Building Consultancy

A building consultant provides expert, independent technical advice on building-related matters. This can range from diagnosing a complex defect that several contractors have been unable to resolve, to developing a 10-year maintenance strategy for a portfolio of properties, to advising on building regulation compliance for a renovation project, to acting as an expert witness in a construction dispute. The role is broader and more flexible than a surveyor conducting a standard inspection.

Engage a building consultant when your situation goes beyond a standard inspection or report. For example: you have a building defect that has been 'fixed' twice and keeps returning — a consultant can diagnose the root cause. You own multiple properties and need a strategic maintenance plan — a consultant can develop one. You are in dispute with a contractor over the quality of work — a consultant can provide an independent expert assessment. If your need is a standard pre-purchase survey, a RICS Level 2 or 3 survey is the right service.

Building consultancy fees vary depending on the scope and complexity of the work. Unlike a standard survey — which has a published price range — consultancy is priced individually for each engagement. We provide a fixed-fee proposal after understanding your requirements, with no charge for the initial consultation. You will know exactly what the work will cost before you commit. As a guide, a straightforward defect diagnosis might start from around £350 plus VAT, while a comprehensive maintenance strategy for a portfolio could be quoted on a per-property basis. We never charge on an open-ended hourly basis without a fee cap.

The timescale depends entirely on the scope. A focused defect diagnosis visit with a written summary might be completed within a few working days of instruction. A detailed investigation with laboratory testing, contractor consultation and a full technical report might take three to four weeks. We agree a delivery timetable as part of the scoping and proposal stage, and we keep you updated on progress throughout. If your matter is urgent — for example, a dispute with an imminent court deadline — we can prioritise and work to your timetable.

Yes. Several of our senior consultants are experienced in preparing expert reports for court proceedings and giving evidence as an expert witness. Expert reports are prepared in compliance with CPR Part 35 (Civil Procedure Rules), and our overriding duty is to the court — the report is independent and impartial regardless of which party instructs us. If your solicitor has asked you to obtain an expert building report for litigation, we can help.

We provide building consultancy services across all seven of our counties: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Greater London and Oxfordshire. Every consultant we use is locally based, knows the building stock, construction traditions and common defects in their area, and can visit your property promptly. No travel surcharges apply for any location within our coverage area. For engagements that are largely desk-based — such as maintenance strategy development or document review — location is even less of a constraint.

Building consultancy focuses on technical advice, investigation and independent opinion. Project management focuses on delivery — coordinating contractors, managing programmes, controlling costs and ensuring a project is completed on time. Our building consultancy service can include project monitoring and contract administration, where we inspect work at key stages and certify payments, but we do not act as a full project manager or principal contractor. If you need a full project management service, we can recommend trusted professionals in your area.

Yes — this is exactly the type of situation where building consultancy adds the most value. Repeatedly treating the symptom (the visible damp) without identifying the underlying cause is a common and expensive cycle. Our consultant will carry out a systematic investigation: examining the construction of the wall, checking external ground levels and drainage, assessing ventilation, testing moisture levels with specialist equipment and tracing water ingress paths. The result is a clear diagnosis of what is actually causing the problem and a specification for remedial works that address the root cause, not just the symptom.