About
William T Payne, PE
The Principal of Payne Engineering is uniquely qualified to advocate as an expert for any client due to his experience in all facets of design and construction. Mr. Payne graduated the University of Delaware in 1997 with a bachelor's in Civil Engineering.
He complemented his emphasis in structural engineering with research in experimental load rating of restricted bridges, seismic damping of wood framed construction, and carbon fiber strengthening of columns, beams, and piers/piles. He may or may not have been the best student, but his carpentry skills that paid his tuition were often leveraged in the engineering lab.
Upon graduating, he became employed as a Project Engineer for one of the nation's largest structural restoration contractors where he gained hands-on experience with construction management, means and methods.
In 1999, Mr. Payne joined what was a small engineering firm at the time as a Project Engineer. In 2000 he performed his first expert engineering study and authored his first expert report for a condominium during its transition from its developer/sponsor identifying a wide range of construction defects, the codes or standards violated, the corrective work required, the associated costs, and the allocation of damages. The condo recovered more than 90% of the $5M in damages sought. Mr. Payne relocated and opened the firm's Philadelphia area office in 2005 as an Associate of the firm where he continued to provide engineering studies, engineering design, and construction management, as well as expert services for the clients he served. His clients included the largest package delivery company, the largest bank, one of the nations largest high-schools, and one of the nation's largest property management companies and the condo's they served.
Mr. Payne relocated again in 2011 to open the firm's New York City office where his first assignment included leading a team to provide engineering and architecture assessments, inspections, design, and construction administration for more than 300 buildings in the nation's largest housing authority, itself having a population larger than Boston, Baltimore, Detroit, and other cities. Some of this work included regulatory inspections unique to New York City, capital projects typical to high-rises, and disaster response to Superstorm Sandy.
Mr. Payne was promoted to Vice President of the firm in 2012, and became an equity partner in 2015. Mr. Payne was also instrumental in starting other offices and divisions including the firm's civil and MEP divisions in order to meet the growing demands of the company's clientele. It was through those endeavors that Mr. Payne became qualified as an expert in additional states and in additional disciplines, beyond parking, high-rises, structural engineering and waterproofing to include HVAC, stormwater, boilers, and other construction defects.
Mr. Payne is therefore an accomplished Expert Witness because of the unique insight and perspective based on his positions as a Contractor, Construction Manager, Design Engineer, Engineering Principal, Corporate Executive, and Business Development professional for expert witness assignments related to projects and construction/design defects involving: Parking Structures, Parking Leasehold, Exterior Walls, Roofs, Plazas, Rooftop HVAC Units, High-rise ventilation, Tennis Courts, Transition and Reserve Studies, Sanitation and the Municipal Services Act, Stormwater Management and Flood Resiliency, Brownfields Redevelopment, Fire Protection and Fire Alarm, and more.
A more detailed CV, with Payne Engineering's qualifications and a sample proposal can be requested at the following link.