Durie Heritage - Building Surveyors Reviews 82

Building survey. Having lived in my 3 bedroomed cottage for 30 years, I was finding it difficult to prioritise what level of maintenance work was needed, and in what order. John and Alison listened to my concerns and were really friendly and efficient. They clearly understand old buildings, and explained the range of options according to both priority and budget. The survey, which included full damp assessment and thermal imaging inside and out, identified a number of issues that I was unaware of, and provided reassurance about others. The report was comprehensive and easy to read, with photos and drone images that I've been able to share with tradespeople. Their fees are transparent, and excellent value for the quality of the survey and for their advice. Highly recommended!

I had Durie Heritage out at my property at the start of the year to conduct a dampness survey after having the typical 'damp companies' out and not being impressed with what they had to offer.
The report I received had so much information and has allowed me to start the process of repairing my old Ayrshire cottage the correct way.
I have reached out to John/Alison since to ask further questions and have had quick responses with easy to understand information.
I would recommend Durie Heritage to anybody who was in a similar position to me, overwhelmed with where to start and what to do with their property. I now have a clear road map and it may take time to get there but I have the best information and support I could ask for.

Thank you John and Alison.

John and Alison carried out a building survey on our house in Cardiff. The survey was detailed and gave us a clear understanding of the problems and how to address them. John and Alison were also happy to answer all of our many questions! Would highly recommend.

I contacted Durie Heritage to come and consult on problems with a couple of damp walls in our 1860's terrace in Biggar, which is partially built into the hillside. We've had problems with damp patches and crumbling gypsum plaster for years and years and part of the reason for not addressing this problem properly was just not knowing who to contact, but Durie Heritage popped up on google so thought it was worth a shot. Having stripped back the plaster to the 1960's cavity brickwork about 10 years ago, I previously made the reluctant decision to go with the plasterer's recommendation to replaster with waterproof plaster, which obviously just degraded with the moisture behind it. Alison and John arrived as arranged on the dot and I felt immediately at ease with them and they quickly assessed the problem, taking in the construction from looking both inside and outside and taking images. My partner arrived halfway through the consultation and was also really impressed with their knowledge and approachability. John and Alison recommended stripping the plaster back (again!) and this time plastering with lime plaster. They helpfully recommended a suitable tradesperson, but also advised that we could do a course in lime plastering ourselves, which we are seriously considering. Would definitely use again and would highly recommend.

I asked John and Alison to carry out a consultation on my own house in Staffordshire after already engaging three other professionals - two structural engineers and a property maintenance company - to look at my various issues. Because of the lack of consensus amongst the others, I decided to have one last throw with surveyors, and am so glad I did. I immediately felt confidence in the Duries' expertise: they really are experts and specialists in old buildings, favouring proper fixes for problems like damp etc, and also having a balanced view of what is reasonable to expect in an older property, just as humans clock up age-related ailments, some of which can be lived with, while others are best addressed in a timely manner. They instantly dispelled the worry and confusion I had been feeling for the past couple of years, and suggested a number of "easy win" fixes to be going on with, and bigger repairs I could consider one day.

I could not recommend the services of Durie Heritage more highly. We were in the process of purchasing a flat in Dunfermline and after significant mould issues with our previous flat, we were determined to get a high quality dampness/timber report before completing purchase. John's report was incredibly detailed and in-depth with images, descriptions and advice about resolutions. He was always easy to communicate with, quick to respond to emails and I felt I could reach out with any questions throughout the process. I'll be telling all our friends and family buying a property to hire John as you feel you know exactly what you're getting and no hidden surprises.

We met John for a building survey on a house we wished to purchase. He was very thorough, knowledgeable and helpful. His advice has formed the basis of re-negotiation for the property as he could advise on the great deal of work involved to bring the property back into habitation. As the house is Grade II listed it was even more important to get accurate advice. Thank you John.

From the initial inquiry to completion John &Alison provided a first class service. Nothing was missed, drone pictures captured the roof area and supplied us with clear images. John showed an incredible knowledge of older properties and this was confirmed with the information and advice that was contained within Johns report of the damp survey undertaken.
Thanking you John & Alison for travelling to South Wales to our home and would not hesitate to use your services again.

