About Meridian
An independent building consultancy that gives advice only. We don't do repair work and we don't take referral fees, so our opinions rest on the evidence alone.
Why Meridian exists
Claims, repairs and disputes are decided on building evidence, but the people who need that evidence — lawyers, adjusters, builders, owners corporations and owners — have not always had access to the rigour that insurers apply internally. Meridian was founded to change that: to give every client the same independent, structured, defensible analysis.
The name is the idea. A meridian is a fixed reference line. Meridian's reports are meant to be the fixed point in a matter: the evidence, the reasoning and the standards, set out so that anyone can check them.
Lee J. Thatcher
Principal Building Consultant · DipBuildCons (Building)
Lee has 30 years in building and construction and 20 years in building consultancy. Nine of those years were spent working directly for general and strata insurers, as a Senior Building Consultant covering Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. That work involved investigating causation, assessing claims, and reviewing builders' scopes, quotations, rates and repair work.
Lee has also worked for insurance builders and previously ran an independent building consultancy, so has seen claims, repairs and disputes from every side. Lee founded Meridian to give insurers, lawyers, adjusters, builders and owners the same rigorous, independent analysis — and to do so as an advice-only practice with no repair work and no referral arrangements.
Areas of expertise
- Causation: escape of liquid, storm and water ingress, and sudden events versus gradual deterioration, defects and wear
- Building defects: workmanship and compliance against the NCC, Australian Standards, the Guide to Standards and Tolerances, and manufacturer installation requirements
- Strata: lot and common property boundaries and owners corporation repair responsibilities under the Owners Corporations Act 2006 (Vic)
- Domestic building: contracts, variations and statutory warranties under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 (Vic)
- Quantum: scope validation, quantities, builder rates, margins and quotation review
- Repair methodology: options, sequencing, hold points and verification
- Expert evidence: reports, Scott Schedules, conclaves and tribunal attendance
Qualifications and professional associations
| Qualification | Diploma of Building and Construction (Building), RMIT University |
| Site safety | Construction Induction Card (White Card) |
| Certifications | Working at Heights |
| Termite and Timber Pest Inspector | |
| IICRC Water Damage Restoration Technician (WRT) | |
| Professional associations |  Association of Insurance Building & Engineering Consultants (AiBEC): Individual Member Master Builders Association of Victoria (MBAV): MemberAustralian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF): Allied Member |
Independence and the expert's duty
Meridian provides advice only. We don't carry out, manage or refer building work, and we don't accept commissions, referral fees or other benefits from builders, trades or suppliers.
Before we accept an instruction, we check the parties, the property and the matter for conflicts of interest. We disclose any relationship that could reasonably be seen to affect our independence, and if a conflict can't be managed, we decline the instruction.
Our fees never depend on the outcome of a claim or dispute.
In tribunal and court matters, our overriding duty is to the tribunal or court, not to the party paying our fee. We comply with the applicable expert evidence practice note or code of conduct.
Instructions that would limit an honest opinion — for example, to leave out relevant observations — are declined or recorded in the report.
Service area
Meridian is based in Drouin, Victoria, and accepts instructions from across Victoria. Interstate instructions are accepted by arrangement.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Weekends and after hours by appointment.
Contact Meridian