details.


    • View defect photos Click Here
      Hardscape/Fireplaces, Fire Pits, Barbeque Entertainment Centers - design, selection of materials, and installation of simple pre-fabricated units to custom and original “one of a kind” backyard entertainment centers.


    • View defect photos Click Here
      Hardscape/Paving - design, selection of materials, site layout, and installation of multiple forms of hardscape paving. Materials range from simple to stamped concrete, complex paver systems, natural and manufactured stone to brick.


    • View defect photos Click Here
      Hardscape/Walls - design, selection of materials, site layout, and installation of simple freestanding to complex retaining walls. Wall materials includes standard CMU block with different stucco finishes, to segmented retaining walls requiring a pervious concrete backfill in place of a geogrid system. Stephen George has been certified by the Concrete Masonry Association for segmented wall installations.

    • Invasive Landscape Plants
      View defect photos Click Here
      Invasive Landscape Plants - Plants can be considered "invasive," but are good plant selections under the right site conditions. Bamboo that grows with "runners" as a root system works great in a raised concrete "bunker" style planter.
      See the Sunset Garden Book" for a list of bamboo with "runners" and "clumps".

    • Irrigation
      View defect photos Click Here
      Irrigation - design, selection of materials, site layout, and installation of simple to complex irrigation systems including, but not limited to drip, matched precipitation, stream rotor, and low water use systems.

    • Landscape
      View defect photos Click Here
      Landscape - responsible for the design, material selection, placement, and maintenance of landscape materials.

    • Slip & Falls
      View defect photos Click Here
      Slip & Falls


    • View defect photos Click Here
      Water Features, Pools & Spas - design, selection of materials, and installation of simple fountains to complex water features and waterfalls.
      Design, selection of materials, consulting and oversee the installation of residential swimming pools and spas.


    • View defect photos Click Here
      Wood Construction - design, selection of materials, site layout, and installation of simple attached patio sunscreen structures, wood and wood composite decking to complex outdoor entertainment rooms.

    • Lighting - design, selection of materials, site layout, and installation of simple low voltage walkway lighting to complex outdoor structure and water feature low voltage lighting.

    • Horticultural Evaluation - Stephen George has been reviewing Southwest residential and commercial plant identification, including landscape design and plant cultivation since 1966.

    • Arboriculture & Horticulture Services - Including landscape techniques, plant selection, planting, plant training, fertilization, prunin and removal.

  • Wildfire Landscape Evaluations - I have been providing landscape loss evaluations for homeowners and insurance companies for the 2003 and 2007 San Diego County Wildfires. In 2011, I joined up with Certified Arborist James MacNair in order to provide the most complete landscape evaluation service available for not only San Diego County, but the State of California as well. This includes Landscape, Irrigation , Pavers & Stone, Walls and Embankment Reconstruction, Lighting, Wood Construction and Water Features/Pools.

    California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection


    Click on the images below to view a larger display.

    Wildfire Landscape Evaluations
    2006 Pre-fire aerial
    Wildfire Landscape Evaluations
    2007 Post fire aerial
     
    Wildfire Landscape Evaluations
    Pre-fire 2006
    Wildfire Landscape Evaluations
    Post-fire 2007
     
