That is useful if you are buying a house. But commercial property and development projects are a different proposition. A developer, investor, landlord, housing provider or public-sector organisation may be dealing with construction contracts, multiple consultants, substantial budgets, planning requirements, programme pressures and technical risks all at the same time.
So the more useful question is not: “Who is the best Chartered Surveyor?”
It is: “Which Chartered Surveyor has the right experience, professional capability and team for this particular project?”
MBS Chartered Surveyors provides Building Surveying, Project Management, Facilities Management Advisory and Cost Management services for residential, commercial and public-sector clients. The four disciplines can also overlap on larger or more complex instructions, where a building issue may have consequences for cost, programme, procurement or long-term asset performance.
What Does “Best Chartered Surveyor” Actually Mean?
There is no single surveying practice that is the best choice for every project. A surveyor who specialises in residential property surveys may be an excellent choice for a homebuyer but not necessarily the right consultant to act as Employer’s Agent on a major design-and-build development.
Likewise, a consultant experienced in commercial building condition surveys may have a different skill set from one appointed to coordinate a professional team, administer a construction contract or manage project delivery.
For a commercial appointment, useful questions include:
- Has the practice worked on projects similar to yours?
- Does it understand your property sector?
- Does it have the technical surveying expertise you need?
- Can it support project management if required?
- Does it have Employer’s Agent experience?
- Can it provide or coordinate cost management?
- Does it understand construction risk?
- Who will actually lead the instruction?
- What professional standards and protections are in place?
The right combination depends on the client brief. A small commercial condition survey and a multi-million-pound development should not necessarily be approached in the same way.
Understanding the Client Brief Comes First
Before comparing surveying practices, understand what you actually need them to do. That sounds obvious, but it is easy to start with the company rather than the problem.
A property investor acquiring an existing office building may initially need a detailed condition survey and technical due diligence. A developer starting a new scheme might need project management, Employer’s Agent and cost management support from the outset. A landlord approaching the end of a commercial lease may instead need advice on dilapidations.
A useful brief should establish:
- The property or development involved
- The reason for the appointment
- Your objectives
- Required professional services
- Known technical or commercial risks
- Project programme
- Budget or cost parameters
- Procurement strategy
- Reporting requirements
- Key stakeholders
- Expected outcomes
Once those points are clear, it becomes much easier to identify the right surveying expertise.
For example, a developer planning a commercial scheme may require Project Management and Cost Management, alongside input from building surveying. An investor acquiring an existing asset may initially need a Building Condition Survey before deciding whether to proceed.
Look for Experience on Comparable Projects
One of the strongest indicators of suitability is relevant experience.
That does not necessarily mean asking how many surveys a practice completes each year. Look at the details behind the experience:
- Property type
- Sector
- Project value
- Scale
- Procurement route
- Development stage
- Client type
- Professional role
- Technical complexity
- Stakeholder environment
A practice might have extensive experience in residential surveying but little experience of acting as an Employer’s Agent on a complex commercial development. Conversely, a firm with a smaller team may have highly relevant experience of the exact type of project you are planning. Relevance matters more than volume.
Deeside Waste-to-Energy Project
MBS’s experience includes an Employer’s Agent role on the Deeside Waste-to-Energy project, working alongside Caulmert Ltd. The project progressed through planning approval towards RIBA Stage 4 design, requiring coordination and leadership across the wider professional team.
This is a useful example of why commercial clients should look beyond the number of surveys a consultant has completed. An Employer’s Agent appointment involves coordination, client representation, project understanding and communication across multiple parties.
MBS’s client feedback from Caulmert specifically highlights the team’s leadership and coordination during the project.
Curedale Garden Village
MBS has also worked as Client Representative alongside Avison Young on the outline planning submission for Curedale Garden Village, covering approximately 27 hectares of industrial and commercial land.
The project demonstrates another side of surveying and property consultancy: large-scale development work often requires coordination between different professional disciplines well before construction begins.
For clients assessing potential consultants, experience at this stage can be just as relevant as experience on site.
Consider Whether You Need More Than Building Surveying
Commercial property problems rarely stay inside one professional box.
Suppose a building condition survey identifies significant deterioration to a roof. The technical finding is important, but the client will probably have further questions.
How serious is it?
Does it need immediate attention?
Should the roof be repaired or replaced?
What could the work cost?
How should it be procured?
Will the building need to close while the work takes place?
How does the expenditure fit into the property’s maintenance plan?
Suddenly, a building surveying issue has become a cost, programme, procurement and asset-management issue. This is why multidisciplinary capability can be useful on commercial projects.
- Building Surveying: Building surveying can cover property condition, defect diagnosis, technical due diligence, schedules of condition, dilapidations, project monitoring and maintenance advice.
- Project Management: Project management can help coordinate the professional team and manage the project through design, procurement, construction and completion.
- Cost Management: Cost management provides support with feasibility, cost planning, procurement, tendering, valuations, change management and financial control.
