A Chartered Building Surveyor is a property and construction professional who has achieved the highest level of competence and is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).  Colin Bruce, the owner of Bruce Shaw has been involved in building surveying since 1979 and set up Bruce Shaw Property Consultants Limited in 2002.

We specialize in diagnosing building defects and structural inspections, often related to property purchase.  We provide commercial clients with advice related to lease and repairing obligations, including pre-lease surveys, schedules of condition and schedules of dilapidations. We advise on building refurbishment, repair or thermal improvements, as well as reporting on compliance with regulations and other building related standards. Finally, we provide expert advice in relation to disputes, including providing expert witness input, on occasion acting as court reporter or providing expert determination input directly for the courts.

Building surveyors can be referred to as Building Doctors and provide advice on all types and ages of property.  When purchasing, RICS recommends more detailed inspections are undertaken where a property is either over 50 years old or a period property.  They also recommend professional input where buildings are either non-traditional or formed using unusual materials, or where a building has been significantly extended, altered, needs major renovation work, or shows visible signs of defects, damp, cracking, or structural movement. Most inspections undertaken are visual non-disruptive, when possible supported by thermal imaging, however we can also carry out more detailed inspections involving endoscopes and or contractors opening parts of the construction.

Our client base is widespread and includes both public and private sectors.