Concrete and Floor Covering Forensics specialist

Steve Phillips

Concrete and Floor Covering Forensics specialist


For more than 35 years, Steve Phillips has been one of the nation's leading authorities on commercial flooring systems, concrete moisture diagnostics, and forensic flooring investigations. Combining extensive field experience with deep technical expertise, Steve helps owners, architects, contractors, manufacturers, and legal teams identify the root causes of flooring failures and develop long-term, science-based solutions.

As a Certified Flooring Executive (CFE) and active voting member of ASTM International's F06 Committee on Resilient Floor Coverings, Steve plays an active role in shaping the standards that govern flooring installation and performance throughout the industry. His expertise bridges building science, concrete chemistry, moisture dynamics, and installation best practices to solve failures that often remain misunderstood or improperly diagnosed.

Throughout his career, Steve has led commercial flooring operations, founded independent consulting practices, and provided forensic investigations on projects ranging from commercial developments and healthcare facilities to multifamily properties and residential construction.

Today, Steve advises clients on preventing costly flooring failures before they occur through careful evaluation of concrete moisture conditions, material compatibility, specification review, and installation practices. His investigations provide clear, objective findings that support successful remediation, construction quality, and litigation when necessary.

Steve Phillips

Expertise & Credentials

Flooring & Building Science Consulting
  • Commercial flooring system consulting
  • Forensic flooring investigations
  • Concrete moisture diagnostics
  • Flooring specification review
  • Building science consulting
  • Construction quality assurance
  • Moisture risk assessments
  • Installation failure analysis
  • Material compatibility evaluations
  • Pre-construction consulting
Specialized Expertise
  • Concrete relative humidity (RH) testing
  • Moisture Vapor Emission Rate (MVER) testing
  • Adhesive failure investigations
  • Flooring delamination analysis
  • Bubbling and warping diagnostics
  • Substrate evaluation
  • Moisture barrier assessment
  • Concrete slab performance
  • Interior environmental impacts on flooring systems
  • Building envelope and flooring interactions
Expert Witness & Industry Leadership

Steve is recognized nationally as an educator and forensic consultant specializing in flooring performance and moisture-related failures.

His industry leadership includes:

  • Expert witness for construction defect and flooring litigation
  • National instructor for ASTM concrete moisture testing standards
  • Educator through Flooring Consultants and Training Services (FCITS)
  • Technical consultant to architects, engineers, contractors, manufacturers, and inspectors
  • Active contributor to the advancement of flooring installation standards and best practices

Professional Credentials

Professional Affiliations
  • Certified Flooring Executive (CFE)
  • Voting Member, ASTM International – Committee F06 on Resilient Floor Coverings
  • Expert Instructor, Flooring Consultants and Training Services (FCITS)
  • Active Member, International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI)
  • Active Member, National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA)
Areas of Practice
  • Forensic Flooring Consulting
  • Concrete Moisture Testing
  • Flooring Failure Analysis
  • Adhesive Performance
  • Moisture Diagnostics
  • Building Science
  • Construction Defect Investigations
  • Specification Consulting
  • Expert Witness Services
  • Risk Mitigation & Quality Assurance
Operating Standard

Independent by Design

Tell us what you are seeing, what has been proposed, or what decision you are evaluating. We will help determine the right next step.

Steve Phillips