- Facilities Management Advisory: Facilities management advice considers how a building will operate and be maintained after construction or refurbishment, including areas such as asset management, compliance and operational performance.
Review the Practice’s Project Management Capability
A commercial surveying appointment can extend well beyond an initial inspection.
Depending on the brief, a consultant may become involved during feasibility, planning, design, procurement, construction and handover.
This makes project management experience worth examining before appointment.
MBS’s Project Management service includes capabilities such as:
- Employer’s Agent services
- Risk management
- Change management
- Value engineering
- Design and engineering management
- Procurement management
- Construction management
- Handover management
For a developer, having a consultant who understands the relationship between technical decisions, programme and delivery can be particularly useful.
Understand the Employer’s Agent Role
If a project uses a Design and Build procurement route, the Employer’s Agent can have an important role in representing and supporting the employer throughout the project.
The precise responsibilities depend on the appointment, but may include:
- Developing the client’s requirements
- Preparing or coordinating Employer’s Requirements
- Coordinating the professional team
- Managing project information
- Supporting contract documentation
- Monitoring design development
- Managing change
- Issuing contractual notices or instructions where authorised
- Monitoring contractor performance
- Attending progress meetings
- Reporting to the client
- Supporting completion and handover
The important point when selecting a consultant is not simply whether the practice offers Employer’s Agent services.
Ask: “What comparable projects have you delivered in this role?”
MBS has undertaken Employer’s Agent appointments on projects including the Arundel Street Build-to-Rent development in Manchester.
Look at How Cost Is Managed
Almost every significant project decision has a financial consequence.
A defect may require capital expenditure. A design change may affect the construction budget. A programme delay may create additional costs. A procurement decision can influence both price and risk.
That is why cost management should be considered alongside technical surveying where the scale of the project warrants it.
MBS’s Cost Management service covers areas including:
- Feasibility studies
- Cost modelling
- Cost planning
- Benchmarking
- Due diligence
- Procurement advice
- Tender management
- Value engineering
- Risk management
- Valuations
- Change management
- Final accounts
The objective is not simply to produce a number at the beginning of a project. Cost information needs to remain useful as the design develops and circumstances change.
Treat RICS Status as the Professional Baseline
Professional credentials matter when appointing a surveying practice, particularly where the instruction carries significant technical or financial responsibility. MBS is a RICS-regulated Chartered Surveying practice, with Chartered professionals working across building surveying and property consultancy.
However, an RICS logo should not be the end of your due diligence.
Ask who will actually lead the instruction, what relevant experience they have, what professional protections are maintained and how responsibility will be handled. You should also understand the difference between an individual being a Chartered Surveyor and a firm being RICS-regulated. They are related but not interchangeable concepts.
For larger commercial instructions, professional status provides an important baseline. Relevant experience and accountable delivery are what you should assess next.
Find Out Who Will Actually Manage Your Instruction
This is an easy question to overlook during the appointment process:
Who will actually be managing my project?
The person presenting the proposal may not necessarily be the person attending meetings, carrying out inspections or preparing reports six months later.
Before appointing a practice, establish:
- Who is your main point of contact?
- Who has professional responsibility?
- Who will attend key meetings?
- Who will undertake inspections?
- Who will prepare reports?
- What work will be delegated?
- How accessible are senior professionals?
- Who will step in if the project becomes more complex?
At MBS, founding Director Mark Milligan MRICS brings more than 25 years of experience across the construction and real-estate industries. The business operates as a focused team rather than a large corporate structure.
For clients, that can mean having experienced professionals directly involved in the instruction rather than simply appearing during the initial pitch.
Look for Evidence of Real Project Experience
Most professional consultancies will describe themselves as experienced. The useful part is finding evidence behind the claim.
Look at:
- Published projects
- Professional biographies
- Client testimonials
- Sectors served
- Specific roles undertaken
- Project scale
- Procurement routes
- Repeat client relationships
MBS publishes projects across Building Surveying, Project Management and Facilities Management, covering commercial, residential, public-sector and international work. Some examples demonstrate the breadth of that experience.
MBS Chartered Surveyors Project Experience
Arundel Street Build-to-Rent, Manchester
MBS was appointed as Employer’s Agent for Logik Developments on the Arundel Street Build-to-Rent project in Manchester.
The proposed development comprises a 23-storey tower and a 10-storey block providing approximately 355 BTR apartments, designed by SimpsonHaugh. MBS’s appointment included preparing and submitting a Section 96A planning application.
The project demonstrates experience in a substantial development environment where planning, design and client requirements need to be coordinated.
Sanctuary Spa, Lytham St Annes
MBS was appointed to provide Contract Administration support on the redevelopment of the former JR Taylor retail premises in Lytham St Annes.
The approximately 20,000 sq ft building is being transformed into a boutique hotel, spa and restaurant, with proposals including a rooftop bar and basement spa. MBS’s role includes assisting the existing project delivery team in managing the main contractor.
