Project Guardian · London
Independent eyes on your build, at the four moments that matter.
A surveyor visits at each critical stage, photographs everything and tells you whether to release the next payment. You stay in control without becoming a project manager.
Stage 2 · Structure
Hold next payment22 Grove Road, E17 · visited today 09:40
Steel bearing
Padstone missing under left bearing — Approved Document A
→ Install before covering up
DPC
Cavity tray not lapped at junction
→ Re-lap and photograph
Foundations
Building control sign-off on file
→ No action
38 photos · AI-assisted review · checked by our surveyor
4
site inspections
60+
photos at handover
24 h
to each stage report
£1,200
fixed, all four visits
The four moments
Every one is a moment where problems get covered up — or paid for.
- 1
Start
Before work begins
- •Signed contract and agreed programme
- •Builder insurance certificates (public liability, employer's liability)
- •Building control notice / initial notice submitted
Start checklist
- 2
Structure
Foundations, steels and roof structure
- •Foundation depth and width as per engineer / building control
- •Steel beams sized as calculations, padstones and bearings
- •Fire protection to steels where required
Photo report + traffic light
- 3
First fix
Before plastering
- •Insulation continuous, correct thickness, no gaps at junctions
- •Vapour control layer taped and sealed
- •Electrical first fix routed in safe zones, cables clipped
Report + payment advice
- 4
Handover
Practical completion
- •Finishes: plaster, paint, joinery, tiling, sealant
- •Doors and windows operate, seal and lock
- •Electrical certificate (EIC) and Part P notification
Snagging list + final payment
Payment advice
Never release a stage payment blind again.
Every report ends with one clear instruction, based on what we found:
Release
Work matches the contract and the regulations.
Release with retention
Minor or major snags — hold back enough to cover them.
Hold
Something critical or about to be covered up. Fix first, then pay.
Your project page
22 Grove Road, E17 · Northside Build Ltd
- 1Start3 NovRelease
- 2Structure24 NovHold
- 3First fix15 DecRetain 5%
- 4HandoverJanUpcoming
Every report, photo and payment decision in one place
Compare
Why not just trust the builder?
| Home ArtProject Guardian | Clerk of works | Builder's own photos | Building control only | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | ✓£1,200, four visits | £300–£500 per day | Free | Included in fees |
| Independent of the builder | ✓Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Checks quality, not just regulations | ✓Yes | Yes | No | No — minimum standards only |
| Payment recommendation | ✓Yes, every stage | Sometimes | No | No |
| Photo record for disputes | ✓Yes, dated and stored | Yes | Selective | No |
| Snagging list at handover | ✓Yes, AI-assisted | Yes | Their own | No |
Questions
Before you book
Does the builder have to agree?+
Good builders welcome it: a dated photo record protects them too. We notify the builder professionally and schedule around their programme.
What if you find a problem?+
You get a plain-English report with photos, what the standard is, and what to ask for. We recommend holding the stage payment until it is resolved.
Is this a clerk of works?+
It is a light-touch version for domestic projects: four milestone inspections rather than daily attendance. For very large projects we can quote for more frequent visits.
When do I book?+
Before work starts, ideally once you have signed the contract. We schedule the first visit within two working days of your upload.
Project Guardian
£1,200inc. VAT
Four inspections, a photo report and payment advice at every stage.
- ✓Start, structure, first fix and handover visits
- ✓Photo report within 24 hours of each visit
- ✓Release / retain / hold payment recommendation
- ✓AI-assisted snagging from 60+ photos at handover
- ✓Online project page with every report and photo
First visit in 2 days
Scheduled within two working days of your upload.
Reports in 24 hours
Every stage report lands the next working day.
Builder-friendly
We work around their programme, not against it.
Your record, forever
Dated photos you can use in any dispute.
Project Guardian · 4 inspections
Book £1,200