Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors was asked to represent the landlord of a 1970s industrial estate of 16 units in Gillingham, Kent.

Whilst drilling horizontally for a new pipeline within 200 metres of private residences in Kent, unforeseen geological conditions resulted in drilling slurry traversing horizontally and flooding out through a well adjacent to the front door of one of the houses.

An intense fire destroyed much of the interior of an industrial unit which was part of a larger building owned by clients of Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors.   Smoke spread to the whole building, causing extensive contamination and the need for a major clear up operation.

A newly constructed indoor swimming pool was completely destroyed by an electrical fire which also spread to the extensive garages and outbuildings, resulting in a total loss, fortunately not spreading to the large rural house adjacent.

The aptly named Brook Cottage in Surrey was subject to extensive flooding of the ground floor after the persistent rainfall in the autumn of 2000.

Further education clients of Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors were having heavy equipment delivered to their premises when a 40 ton crane reversed into their theatre teaching building.

On the same evening, two church fires were started deliberately in unconnected locations in Kent, one causing localised damage to the interior of the church and extensive smoke blackening and the second causing extensive damage to the stage and ceiling of a church hall and destruction of the oak plank flooring.

Late on New Year’s Eve a 200 year old eight foot high retaining wall collapsed, landing on the neighbour’s prestige car.

A majority utilities replacement programme resulted in a foul drain becoming broken under a residential street in Tonbridge, Kent and raw sewage leaking into a nearby basement, the residence of an elderly lady.

This scheme consisted of the purchase and repair of 5 x 1 bedroom flats, 2 x 2 bedroom four person units and 3 x 3 bedroom 5/6 person units for a Housing Association in Middlesex having received Local Authority funding. Additional finance was provided by the Housing Association to enhance the unit mix.
 

Local authority funding enabled this scheme of 5 x 3 bedroom five person houses to be purchased and repaired for general needs tenants recommended by the Local Authority.  

Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors assisted a Housing Association in the Borough of Harrow in the location of a small portfolio of street properties to be purchased and repaired for a specialised end user.   Local Authority funding was secured with the Housing Association contributing from their own funds to achieve the overall project requirements.

Our householder client had commissioned a design and awarded a contract for £241,000 for a high specification extension and refurbishment.  The contractor fell into delay and eventually ceased work.  He submitted a final account for £102,000 more than the contract sum. 

Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors’ client had commissioned an office refurbishment to a Central London investment property but were not satisfied that a fair and reasonable final account had been arrived at with the contractor.

A building dispute had arisen between a major housebuilder and the owners of a newly purchased prestige, high value detached house. Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors were instructed by the owners to assist in the resolution of a number of issues.  Whilst the house was of very considerable size, to a very high specification and standard of design, it was let down by finishing.

Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors was asked to help clients to avoid a Local Authority Closing Order.   A central London Victorian terraced building, converted into flats many years ago, had fallen into serious disrepair externally and the original stone staircase internally had part collapsed.   The Local Authority served a Dangerous Structures Notice and subsequently initiated proceedings to obtain a Closing Order.   The landlord was also pursuing possession of the building under Section 146 of the Law of Property Act 1925.

Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors was appointed as Single Joint Expert in a dispute being heard in the County Court, involving an office refurbishment.  A Single Joint Expert acts on behalf of both parties in dispute, acting impartially to consider all material facts, in his area of expertise.  He delivers to the Court an independent report with a duty that the facts stated in the report are true and that the opinions expressed are correct.

A bespoke prestige house was commissioned, based on architects’ plans at a contract value of £476K.

This case involves a Grade II* Listed Building.   Metcalfe Briggs Survyors’ client was sympathetically refurbishing the property which had been purchased in a neglected condition when the Local Authority conservation architect intervened.   Despite the fact that the works were repair and did not need Listed Building Consent, the conservation architect acted in an obstructive and vexatious way, effectively preventing work from continuing, and leaving the property vulnerable to further damage and decay.

This development of land adjoining 2 properties in Stratford, London E15 allowed a three storey building to be constructed to provide 6 self contained flats for people with mental health disabilities with ground floor office accommodation.