Why Do I Need A CIOB Chartered Project Manager?

When buying a new residential property, especially in a region with as much distinct industrial history and geographic variety as the North East of England, skimping on your surveyor is a risk. Opting for a professional who is chartered by both the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) gives you a rare and powerful combination of financial, legal, and structural protection.

At Robertson Hill Associates, we hold dual RICS accreditation and CIOB chartership, demonstrating our understanding of both the macro elements of property value, law, and market standards, and the micro elements of how a building is physically put together, block by block. This dual qualification becomes the ultimate shield for a property buyer in the North East.

Protecting Property Investments

Buying a home is likely the largest financial transaction of your life, meaning you need absolute certainty that your surveyor has the professional capabilities to guide you throughout the buying process.

New build properties are notorious for cosmetic and structural defects, commonly referred to as snags, resulting from fast-paced development timelines. But with huge legal and technical teams backing major housing developers, when a buyer hands them a standard snagging list, a developer's default stance is often to wave it away as purely cosmetic. A developer cannot easily dismiss a surveyor holding a dual MRICS/FRICS and MCIOB/FCIOB designation who understands the construction site just as well as their own site managers.

As a CIOB member, Robertson Hill Associates has specialists in construction management and building technology on our team. While a standard surveyor might only point out an unevenly hung door or sloppy plastering, our CIOB professionals will spot technical breaches of building regulations, poorly installed cavity trays, inadequate insulation, or thermal bridging that will cause dampness down the line. Working in conjunction with our RICS accreditation, we can seamlessly ground these structural findings into the official RICS reporting standards (Level 1, 2, or 3), translating building defects into clear regulatory and valuation context for our customers’ ease of understanding.

Navigating the North East's Housing Stock

Based in Gosforth, Newcastle, Robertson Hill Associates has an in-depth working knowledge of the North East property market, the local landscape, and the unique challenges this area faces.

In the rugged North East climate, Robertson Hill Associates’ CIOB chartered project managers understand the science behind building envelopes; how materials perform under intense exposure, the quality of external rendering, and the efficacy of modern weatherproofing. We ensure the new build won't just look pretty on handover day, but will actually withstand a classic northern winter.

With major regional expansions in areas like Newcastle Great Park, Wynyard, and parts of Teesside, knowing the true market value of a property is vital to avoid overpaying a developer. Only RICS-registered valuers can provide a formal, legally recognised valuation of the property. We ensure that the price you pay aligns with local market realities, helping you secure accurate mortgage lending and protecting your initial equity.

Additionally, many new housing developments are built on or near historical infill or old mining works - sites which require complex foundation designs, such as raft foundations or piling, to prevent future subsidence. Your Robertson Hill Associates surveyor combines the RICS expertise to interpret environmental and Coal Authority mining reports, combined with the CIOB technical mastery to physically inspect whether the developer has actually executed those specialised, subterranean engineering works correctly. With this knowledge in hand, you are free to enter into property negotiations assured in the knowledge that the housing development is structurally sound and regulatorily compliant.

RICS Regulation, CIOB Specialism

Choosing a surveyor with this dual pedigree means you aren't just getting a checklist of problems, you are hiring a professional who understands both the investment value and the brick-and-mortar reality of your future home. In a unique regional landscape like the North East, that dual reassurance brought to you by Robertson Hill Associates is worth every penny.

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Chris Horoschok

Robertson Hill Associates provided a 5-star service from start to finish. From enquiring, right through to receiving the report, it was a seamless experience and very easy. Their website and portal is easy to navigate, Laurence has fantastic customer service skills, they were communicative throughout, their email correspondence was informative, my Surveyor Liam was fantastic and very knowledgable and gave great advice and the layout and amount of detail in the survey report was just superb. I would highly recommend this company.

Graham Martin

From my very first call, I knew I’d chosen the right surveyor. The whole process felt smooth and reassuring, the survey was arranged quickly, and the report was not only incredibly detailed but also full of helpful guidance on how to deal with the freeholder and management company. What really stood out was knowing I can turn to them again for advice in the future, which gives me real peace of mind. I was kept in the loop at every stage, and the level of care and professionalism was outstanding. I honestly couldn’t recommend them highly enough!

Nathan Redford

From start to finish, a very easy and hassle free process. Found to be fairly priced and everyone that we have spoken to, during and since, the survey we had carried out, were very helpful. Would recommend this company if you need any of their services.