It is a good example of how surveying expertise can extend into the practical delivery of a refurbishment project.
NEOM Sindalah, Saudi Arabia
MBS’s project experience also extends beyond the UK.
Working as a sub-consultant through Currie & Brown, MBS provided Facilities Management Advisory expertise for Sindalah, the luxury island destination within NEOM in Saudi Arabia. Its role focused on Strategic Operational Readiness.
The project illustrates another important point: major developments do not stop requiring professional property advice when construction finishes. Operational planning, asset management and facilities strategy can all influence how successfully a completed development performs.
What Do These Projects Tell You About Choosing a Surveyor?
The projects above are very different. One involves Build-to-Rent residential development. Another involves hospitality refurbishment. Another involves international operational-readiness consultancy.
That variety highlights several factors worth looking for when choosing a Chartered Surveyor.
- Comparable experience: Has the practice dealt with the type of property, project and professional responsibility involved?
- Understanding of the client: Does the consultant understand what you are trying to achieve, rather than simply offering a standard service?
- Multi-disciplinary capability: Can technical surveying issues be considered alongside cost, programme, construction and operational requirements where necessary?
- Property lifecycle knowledge: Does the practice understand what happens before, during and after construction?
- Professional accountability: Do you know who is responsible for the work and who will actually deliver it?
Questions to Ask Before Appointing a Chartered Surveyor
Before appointing a Chartered Surveyor for a commercial project, ask a few straightforward questions.
Have you worked on similar projects?
Ask for examples rather than relying on general statements about experience.
Who will lead my instruction?
Find out who will actually be responsible for the project and how involved senior professionals will remain.
Which services can you provide?
If the project could involve surveying, project management and cost advice, establish whether those capabilities are available within the practice or through separate appointments.
What exactly is included?
A clear scope helps everyone understand what the consultant is and is not responsible for.
How will risks be reported?
You want more than a list of problems. Reports should help you understand their significance and what decisions may follow.
How will cost and programme be considered?
For development and construction projects, technical recommendations can affect both.
What professional protections are in place?
Ask about professional credentials, appropriate insurance and the firm’s complaints-handling arrangements.
Residential and Commercial Surveying Require Different Criteria
Residential surveying and commercial consultancy are both important, but they should not be assessed in exactly the same way.
For a residential purchase, a buyer may focus on:
- Appropriate RICS survey level
- Residential property experience
- Report quality
- Local knowledge
- Fees
- Turnaround
A commercial or development client may need to look much further.
They may require:
- Building surveying
- Technical due diligence
- Employer’s Agent experience
- Project management
- Cost management
- Contract administration
- Procurement advice
- Construction monitoring
- Programme management
- Facilities management expertise
Neither approach is inherently better. The right service depends on the problem.
How MBS Approaches a New Client Brief
Every project is different, so the starting point should be the client’s requirements. MBS’s approach can be viewed through five practical stages.
- Understand the brief: Establish the property, objectives, challenges, programme and desired outcomes.
- Identify the required services: Determine whether the instruction requires Building Surveying, Project Management, Employer’s Agent, Cost Management, Facilities Management Advisory or a combination.
- Define the scope: Clarify responsibilities, deliverables, reporting arrangements and interfaces with other consultants.
- Consider risk, cost and programme: Identify issues that could affect project delivery and consider their wider implications.
- Provide ongoing professional advice: Maintain communication and provide practical information that allows the client to make decisions as the project develops.
That process sounds straightforward, but it can make a considerable difference on complex instructions where responsibilities overlap.
So, How Do You Choose the Best Chartered Surveyor?
For a commercial property or construction project, start with four questions:
- Does the practice have comparable project experience?
- Can it provide the technical and commercial capability the project needs?
- Is professional responsibility clearly established?
- Will experienced people actually remain involved?
A large number of completed surveys, an impressive website or a long list of services does not automatically make a practice the right choice. The best Chartered Surveyor for a commercial project is ultimately the one whose expertise, experience and approach fit the project in front of you.
How MBS Chartered Surveyors Can Help
MBS Chartered Surveyors is an independent Chartered Surveying and property consultancy practice based in Preston, providing professional services across the UK and internationally.
Its core areas include:
- Building Surveying
- Project Management
- Employer’s Agent services
- Cost Management
- Facilities Management Advisory
- Contract Administration
- Commercial Property Condition Surveys
- Development Monitoring
- Planned Preventative Maintenance
MBS works with commercial property owners, developers, investors, landlords, housing providers and public-sector organisations across different stages of the property lifecycle.
Whether you are acquiring an existing commercial property, planning a refurbishment, developing a new scheme or managing an existing asset, the right professional appointment should start with understanding what you need to achieve.
Planning a commercial property or construction project? Contact MBS Chartered Surveyors to discuss your requirements.
