Badia J Ontra
Bridgeport, CT 06605
Office: 203-367-4757
Badia, "Buddy" Ontra has been working with natural stone since 1982. First as a union commercial installer in the early to mid '80's. He worked as a residential countertop fabricator 1985 to present. 2005 through 2024 he owned and operated Ontra Stone Concepts, a Natural Stone Institue Accreditated Residential Countertop Fabricator in Bridgeport, Ct. Only about 100 companies have this distiguished recognition. Most recently, he has served as a trainer for the Natural Stone Institute "Silica and Slab Safety" Certificate-a 4 hour intensive course in silicosis and slabhandling safety. He served on the NSI BOD fro 2016 through 2023 and he currently serves on the Natural Stone Founsation BOD. He was the 2022 NSI BOD President. He has been retained by attorneys to share his expertise on slab handling accident cases and stone failure cases. Countertop fabricators retain Buddy for peer to peer safety consulting and to help them prepare for an OSHA visit.
Buddy is a frequent speaker at Stone Expo, TISE, Coverings, and at many NSI Fabricator Summitts. Well over 100 sessions to date. He currently facilitates 2 fabricator education summitts a year. These are day-long regional education including design trends, safety, and fabricator round table discussions. He has also spoken at international stone education trade shows in China and Brazil.
Simply, he is a stone fabricator expert. If there anything else you want to know... Just ask!
- Construction Safety
- Construction Site
- Forklifts
- Human Factors
- Industrial Hygiene & Mold
- OSHA
- Safety
- Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:
- A: Natural Stone Institute Accreditation-Residential Countertop Fabricator
NSI BOD 2016-2023
NSI BOD President 2022
NSI Person of the Year 2022
Currently serve on the Natural Stone Foundation BOD
- Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
- A: Naturural Stone Institute
Stone Fabricators Alliance
ISFA - Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
- A: I have facilitated (trainer) the NSI Silica and Slab Safety Certificate10 times-well over 200 people trained
Spoken over 100 times at domestic and international stone industry trade shows.
Topics are fabricator education-Best Practices, Safety, Shop Layout. - Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
- A: No
- Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
- A: 12
- Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
- A: Safety Consultation
Job Failures Inspection - Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
- A: 75
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
- A: 25
- Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
- A: 2
- Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
- A: 2015 - One currently pending
- Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
- A: 0- One pending
- Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
- A: 0- One pending
- Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
- A: 10. But scattered over the years as I had other professional obligations
- Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
- A: Safety Consutation
Standards Consutation
Safety Inspection
Quality Inspection
Site Inspection for Safety and Quality
Written /Verbal Reports
- Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
- A: Varies-
In my office by phone-$190 per hour with 3 hour minimum
At attorney's office-$290 per hour with 3 hour minimum (local), 8 hour minimum (distant)
On site-$360 per hour with 3 hour minimum (local), 8 hour minimum (distant)
Plus travel expenses
- Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
- A: Varies-
In my office by phone-$190 per hour with 3 hour minimum
At attorney's office-$290 per hour with 3 hour minimum (local), 8 hour minimum (distant)
On site-$360 per hour with 3 hour minimum (local), 8 hour minimum (distant)
Plus travel expenses - Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
- A: Local or Teleconference-$440 per hour with a 4 hour minimum
Distant-$480 per hour with 8 hour minimum
Plus travel expenses - Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
- A: $480 per hour with 8 hour minimum
Plus travel expenses
Testimony Prep-$360 per hour with 3 hour minimum - Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
- A: Travel Expenses as follows:
Local travel by car within 100 miles of Bridgeport, CT-flat $450
Local travel by car 100+ miles-$175 per hour +$.75 per mile with $525 minimum
Distant (air/rail) travel from NYC airports-$1750 per day (to and from) or any part of. Includes car travel to JFK or LGA
Above is plus submiited expenses which include:
Travel- Air-Delta is my preferred airline. I will submit “Comfort +” fare, then upgrade on
my own if I choose. Rail if appropriate. Car-see “local travel” above
Parking-Airport, municipal, etc.
Hotel with ancillary expenses
Car rental, taxi/rideshare, or other means of travel at destination.
Meals
Anything else, such as but not limited to, special tools or services (i.e. equipment rental)
that is important to the consultation.
Extras-
If something outside of the original scope of consultation is deemed necessary by
all parties, that will be invoiced as an “additional.” And such will be agreed upon by all
parties before adding to the order and invoice.
Retainer-
To be determined on a job-by-job basis.
Available Upon Request