  • Arboriculture & Horticulture Services – We worked with James MacNair of MacNair & Associates on multiple arboriculture and related construction cases in San Diego County. James is certified arborist (WE-0603A).
    We are currently working on other cases with James, requiring arboriculture Expert Witness services.
Work Experience:
  • 1966-1969 Walter Andersen Nursery * Nursery & Landscape Construction
  • 1968-1971 Mesa Jr. College & Cal Poly Pomona * Nursery & Landscape Tech
  • 1971-1980 Southern California Landscape Designs * Owner * Landscape Design
  • 1980-current Landscapes West – Owner – Design & Build Landscape Contractor * C-27 389976
Courses and Certifications:
  • Course - Mesa Junior College - Nursery & Landscape Technology
  • Certificate - Associate Degree
  • Course - Cal Poly - Pomona, CA - Landscape Architecture - 1 year
  • Certificate - None
  • Course - Certified Segmented Retaining Wall Installer
  • Certificate - CSRW1
  • Course - Certified Concrete Paver Installer
  • Certifcate - ICPI Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute - Concrete Paver Installer
  • Course - Specialist Course - Permeable Paver Installation
  • Certificate - ICPI Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute - Permeable Pavers
  • Course - MWEL Mastering Water Efficient Landscapes
  • Certificate - California Landscape Contractors Association, (CLCA) & The Metropolitan Water District
  • Course - Belgard Hardscapes
  • Certificate - Belgard Authorized Contractor Certificate of Authenticity
Licenses:
  • C-27 Landscape Construction (#389976 & #961442)
Memberships:
  • (CLCA) California Landscape Contractors Association (life member)
  • (IA) Irrigation Association
  • (ICPI) Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute
  • (ISA) International Society of Arboriculture
  • (NCMA) National Concrete Masonry Association
  • (BBB) Better Business Bureau * A+ rating
Awards:
  • California Landscape Contractors Association * Landscape Awards
    • Residential Design & Build
    • Residential Landscape Construction
    • Commercial Design & Build
    • Commercial Xeriscape & Slope Retention
Consulting & Expert Witness Past Clients:
  • Aaronson Rappaport Feinstein & Deutsch - Catrina Barnes & Robert Chappell New York, NY
  • Adrian Cress Law Office - San Diego, CA
  • Anastopoulo Law- Camden Hodge, Esq. - Charleston, SC
  • AZ lnjury Law - Dev K. Sethi - Tucson, AZ
  • Bighorn Law - Nick Andersen - Las Vegas, NV
  • Bullard, Brown & Beal, LLP - John Roddy- Fullerton, CA
  • Buchalter - A Prof. Corp. - Brandon M. Carr - San Francisco, CA
  • Burkhardt & Larson - Phillip Burkhardt - Rancho Santa Fe, CA
  • Bristol George Law - JO Bristol - Spokane, WA
  • Carlton & Alberola Law - William Crowe - Lake Forest, CA
  • City of Laguna Beach - Tessa Yutadco- Kutak Rock Law Office - lrvine, CA
  • City of Torrance, CA - Deputy City Attorney - Jocelyn N. Sarigumba
  • City of Thousand Oaks, CA-Assistant City Attorney- David Womack
  • County of San Diego - Tom Deak- Senior Deputy- Office of County Counsel
  • Cummings, McCJorey, Davis & Acho - Ryan Miller - Riverside, CA
  • Daley & Heft, LLP - Craig Weeber & Sam Gazzo, Solana Beach, CA
  • Expert Strategy Group - Julie .Olejnik - Las Vegas, NV
  • Goldberg & Osborne, LLP -Allen Bucknell & Dana Meiers, Phoenix, AZ
  • Gordon & Re.es - Brandon Saxon - San Diego, & Kevin Whelan - lrvine, CA
  • Grant, Genovese & Baratta, LLP - Arron Kupchella - lrvine, CA
  • Grimm, Vranjes & Greer - Mark Vranjes & Stephan Gregory - San Diego, CA
  • Grimm, Vranjes & Greer, Stephan - Gene Kenny - San Diego, CA
  • Hiden Rott Oertle - Law Office - Matthew Blancato - San Diego, CA
  • Horton, Oberrecht, Kirkpatrick & Martha - Eydith Kaufman & Nate Michels - San Diego, CA
  • Hurst & Hurst - Julie Corbo Ridley & Debra Hurst - San Diego, CA
  • Kolesar & Leatham - Scott Cook, Las Vegas, NV
  • Kramer, DeBoer & Keane - Jeff Kramer & Sandy Colin - ·woodland Hills, CA
  • Kutak Rock, LLP - Michael Strickroth & Tessa Yutadco - lrvine, CA
  • Ladah Law Firm - Ramzy Ladah - Las Vegas, NV
  • Leighton Law - Max Panoff - Maimi, FL.
  • Lewis Brisbois - Mary Wyman & Jeffrey Schmid - San Diego, CA
  • Lewis Brisbois - Jonna Lothyan - San Diego, CA
  • Lewis Brisbois - Steven Abbott & Sydney Murdock - Las Vegas, NV
  • Liberty Mutual lnsurance - Scott Duncan Foulger & Peck Attorneys at Law - Jason Peck- Las Vegas, NV
  • Manning Gross Massenburg LLP - Carrie Lin - San Francisco, CA & John Hugo - Boston, MA in conjunction with, Kean Miller, Attorneys at Law - Greg Anding - Baton Rouge, LA
  • Milstein & Adelman - Mark Milstein - Los Angeles, CA
  • Nathan Wirtschafter, Esq., Encino, CA
  • Patel & Stilwell, LLP - Andrew Stilwell & Alan Smith - San Diego, CA
  • Payne & Fears - Dan Livingston & Thomas Vincent - lrvine. CA
  • Peros Law Group - Michael Peros - Placentia, CA
  • Perry, Johnson, Anderson, Miller & Moskowitz, LLP - Heather-Ann Young Santa Rosa, CA
  • Pestotnik Law LLC - Tim Pestotnik & Russ Winslow - San Diego, CA
  • Ron Noya - Attorney at Law - San Diego, CA
  • Russell Kohn - Attorney at Law - Oceanside, CA
  • San Diego Fire Lawyers - Michael Feinberg, Gerald Singleton
  • Schack Law Group - Alexander Schack - San Diego, CA
  • Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth -Andrew Mason, Jason Anderson - Newport Beach, CA
  • Stratton & Green - Sabrina Green - San Diego, CA
  • Silverstate Forensic, LLC - Hawkins Melendrez - Las Vegas, NV
  • Su L. Barry - Attorney at Law - San Diego, CA
  • Sunderland McCutchan Law Office - Angela J. Elpers - San Diego, CA
  • U.S. Attorney's Office - Henry Bankard, (USACAS) - San Diego, CA
  • Walter Andersen Nursery- Ken Andersen - Poway, and Walter Andersen Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA
  • Washington Legal - JO Bristol - Seattle, WA
  • Watkins & Letofsky - Las Vegas, NV
  • Wingert Grebing Brubaker & Juskie - Alan Brubaker - San Diego, CA
  • Wingert Grebing Brubaker & Juskie - Colin Walshok - San Diego, CA
  • Wingert Grebing Brubaker & Juskie - Robert Juskie - San Diego, CA

Stephen George
Stephen George
CALIFORNIA LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
CMHA
Irrigation Association Member

Contact Us
To ensure the security of your information, we ask that you type the code in the text box.