What Raths Raths & Johnson does

Raths, Raths & Johnson, Inc. (RRJ) is a privately held forensic engineering, architecture, and building performance consulting firm founded in 1966 by Charles H. Raths and headquartered in Willowbrook, Illinois, with a regional office in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The firm provides integrated investigative, design, repair, and testing services focused on building enclosures, structures, and materials, with core specialties in Building Enclosure Consulting, Engineering Solutions, and Laboratory & Field Testing. Its service portfolio includes Building Enclosure Commissioning (BECx), failure analysis, condition assessment, design peer review, litigation consulting and expert witness testimony, repair and restoration design, historic preservation, and drone-based visual and thermal inspection.

RRJ generates revenue exclusively through professional services engagements, with a quote-based, project-based pricing model across diverse verticals including healthcare, education, transportation, public/government, commercial, residential, recreational, industrial, parking, hospitality, high-rise, and historic preservation. The firm is licensed to practice in 46 states and reaches clients primarily through direct engagement with property owners, contractors, architects, engineers, insurance carriers, and attorneys, supported by thought leadership at industry conferences (IIBEC, ASTM, ACI, CSI) and professional association leadership. The firm maintains a principal-led delivery model in which senior leaders are involved on every project, differentiated by 7,000+ completed investigations, recognized expert witnesses, and a 50+ year track record on landmark projects such as the U.S. Embassy Historic Chancery Building, the University of Notre Dame Main Building Dome, and Argonne National Laboratory.

Name

Raths Raths & Johnson

Legal name

Raths, Raths & Johnson, Inc.

Website

https://rrj.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Raths, Raths & Johnson is a privately held forensic engineering, architecture, and building performance consulting firm serving property owners, contractors, attorneys, and government clients across 46 states from its Illinois headquarters. It delivers investigative, design, repair, and testing services for building enclosures and structures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Willowbrook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting services including forensic investigation, building enclosure consulting, litigation consulting, and expert witness testimony for building performance issues.
2. Testing Services: Laboratory and field testing services for building materials, enclosure systems, and structural components with data interpretation and actionable results.
3. Design & Peer Review: Design peer review, repair design, and construction quality assurance services for building structures and enclosures.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Raths, Raths & Johnson (RRJ) is a forensic engineering, architecture, and building performance consulting firm that delivers investigative, design, repair, and testing services for building structures, enclosures, and materials. The firm provides integrated services spanning building enclosure consulting, engineering solutions, and laboratory and field testing, including failure analysis, condition assessment, design peer review, building enclosure commissioning (BECx), litigation/expert witness support, historic preservation, and drone-based inspection.

Product overview

Raths, Raths & Johnson (RRJ) is a forensic engineering, architecture, and building performance consulting firm offering integrated professional services across three core areas: Building Enclosure Consulting, Engineering Solutions, and Laboratory & Field Testing. The firm's portfolio includes specialized services such as Building Enclosure Commissioning (BECx), Design & Peer Review, Failure Analysis, Litigation Consulting, Investigation, Historic Preservation, Building Assessments, Drone Services, and Repair & Restoration Design. RRJ serves diverse markets including commercial, education, healthcare, high-rise, historic preservation, hospitality, industrial, parking, public/institutional, recreational, residential, and transportation sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Building Enclosure Commissioning (BECx) Helps owners achieve optimal performance, integration, and constructability for building enclosure components and systems, ranging from pre-design to post-occupancy phases.
• Design & Peer Review Services Engineers and architects help design teams establish expected behavior and durability of any building enclosure system or component, applying deep knowledge of systems, components, and construction methods.
• Failure Analysis Full field investigation and assessment after accidents or building failures, using field data, analytical calculations, materials science, and laboratory testing to identify root causes.
• Repair & Restoration Design Services Design services for owners, contractors, developers, architects, and fabricators focused on repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of damaged, distressed, and nonperforming buildings, structures, and enclosures.
• Drone Services Wide-range visual and thermal information from existing structures via drone technology for surveying commercial and residential buildings, including areas not easily accessible to traditional methods.
• Building Assessments / Condition Assessment Forensic investigation and assessment evaluating existing conditions, structural capacity, and determining problem cause or failure for all types of buildings, structures, enclosures, construction, and materials.
• Investigation Services Structural and architectural investigation services covering air and water leakage, building condition assessment, cladding performance, condensation and moisture investigation, failure and collapse investigation, and structural engineering.
• Litigation Consulting Services Deep structural and architectural expertise with experts who communicate complex technical concepts, including root cause failure analyses, forensic engineering, expert witness testimony, and trial exhibits.
• Historic Preservation Services Restoration of historic structures requiring proper techniques to uncover distress and develop lasting solutions, blending technical expertise with sensitivity to distinctive characteristics of historic buildings.
• Engineering Solutions Investigative expertise and experience in structural, architectural, and mechanical investigations involving all types of buildings, structures, envelopes, construction, and materials.
• Laboratory & Field Testing Engineers, architects, and lab technicians skilled in unique testing methods and equipment who perform tests and interpret data into actionable, meaningful results.
• Construction Consulting Consulting support for construction projects covering constructability, quality assurance, and technical assistance during design and building phases.

Named customers19 records

Segments17 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Prairie Engineers, PCminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2023RRJ was honored to be part of the Prairie Engineers, PC project team for Lock 33 in Rock Falls, Illinois. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Hennepin Canal Historic District, Lock 33 is one of the most significant and intact sites along the canal. RRJ provided historic preservation consulting for this project.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Simpson Gumpertz & Heger: National engineering firm specializing in structural, building envelope, and failure investigations. SGH is one of RRJ's closest direct peers, sharing expertise in building enclosure forensics, structural engineering, and applied research for institutional, commercial, and infrastructure clients.
• CTL Group: Engineering and materials science consulting firm with deep expertise in structural forensics, materials testing, and failure analysis. CTL Group competes directly with RRJ in laboratory and field testing services for buildings and structures.
• Walter | Moore: Structural engineering and building enclosure consulting firm offering investigations, condition assessments, and repair design. Comparable to RRJ in technical scope (structural and enclosure forensics) and customer base (institutional, commercial, and government owners).
• Building Technology Consultants: Building envelope and forensic engineering firm providing investigation, testing, and repair design services. Directly comparable to RRJ in building enclosure consulting, exterior wall and roofing investigations, and expert witness work.
• Pie Consulting & Engineering: Building enclosure and structural engineering consulting firm focused on investigations, repair design, and litigation support. Directly comparable to RRJ's core building enclosure and forensic practice with similar client types (owners, attorneys, design teams).
• Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates: The largest US-based independent forensic engineering, architecture, and materials science firm. WJE directly competes with RRJ across building enclosure consulting, failure analysis, structural investigation, and litigation/expert witness services for similar owner, attorney, and institutional clients.

Broad incumbents

• Terracon Consultants: Large national engineering and environmental services firm with a building enclosure and facilities consulting practice. Terracon overlaps with RRJ in condition assessments, repair design, and testing but operates across a much broader service portfolio and geographic footprint.
• Stantec: Global engineering, architecture, and environmental services firm with a significant building performance and restoration practice (including the acquired Morrison Hershfield). Competes with RRJ for institutional, healthcare, and government building consulting engagements but as part of a much broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/rathsrathsjohnson
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2587856/admin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Raths Raths & Johnson