Hemsley Orrell Partnership
Frequently Asked Questions

Q  How does HOP charge?
A  We always have an engineer on duty in the office who can give you a virtually immediate indication of fees on smaller jobs following a brief discussion on the telephone.  We may need a bit more detail on larger jobs and we are happy to provide a service to whatever is most appropriate for the budget available. A minimum charge for a site visit and report locally can be £180 + VAT.

Q  Do I need Building Regulations?
A  Most structural works do, right down to the creation of a doorway.  Even things such as re-covering your roof in different materials needs a formal Building Application, but these, for domestic clients, can often be completed on the quicker Building Notice.

Q  Do I need Planning Permission?
A  We advise you seek the professional guidance of an Architect or similar.  There are many excellent Architects in the area; the RIBA, Yellow Pages or internet provide an instant access to suitable names.

Q  Can we help with the Planning process?
A  HOP is increasingly involved in the Planning process, with issues of traffic and highways, flooding and Flood Risk Assessments, drainage, geotechnical, contamination, construction waste statements etc.

Q  Is our work insured?
A  HOP carries high levels of insurance in accordance with our standing as a professional firm, working for many Local Authorities and Public Institutions.

Q  Where does HOP work?
A  Generally Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Home Counties, but we also work nationally and internationally for both established and new clients.  We are very flexible too and often work overseas - about 25% of our current workload is outside the British Isles.

Q  Do we charge for site visits?
A  The answer to that is generally 'yes', but we will often try and combine travelling time so that costs of travelling are kept to a minimum.  We can do this by prearranging visits and generally have 5 to 10 Engineers out of the office on site visits and surveys at any one time. For larger projects and established clients other arrangements may apply.

Q  Can we respond quickly?
A  We have a Quick Response Engineering Service where we provide Chartered Engineer cover for works of an emergency or urgent nature.  Our 24-hour number is 07770 720484.