What Gateley Smithers Purslow does

Gateley Smithers Purslow is a UK-headquartered multi-disciplinary professional services practice specializing in building surveying, civil and structural engineering, and architecture, founded in 1978 by Norman Smithers and Graham Purslow in Oakham, Rutland. The firm operates from 25+ regional offices across the United Kingdom plus international locations in Dubai and Hong Kong, delivering services under ISO 9001 quality-managed and ISO 14001 environmental-managed systems.

The company's primary client base is the UK insurance industry, where it serves as a specialist provider of subsidence expertise (since the 1980s), fire and flood damage assessment, liability claims, and independent professional expertise on challenging building losses, including long-standing panel work with major insurers such as Royal and Sun Alliance (since 1999). Secondary segments include commercial clients requiring civil/structural engineering design and architectural services, private individuals needing building surveys, and public sector organizations. The service portfolio spans core building surveying, civil/structural engineering, and architecture, with supporting offerings in cost consultancy, architectural planning, and insurance claims handling. Credentials include RICS regulation, IStructE and ICE approved employer status, Investors in People Platinum (first in sector, 2016), and Positive Planet Silver sustainability certification.

The business model is professional services fees earned on a project/quote-based pricing structure (no publicly disclosed pricing), distributed via direct sales and regional office delivery rather than intermediaries. In April 2022, Smithers Purslow was acquired by legal and professional services group Gateley and rebranded as Gateley Smithers Purslow, placing it within a publicly listed parent (Gateley plc on the LSE). The firm holds no disclosed patents, proprietary technology platforms, or AI/ML capabilities; its core technology consists of credentialed professional service delivery. The company is actively operating and pursuing a Carbon Zero target by 2040 under a Carbon Reduction Plan developed with sustainability specialists Positive Planet.

Name

Gateley Smithers Purslow

Legal name

Gateley Smithers Purslow

Website

https://smitherspurslow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Gateley Smithers Purslow is a UK multi-disciplinary practice delivering building surveying, civil and structural engineering, and architecture services primarily to the insurance industry, with additional commercial, private, and public sector clients across 25+ UK regional offices and international locations in Dubai and Hong Kong.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Glaston

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices28 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Professional Services Fees: The firm generates revenue through providing professional consulting services including building surveying, civil and structural engineering, architecture, cost consultancy, and architectural and planning services. Revenue is derived from project-based fees for insurance claims work (subsidence, fires, floods, liability claims) and general engineering/design work for commercial and private clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gateley Smithers Purslow is a multi-disciplinary professional practice providing building surveying, civil and structural engineering, and architecture services. The firm primarily serves the insurance industry (with subsidence, fire, flood, and liability claims work), commercial and private clients, and the public sector. Service delivery is provided directly from regional offices throughout the UK.

Product overview

Gateley Smithers Purslow is a multi-disciplinary professional services practice offering building surveying, civil and structural engineering, and architecture as its core services. The firm, acquired by Gateley in April 2022, primarily serves the insurance industry (including subsidence services, fire, flood and liability claims), commercial and private clients, and the public sector. Supporting services include cost consultancy and architectural/planning services. The portfolio is structured around its established engineering heritage (dating to 1978) now expanded with surveying and architectural capabilities to provide comprehensive building, construction and property expertise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Building Surveying Professional building surveying services for commercial and private clients, the public sector, and the insurance claims market.
• Civil and Structural Engineering Civil and structural engineering design services, originally established in 1978, providing traditional engineering design to commercial, private, insurance, and public sector clients.
• Architecture Architectural and planning services delivered as part of the multi-disciplinary practice offerings.
• Subsidence Services Specialized subsidence expertise developed since the 1980s, leading to contracts from major insurers and loss adjusters, including work for Royal and Sun Alliance.
• Insurance Claims Services General perils work for insurers covering fires, floods, liability claims, and independent professional expertise on challenging building losses and complicated liability matters.
• Cost Consultancy Cost consultancy services delivered as part of the diversified service portfolio for building, construction, and property projects.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GateleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn April 2022, Smithers Purslow was acquired by legal and professional services group Gateley and became known as Gateley Smithers Purslow. This acquisition brought the surveying and engineering practice under the Gateley parent company umbrella.
• Royal and Sun AllianceminorOthersSelected in 1999 as one of eight regional firms providing subsidence services to Royal and Sun Alliance. This relationship led to expanded work for insurer clients nationwide.
• Positive PlanetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarbon reduction partner. The firm works with Positive Planet sustainability specialists to develop Carbon Reduction Plans, measure carbon footprint annually since 2021, and achieve Positive Planet Certified Silver Award status. Also supports tree planting via Positive Planet's Climate Action Fund.
• The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPersonnel membership organization supporting environmental professionals in their sustainability initiatives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Davies Group: UK claims and insurance services group offering loss adjusting, surveying, and engineering expertise to insurers — competing for similar panel mandates and complex loss work.
• Sedgwick: Global claims management and loss adjusting firm with major UK presence in building surveying, subsidence, and complex insurance claims — directly overlapping GSP's primary insurance-industry service line.
• Woodgate & Clark: UK independent loss adjusting firm providing building surveying and engineering expertise to insurers on complex claims, including subsidence — comparable mid-sized UK insurance-focused practice.
• Crawford & Company: Global claims management and adjusting company competing in UK subsidence, fire, flood, and liability claim surveying — a head-to-head competitor for insurer panel work.
• Pick Everard: UK multi-disciplinary consultancy delivering building surveying, civil/structural engineering, and architecture — closely mirroring GSP's service portfolio and target segments.

Broad incumbents

• Waterman Group: UK engineering and environmental consultancy with structural and building consultancy services — competing for public and commercial sector surveying and engineering mandates.
• Curtins: UK engineering consultancy offering structural and civil engineering plus building surveying — a comparable mid-sized multi-disciplinary practice competing for commercial clients.
• WSP in the UK: Global engineering professional services firm with large UK structural engineering and building consultancy practices — competes for major commercial, public-sector, and infrastructure surveying mandates.
• Pell Frischmann: UK-headquartered multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy with structural, civil, and building surveying services — competing for GSP's commercial and public-sector design work.
• Hydrock (now Stantec UK): Multi-disciplinary UK engineering consultancy (acquired by Stantec) offering structural engineering, building surveying, and advisory services — broader portfolio but overlapping core capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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• Xx.com/smitherspurlosw

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gateley Smithers Purslow