Independent quality inspections during construction — clerk of works visits, stage inspections and photographic reports that catch defects while they're still cheap to fix.
Defects are cheapest the day they happen. A damp-proof course bridged during blockwork costs minutes to fix that morning and thousands once the render is on. Clerk of works and site inspection services put an independent, construction-literate inspector on your site at the moments that matter — so quality problems are caught in the week they occur, not at handover.
What the Surveyor inspects
- Regular quality monitoring — scheduled visits (weekly, fortnightly or at agreed stages) checking workmanship and materials against the drawings and specification, with photographic reports after every visit.
- Key-stage inspections — foundations, DPC, structural frame, roof, first fix, second fix and pre-plaster: the points where poor work is about to be covered up.
- Pre-handover inspection — a full defects list before practical completion is certified, complementing our new-build snagging surveys.
- Evidence for disputes — contemporaneous inspection records that later support negotiations or expert witness proceedings if the project turns contentious.
Who uses the service
Homeowners funding extensions and renovations who cannot be on site themselves; employers on JCT contracts wanting inspection independent of the contractor; lenders and insurers needing progress verification alongside development monitoring. Where the same surveyor also acts as contract administrator, inspection findings feed directly into valuations and certificates.
Fees and instruction
Per-visit fixed fees or a monthly rate for programmed inspections, agreed before we start — tell us the location, programme and contract value and we will quote the sensible inspection frequency.
Frequently asked questions
What does a clerk of works do?
They inspect construction quality on your behalf while the work happens — checking workmanship and materials against the drawings and specification, recording everything photographically, and raising defects with the contractor while they are still cheap to correct. They are your eyes on site, independent of the builder.
How often should site inspections happen?
Match the inspections to the moments where poor work is about to be covered up: foundations, damp-proof course, frame, roof, first fix and pre-plaster. On a typical extension that means visits at key stages; on larger or faster projects, weekly or fortnightly. The schedule is agreed against your contractor's programme before inspections start.
Isn't building control already inspecting my project?
Building control checks compliance with building regulations — the legal minimum — at a handful of statutory stages. It does not check that you are getting the quality, materials and details you are paying for. A clerk of works inspects against your specification, not the regulatory floor, and reports to you alone. The two roles complement rather than replace each other.