Building Surveying & Technical Design Services

Expert surveying and design solutions for every project

The condition of your buildings underpins every maintenance, investment, and compliance decision you make. Without accurate, up-to-date information, planning becomes guesswork, and the consequences of getting it wrong are increasingly serious.

The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 has placed new obligations on registered providers to demonstrate that homes meet the Decent Homes Standard and that residents are safe, and the government’s ongoing consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard looks set to extend similar requirements into the private rented sector for the first time. At the same time, the Building Safety Act 2022 has raised the bar on how buildings are designed, constructed, and maintained over their lifetime. For clients across all sectors, the need for expert, independent Building Surveying advice has never been greater.

At Potter Raper, we provide Building Surveying and Technical Design services that help clients understand what they have, plan what they need to do, and deliver it to a high standard. We work across the public and private sectors on projects of every scale, from individual condition surveys to large, multi-year refurbishment programmes.

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What we deliver:

Stock Condition Surveys and Asset Management: Structured survey programmes across residential and commercial housing stock, delivering the accurate asset data clients need for maintenance planning, investment decisions, and regulatory compliance.

Condition and Defect Surveys: Detailed inspection of building fabric, structure, and services to identify defects, assess remaining life expectancy, and inform remediation or refurbishment strategies.

Technical Design and Specification: Production of clear, detailed specifications, schedules of work, and technical drawings to support tendering, procurement, and on-site delivery.

Architectural Services: Architectural support from feasibility through to completion, including measured surveys, CAD drawings, planning and listed building applications, and design management.

Laser Scanning: High-precision laser scanning and measured survey services, capturing accurate building and site data quickly and unobtrusively, achieving a level of detail that traditional hand-measured surveys cannot match.

Drone Services: High-quality aerial footage and visuals for site progress monitoring, marketing, and design presentations. Our drone services provide clear, impactful imagery that supports decision-making and highlights project milestones.

Party Wall Services: Expert advice and surveying under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, managing the process from initial notice through to award, to protect our clients’ interests and avoid disputes.

Retrofit and Refurbishment Design: Technical design for EWI, window replacement, ventilation, and wider fabric improvements, including compliance with PAS2035 and Building Regulations.

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Recent Projects:

Haringey Housing Major Works, LB Haringey

The London Borough of Haringey is investing in its stock of around 20,500 homes to meet the decent homes standard and improve energy efficiency across the borough. We were appointed as lead consultant for the council’s ten-year partnering programme.

Tustin Estate – Residential Refurbishment, LB Southwark

Building Surveying across the refurbishment of three 20-storey tower blocks, one of the first major recladding projects following the Grenfell Tower fire. Works included cladding replacement, new windows and roofs, kitchen and bathroom replacements, and fire safety upgrades across a complex, occupied estate.

Stock Condition Survey Programme, Harlow Council

A large-scale survey programme covering 3,334 properties and 258 residential blocks. We coordinated resident engagement, scheduled internal and external surveyors, and implemented a bespoke data validation process to ensure the Council received consistent, accurate asset data.

Thanet High Rise Retrofit, Thanet District Council

Feasibility study and technical design for the retrofit and fire remediation of five high-rise blocks. Our lifecycle cost analysis helped the client make a well-evidenced investment decision and maximise the value of the programme by sequencing works around scaffold access.

Kathleen Lonsdale Building, Grade II Listed Refurbishment, UCL

Condition survey and repair of the external fabric of this Grade II listed building for UCL Estates, including slate roof replacement, stone and brick repairs, and window overhauls. Work required listed building consent and careful coordination around active laboratory environments.

Copley Close, Residential Refurbishment, LB Ealing

Multi-discipline appointment on a 100-unit residential refurbishment, design was completed in Revit, enabling 3D walkthrough presentations to the resident action group throughout the process.

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We work across residential, commercial, education, healthcare, and heritage sectors, providing clear, practical advice that helps clients protect and improve their assets at every stage.