Markhams

What Markhams does

Markhams Limited is a privately held UK building cost management firm founded in 1948 and headquartered in Liverpool. The firm provides a suite of construction consultancy services centred on the Employer's Agent role, supported by Purchaser's Agent, Principal Designer, Quantity Surveying, and Clerk of Works services. Its core deliverable is independent oversight of construction projects on behalf of clients, from inception through to completion, with explicit positioning around conflict-free advice (Markhams does not provide other construction services that could compromise independence). The team is qualified to RICS standards, with multiple MRICS/MCIOB chartered directors and RICS APC Assessors, and the firm is ISO9001 certified for quality management.

The business operates as a professional services practice on a project-by-project fee basis. Its primary client base consists of UK housing associations (named clients include Onward Homes, Great Places Housing Group, Jigsaw Homes Group, Torus, Riverside, Regenda, Plus Dane, and others), supplemented by local authority clients (Liverpool City Council, Knowsley MBC, Wirral MBC) and private developers (Miller Homes, Taylor Wimpey, Placefirst). Geographically, Markhams concentrates delivery across the North West and Northern England, with a headcount of approximately 20+ professionals including directors, associate directors, chartered and assistant surveyors, managing and regular Clerks of Works, an apprentice pipeline via Liverpool John Moores University, and an Executive Assistant/Office Manager.

Commercial activity centres on direct enterprise field sales — relationships are cultivated through industry reputation (75+ years), framework participation (Innovation Chain North, Match My Project), industry events (UKREiiF, Housing Community Summit), and organic social channels (LinkedIn, Twitter). The firm does not operate proprietary software, APIs, or technology platforms; its value is delivered by qualified professionals applying established RICS-standard procedures. Notable recent project scale includes Moss Nook Phase 3 (295 affordable homes for Torus, commenced January 2025) and the award-winning Platform/King Street West scheme in Stockport (73 apartments with Great Places Housing Group, Northern Housing Awards 2026).

Name

Markhams

Legal name

Markhams Limited

Website

https://markhams.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Markhams Limited is a privately held Liverpool-headquartered building cost management firm founded in 1948, providing Employer's Agent, Quantity Surveying, Principal Designer, Purchaser's Agent, and Clerk of Works services to housing associations, local authorities, and developers across the North West of England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Consultancy Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction Management, Estimating & Site Supervision (EDAOAAAM)

Keywords

• Building cost management
• Employer's agent services
• Quantity surveying
• Construction consultancy
• Clerk of works

Headquarters

HQ city

Liverpool

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Services Fees: Markhams generates revenue through professional service fees charged to clients for building cost management services including Employer's Agent, Quantity Surveying, Principal Designer, Clerk of Works, and Purchaser's Agent services. Services are delivered on a project basis for housing associations, local authorities, and developers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Markhams Limited is a Building Cost Management firm providing Employer's Agent services supported by Quantity Surveying, Principal Designer, Purchaser's Agent, and Clerk of Works services. It delivers complete oversight of construction project delivery from initial concept through to completion, ensuring programmes are met and budgets are achieved. The firm primarily serves housing associations, local authorities, and developers across North West England, specialising in affordable and social housing schemes.

Product overview

Markhams is a Building Cost Management firm offering a unified suite of professional construction consultancy services. The core offering centers on Employer's Agent services, supplemented by Principal Designer, Purchaser's Agent, Quantity Surveying, and Clerk of Works services. These services are designed to work together to provide clients with complete oversight of project delivery from initial concept through to completion, ensuring programmes are met and budgets achieved.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Employer's Agent Services Primary service managing construction project delivery from initial concept through to completion, ensuring programmes are met and budgets achieved. Markhams specialises as an independent Employer's Agent in housing, particularly for housing associations.
• Purchaser's Agent Services A lighter-touch service covering 50-80% of the full Employer's Agent scope, focused on all monetary aspects of a project. Ideal for clients where a full Employer's Agent service is not required.
• Principal Designer Services A statutory role managing Health and Safety in the design, delivery and operation of buildings, often supplied alongside Employer's Agent or Purchaser's Agent services to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Quantity Surveying Services Core expertise since the firm's 1948 founding, covering pre and post contract quantity surveying services to RICS standards and managing client expenditure from first proposals through to final accounts.
• Clerk of Works Services On-site quality inspection and oversight service ensuring workmanship and materials meet specifications, regulations, and contractual obligations throughout construction.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully delivered 73 high-quality apartments at King Street West, Stockport
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Match My ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2025Markhams officially signed up to Match My Project in partnership with Onward Homes to deliver social value alongside their housing development work. This initiative allows Markhams to use their skills, time, and resources to create positive impact in local communities.
• Innovation Chain NorthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarkhams participates in Innovation Chain North framework, supporting social value initiatives including community donations and engagement projects with housing association partners.
• Watkin Jones GroupcoreOthersWatkin Jones Group is the main contractor on Markhams' largest single phase project - Moss Nook Phase 3 in St Helens for Torus, involving 295 affordable homes. Works commenced January 2025.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Currie & Brown: International cost management and project management consultancy with deep UK housing and public sector cost advisory work, directly comparable to Markhams' QS / Employer's Agent offering.
• Pick Everard: UK multi-discipline construction consultancy with significant cost management, Employer's Agent, and Clerk of Works work in housing and public sectors — overlaps Markhams' core service offering and client segments.
• Gardiner & Theobald: Independent UK-headquartered construction consultancy offering cost management, project management and Employer's Agent services to residential, public, and commercial clients — directly comparable service portfolio.
• Baily Garner: UK building consultancy providing Employer's Agent, quantity surveying, and clerk of works services with a strong affordable housing and public sector focus — closely comparable niche and client overlap with Markhams.
• Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB): Global independent construction cost and project management consultancy with significant UK housing sector exposure — comparable to Markhams in core services but at materially larger scale.
• Gleeds: Global independent construction consultancy with a strong UK quantity surveying and Employer's Agent practice serving housing, public, and commercial clients — the closest direct comparable to Markhams in service mix, independence positioning, and client base.

Broad incumbents

• Arcadis: Global design, engineering, and cost management consultancy with UK cost advisory services overlapping Markhams' QS/Employer's Agent offering, though Arcadis operates at much broader scale across many sectors.
• Turner & Townsend: Large global cost and project management consultancy with broad real estate and infrastructure coverage including housing sector work — comparable service categories but at vastly greater scale and scope than Markhams.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure consultancy with significant UK cost management and project management practices serving housing and public sector clients — comparable capabilities but as part of a much broader portfolio.
• Mace Group: International construction and consultancy group offering cost consultancy, project management, and Employer's Agent services with UK housing exposure — adjacent competitor with overlapping service lines.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_markhams
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/markhams-limited

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Markhams