ABC+ Warranty & Architects Certificate

What ABC+ Warranty & Architects Certificate does

ABC+ Warranty & Architects Certificate, trading as Professional Consultants Certificate Ltd, is a UK-based structural warranty and construction certification provider founded in 1989 and headquartered in Altrincham, Cheshire. Its core products are 10- and 12-year structural warranties (latent defects insurance) and 6- and 10-year Professional Consultants Certificates (PCC), the former successor to the Architects' Certificate. All products are backed by AXA Insurance (partnership announced October 2025) and accepted by approximately 95% of UK mortgage lenders. Service delivery rests on a UK-wide network of chartered surveyors (RICS, RIBA, CIOB, CIAT, ICE qualified) who conduct stage inspections and issue certifications required for mortgage lending under FCA regulation via Acrisure Eleven Network Limited (FRN 314593).

The company monetizes through one-time certificate fees (PCC) and multi-year structural warranty premiums, with additional revenue from collateral warranties (up to £350 including legal advice), insurance-backed guarantees, contractors' all-risk insurance, and affiliate-referred financial services (bridging loans, development finance, residential mortgages, warranty finance, specialist lender access). It segments products for new build, self-build, barn conversion, completed house (retrospective), build-to-rent, commercial property, and social housing, plus serves transport segments such as housing associations (Forth, Places For People, Ongo, Monmouthshire, Adra). Customer segments include property developers, housing associations, self-builders, commercial developers, homeowners, and contractors.

The company operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market model with no broker intermediation — a self-serve quote form, phone, WhatsApp, and email channels handle inbound — paired with inside-sales support for mid-market and enterprise enquiries. Distribution leverages content marketing (124 blog posts across 28 categories), SEO, and events including multi-year Brit Fest sponsorship and UK Construction Week participation. Pricing is quote-only and not publicly disclosed, with an explicit Price Promise to beat genuine competitor quotes and no hidden fees. ABC+ describes itself as the only RICS-registered structural warranty provider in the UK offering both PCC and full warranty products.

Name

ABC+ Warranty & Architects Certificate

Legal name

Professional Consultants Certificate Ltd

Website

https://architectscertificate.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ABC+ Warranty & Architects Certificate is a UK structural warranty and Professional Consultants Certificate provider founded in 1989, serving property developers, housing associations, self-builders, and homeowners with 10- and 12-year latent defects cover backed by AXA Insurance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Structural Warranty & Building Certification

NAICS

Direct Title Insurance Carriers (524127), Architectural Services (541310)

SIC

Surety Insurance (6351), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction / Engineering (CAR/EAR) Reinsurance (FSAOADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA), Loan Due Diligence, Collateral Review & Reps/Warrants Management (FSALAFAL)

Keywords

• Structural warranty services
• Latent defects insurance
• Architects certificate
• Construction certification
• Building warranty provider

Headquarters

HQ city

Altrincham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Structural Warranty Premiums: Insurance premiums charged for 10 and 12-year structural warranty policies covering latent defects in construction projects. Policies include initial 2-year developer liability period followed by warranty coverage.
2. Professional Consultants Certificate (PCC) Fees: Fees for issuing 6 and 10-year Professional Consultants Certificates (formerly Architects Certificates) for property developers and homeowners.
3. Insurance Backed Guarantees: Fees for additional protection policies safeguarding homeowners if contractor ceases trading after completing work.
4. Collateral Warranty: Fees for 12-year collateral warranty agreements, generally up to £350 including legal advice.
5. Contractors All Risk Insurance: Insurance premiums for contractors covering construction projects against property damage, theft, and third-party claims.
6. Financial Services Referrals: Referral arrangements for bridging loans, development finance, residential mortgages, warranty finance, and specialist mortgage lenders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ABC+ Warranty & Architects Certificate is a UK-based provider of structural warranties and Professional Consultants Certificates (PCC), formerly known as Architects' Certificates. The company offers 10-year and 12-year latent defects insurance, Insurance Backed Guarantees, collateral warranties, and complementary construction-related financial products (bridging loans, development finance, residential mortgages) through referral partners. The firm primarily serves property developers, housing associations, contractors, and self-builders across the United Kingdom.

