About Stephen Howes

Stephen Howes MRICS is a chartered building surveyor with over 35 years experience. 

He obtained his degree in building surveying from Southbank University in 1984 and after working for several firms in London, set up his building surveying practice in 1988, since which time he has been a sole principal carrying out surveys both in London and to the west of London principally in the OX and RG postcodes. 

In 1990, he was one of the first surveyors in the country to receive the RICS Diploma in Building Conservation after a two-year distance learning course under the auspices of Reading University to be able to use the Dip BldgCons qualification after his name.

Part of his work in London comprised working for property management companies supervising significant repair works to the external fabric of dilapidated Victorian properties. The carrying out of the repair work needing the exposure of the original structure in many instances, gave him a significant insight into issues affecting period properties which would not normally be visible or understood without such dissection.

Being self-employed as a sole principal does mean that he will be undertaking your survey, as opposed to a graduate with a perhaps early years experience after having qualified or else an unknown surveyor in a medium or large practice who will be randomly allocated to carry out your survey, as opposed to you being able to make an informed choice as to exactly who does carry out the survey on your behalf.

Which part of his survey career does he look back on with most pride? 'I have never knowingly not looked at something which I should have. If the ladder needs to be lugged up three floors to look in a small roof space where almost certainly there are no defects then that still needs to be done.'

Hobbies – sea angling, cultivating a very large allotment and playing golf off a handicap of 5.