Frank Malcolm, founder of Malcolm Associates, on finding a niche in the property industry
Can you give us a bit of background to your business?
Malcolm Associates was established in 2021. Having been a partner within a large firm of surveyors, I formed Malcolm Associates to offer a more personalised bespoke service to clients. Initially working out of Glasgow, we soon realised that the demand for HNW and UHNW services were being requested from London and swiftly moved into that geographical area, albeit we now cover the whole of the UK.
From day one, how did you want to be different?
The drive to speed up turnaround through standardisation of reports didn’t always suit my clients and I felt that a more individual and bespoke service was welcome by clients especially at the high end of the market.
Can you sum up the services you offer?
We offer a full range of property consultancy services in both residential and commercial. Services range from Traditional Building Surveying, such as pre-acquisition surveys, expert witness and defects analysis to Project Management and contract administration services. We have seen a huge rise in requests for Value at Risk assessments as clients try and re-assess Insurance rebuild costs amidst growing costs with Brexit, Covid and increasing labour costs.
What different surveys can you offer?
Pre-acquisition Surveys, Condition Surveys, Dilapidation Surveys, Measured Surveys and Building Surveys.
Can you tell us about your Project Management services?
Malcolm Associates takes pride in its comprehensive Project Management & Cost Consultancy services, offering a spectrum of expertise to guide clients through every phase of their projects. With a commitment to excellence, the consultancy’s services encompass both pre-contract and post-contract phases, ensuring a seamless and well-managed construction process. We have recently been working for a client on a residential refurbishment project which included full electrical rewire, underfloor heating, ornate plaster work, high end fixtures, fittings and finishes. Work included a new kitchen, games room, cinema room and swimming pool refurbishment. We also undertook design works for garden and external landscaping, project value circa £2.5m.
How do you work in the commercial sector?
We have carried out many pre-acquisitions on commercial properties, condition surveys and also worked with landlords and tenants in terms of leased properties. We can prepare schedules of conditions and schedules of dilapidations. We also have project managed fit-out works and refurbishment works for clients. Our work has covered hotels, offices, Retail and warehousing.
Why should our readers come to you for advice?
We offer a personal and bespoke service to our clients and strive to provide informative reporting with our focus on the client’s requirements. We have a good client retention with repeat business and recommendations. Our existing clients vary from private individuals, large corporations, national retailers to 5-star hotels.
