About Us

PMC are Chartered Quantity Surveyors and Chartered Project Management Surveyors based in the South East with offices in Richmond (London) and Dover. Our Managing Director, David Hannent FRICS, has been professionally involved with property and buildings for over 40 years.

We harness the benefits of information technology to enhance our service to you. For example all our plans are produced using CAD (computer aided drafting) which produces accurate and professional looking plans.

Integrity is our watchword; Before we take your instructions we will always discuss your requirements in detail. If we do not think we are right for you we will say so. Before we commence work we will always confirm instructions, terms and conditions in writing.

We aim to make working with our clients a pleasure for us and them. We have a refreshingly down to earth approach. You won't find us stuffy, patronising, or pompous. You will find us knowledgeable and professional.

Pre-purchase Surveys

We offer two types of pre purchase survey for residential property:

Valuation

A valuation is an inspection carried out on behalf of your mortgage lender to determine the amount and terms of a mortgage offer. Your mortgage lender will probably ask you to pay for the valuation and will send you a copy of the report.

A valuation is not a survey. It is a limited inspection to identify problems that affect the security of your mortgage lender's loan. A property can have defects that are critical to a prospective buyer, but are not of concern to the mortgage lender and therefore won't appear in a valuation report. That is why you should not just rely on the information provided by a valuation when deciding whether or not to purchase a property.

Building Survey

A building survey is a comprehensive inspection suitable for all properties but especially recommended for:

• All listed buildings
• Those built before 1900
• Any building constructed in an unusual way regardless of its age
• Properties you are planning to renovate or alter in any way
• Properties which have already had extensive alterations

A building survey involves a detailed examination of all accessible parts of a property and can be tailor-made to suit your individual needs and concerns. A building survey includes the following:

• all major and minor faults
• The implications of any defects and possible cost of repairs
• Results of testing walls for dampness and timbers for damage including woodworm or rot
• comments on the existence and condition of damp-proofing, insulation and drainage (although the latter will not be tested)
• Extensive technical information on the construction of the property and details about material used in construction
• information on the location
• recommendations for any further specialist inspections

A building survey does not include a valuation, although we can provide a separate valuation report if required.

...call us for a fee quotation.

Building projects do go wrong!

And the reasons are many and varied. Fault may lie with the builder, the clients professional advisers, or the client themselves. Indeed all of these parties may have contributed to the problem.

The first thing to establish is what has gone wrong and what remedies may be available to you.

We can help you find the best way forward.

Initial Advice

If we are to serve you best it is essential that you are frank and honest with us and disclose everything. Remember we are bound by the code of conduct of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, so confidentiality is ensured. Your aim should not be to convince us that you have been wronged, convincing us will not get you closer to solving the problem. Ultimately it may be a judge that you have to convince, but at this early stage we should be looking at all of the facts and the merits of both your case and that of the other parties. If you do not disclose everything the advice we give may not be in your best interests.

Resolving the Problem

There are many ways of resolving building disputes that do not involve going to court and these alternatives are worth considering. Arbitration, Adjudication and Mediation all offer advantages in terms of limiting costs and ensuring speedy resolution. We can offer advice on these options and whether they are open to you.

Ultimately you may need, or choose, to litigate. If so we would normally advise you appoint a solicitor to manage your case. As chartered surveys we can approach counsel directly, but solicitors are expert at case management. In this scenario we would act as expert witness only.

Expert Witness

The first thing a client should understand about the duty of an expert is that he can be appointed by one party to the dispute, or jointly by both parties. Whichever it is the expert owes his prime duty not to those that have appointed him, but to the court. He must provide his honest opinion on those matters in which he has expertise, even if his opinion does not support his clients case. Moreover, Chartered Surveyors acting as experts are bound by the RICS Guidance not for Surveyors Acting as Expert Witness which also insists that they act honestly and impartially.

...but if you have a building dispute it is best to talk to us to decide on the best way forward.

Party wall issues on developments, particularly residential extensions and conversions can be an emotive as well as expensive issue for those wishing to exercises their legal rights in carrying out work to their property. At PMC we see our role as professionals is to seek the path of least resistance, ensuring that these matters are handled sensitively and properly as well as mutually beneficial in protecting all parties' rights under the law. We feel that early communication and sensible professional involvement can often allay the fears and mysteries that lead to concern and friction between the various parties and do our best to manage the relationships between the neighbours because we understand that these relationships extend for much longer than the building works will.

Our directors are fully qualified for work in this area, as well as being members of the Pyramus & Thisbe Club which is the leading body for Party Wall Surveyors and regularly attend lectures, seminars and talk on the subject, ensuring awareness of latest practice.

For an informal discussion please feel free to contact us for advice.

Boundary Dispute Resolution

PMC has accumulated considerable experience of working on boundary dispute resolution both directly with individuals and with intermediaries such as solicitors, property developers and land agents. David Hannent, specialises in Boundary Dispute Resolution matters in England & Wales and has over 27 years of experience in assisting parties to reach a mutually agreeable outcome.

How We Work

As experienced surveyors we are qualified in the areas of mapping and measurement. Having a detailed survey of a property, either to determine a boundary position before it gets to a dispute, or to help resolve an ongoing boundary issue, provides a clear basis from which to work. The appointment of an independent expert is advisable to witness plans, Land Registry documents and any other relevant information. We can then prepare a report that in many cases, is used to settle a dispute without the need for an expensive court case.

Services

We offer a wide range of services relating to boundary matters including:

• Advice on boundary issues
• Electronic and Geospatial GPS surveys of properties, physical features, using ordanance survey drawings to clarify position of boundaries
• Report writing for submission to a solicitor or court
• Boundary demarcation
• Preparation of documents for first registration of a property
• Transfer plans for registration with Land Registry
• Plans for determined boundary
• Expert witness

Planning and Building control

Obtaining the statutory consents for a building project has become more complicated over recent years and PMC have a lot of experience in this area on projects both large and small. Our integrated and coordinated approach to every project ensures that the processes are as streamlined and efficient as possible, cutting down the need for changes to drawings and specifications which can have serious implications for time and cost. We believe in managing the process properly and considering later implications such as buildability, sustainability and practicality from the outset rather than gaining permission for a development which is not cost effective or buildable.

On smaller developments we can provide a one stop shop efficiently handling your Planning, Building Control and any other consents required with the benefit of an in-house Building Control specialist with many years of experience in this area. On larger developments we work with partnered firms of Architects, Engineers and Planning Consultants providing coordinated design management from inception right through to final hand over, giving clients continuity of service and ensuring that initial expectations and design intents are met. We provide advice and guidance to developers on feasibility and value and valuation of proposals and have much experience of assisting organisations with securing funding for their proposals.

For an informal discussion about your needs and how we can help, please contact us.