I can’t recommend John and Alison enough. We had two mortgages rejected because of surveyors reports on the state of the building, so it was great to have John and Alison come over for an informal survey to put our fears to rest.
They both have a world of knowledge on old buildings and the right ways repair them. The drone footage is incredible too. Thanks very much.

We contacted Durie Heritage after an initial google search, then a website review for their assistance in handling a reported mould issue related to work we had been involved with at a property in Dundee, Scotland. Communications were prompt and reassuring and we contracted Durie Heritage to provide an independent mould/dampness report on the issues and were not disappointed with the level of service provided. We will happily use Durie Heritage time and time again.

After buying a house that had a damp report stating that work to the tune of £70k was required I decided to get a second opinion and I'm glad that I did. John and Allison spent hours going over the whole house and a few days later provided a very detailed report of the issues and the methods required to tackle them. This report has saved me a lot of money. If you have an older property and have been told you need damp work I would recommend getting John and Allison out.

I have worked with John and Alison on two projects now as an architect and their knowledge and expertise is extremely valuable for myself and clients alike. They are incredibly easy to deal with from an administration perspective as well and lovely people to work with. It is a shame there are not more like them in the industry but I am extremely grateful to have found them as they are the go to now for projects with surveying and diagnosing issues on traditional buildings.

Delighted with their service, willing to travel long distance to Bridgwater, Somerset for a damp consultation on a very old house; and their price was very reasonable. Both John and Alison are very knowledgeable and spent a good couple of hours walking round the property and explaining / showing me any potential damp problems and possible solutions. They identified the main issues and at the same time recommended not doing other expensive remediation work as it was not worth it. I would be very happy to use them again and would recommend them.

Very friendly, quick and efficient service from a specialist.

Efficient helpful advice to deal with complex damp problems in 250 year old building

I contacted Durie Heritage last year to obtain some advice on a property in Glasgow's west end, which dates back to the late 1920s. We had a small number of concerns regarding damp we needed some expert and trustworthy advice on, in order to ensure we took the correct remedial actions. After trying a few other companies in the area who did not provide us with much confidence, my wife luckily discovered John and Alison at Durie Heritage.

Very quickly we realised they were definitely on a different level and provided excellent information from the very first conversation. They provided us with their consultation service, focusing on the key areas of the house we needed advice on. They were very accommodating to our needs and were absolutely fantastic on the day. They asked questions and really helped us understand the issues at hand, and the best action to take. They inspected the property thoroughly both inside, outside and underneath. It was brilliant to see how they worked and I knew for certain the information they provided was 100% based on fact and was as accurate as it could be.

Since then, they've been fabulous at answering some additional questions we've had and we really couldn't be happier with the service they provided overall. I honestly couldn't recommend John and Alison highly enough when it comes to providing advice on dampness and older buildings. They provide an absolutely 1st class service, and I'm just delighted we found them when we did.

During Heritage, provided a full professional servay and great support after providing the report, at no extra cost. A truly unique experience in today's world. Highly recommend.

Called upon Durie Heritage for advice when unsure about some aspects of a 100+ year old home I'd moved into. Alison and John came out and advised on several things which were concerning me, allowing me to feel confident in dealing with some of the issues. They were lovely to speak with and I trusted their experience and advice. Would definitely recommend!

We have now worked with Alison and John twice. The first time was when we purchased a 16th Century castle in 2013. They did a full report for us and with the benefit of time, we now know that all of the info provided was very accurate. We recently bought a church and wouldn't hire anyone else for a full and thorough survey. This dedicated team will enable you to understand the bones of your building, you can trust these guys, and they may save you money in the long run. Having dealt with a number of dodgy contractors, it is always good to know what you need going into a project.

I'm having ongoing difficulties with an insurance company after their contractors dug up a concrete floor to replace a water pipe, breaching a previously intact damp proof membrane while doing so. However, they didn't reinstate an intact DPM before re-concreting the surface, and damp started to come up along the concrete join in the floor and around the edges. The insurer declined to carry out appropriate remedial work to put the problem right and insisted their work was adequate. I commissioned Durie Heritage, as they are familiar with older properties, to independently examine the situation and write a report explaining why damp was appearing and what needed to be done to rectify it. The report was concise and clear, and I wouldn't hesitate to use their services again.