Product overview

ABC+ Warranty & Architects Certificate is a UK-based warranty and certification provider established in 1989, offering a comprehensive portfolio of structural warranties, professional certificates, and financial services for the construction and property industries. The core offering includes the ABC+ 10-Year and 12-Year Structural Warranties (latent defects insurance), Professional Consultants Certificates (PCC, formerly Architects' Certificates) in 6-year and 10-year terms, and Insurance Backed Guarantees. The product portfolio extends to specialized warranties for new builds, barn conversions, completed properties, self-builds, build-to-rent, commercial properties, and social housing. Financial services include bridging loans, development finance, residential mortgages, warranty finance, and access to specialist mortgage lenders. Additional products include Contractors All Risk Insurance, Collateral Warranties, Latent Defects Insurance, and Road and Sewer Bonds. All warranty products are backed by AXA Insurance and are accepted by major UK mortgage lenders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ABC+ 10-Year Structural Warranty A 10-year structural warranty policy providing latent defects insurance cover for new-build residential and commercial properties in the UK. Designed for property developers, housing associations, and self-builders seeking lender-accepted cover. Backed by AXA Insurance with A-rated financial strength.
• ABC+ 12-Year Structural Warranty A 12-year extended structural warranty policy providing latent defects insurance for new-build properties. Suited to developments requiring longer-term cover, with AXA Insurance backing.
• Professional Consultants Certificate (PCC) - 6 and 10 Year A certification product (formerly known as Architects' Certificate) provided by RICS-qualified chartered surveyors at key build stages (often 6-year and 10-year terms). Used by property developers, housing associations, and self-builders to satisfy lender requirements in lieu of, or alongside, structural warranties.
• New Build Warranty Structural warranty cover tailored for newly built residential properties, including houses, apartments, and conversion schemes. Provides lender-accepted cover for new-build transactions.
• Barn Conversion Warranty Specialist structural warranty cover for barn conversion and other non-standard conversion projects, including retrospective cover for completed conversions. Designed for developers and individuals converting agricultural or non-standard buildings into residential dwellings.
• Completed House Warranty Retrospective structural warranty for properties that have already been built and require cover to satisfy lenders, including properties up to 10 years old. Enables resale and remortgaging where original warranties are unavailable.
• Self-Build Structural Warranty Structural warranty cover designed specifically for self-build projects where the property owner is also the builder. Tailored to the inspection and cover needs of individual self-builders.
• Build-To-Rent Structural Warranty Structural warranty cover tailored for build-to-rent (BTR) and purpose-built student accommodation developments. Designed for institutional landlords and large residential investors.
• Commercial Property Warranty Structural warranty cover for commercial and mixed-use developments, including offices, retail, hospitality, and industrial new-builds. Provides latent defects cover appropriate for commercial lender requirements.
• Social Housing Warranty Structural warranty cover designed for social housing developments and housing association stock. Tailored to the procurement and inspection requirements of registered providers.
• Insurance Backed Guarantees (IBG) Insurance-backed guarantees that protect deposits and contractor work where a contractor ceases to trade. Typically required for works under guarantee periods and frequently used alongside contractor insolvency scenarios.
• 12-Year Collateral Warranty A 12-year collateral warranty product (starting from £1,000) for commercial projects, providing contractual assurance between parties involved in the design and construction of a building.
• Contractors All Risk Insurance Contractors All Risk (CAR) insurance for construction projects, typically ranging from 12 to 24 months, providing cover for damage to works in progress. Priced from £750.
• Latent Defects Insurance (LDI) Latent defects insurance providing protection against inherent structural defects in a building that may not be apparent at completion. Underpins both the 10-year and 12-year structural warranty products.
• Road and Sewer Bonds Road and sewer bonds (also called Section 38/104 bonds) provided to local authorities to guarantee completion of adoptable road and sewer works on new-build developments.
• Bridging Loans (Referral) Short-term bridging finance for property developers and investors, sourced through specialist lender partners. ABC+ acts as a referrer, with the company able to introduce customers to over 80 specialist lenders.
• Development Finance (Referral) Development finance for property developers, sourced through specialist lender partners via ABC+'s referral network of over 80 specialist lenders.
• Residential Mortgages (Referral) Residential mortgage brokerage referrals, sourcing mortgages for homebuyers and self-builders through partner specialist lenders.
• Development Exit Finance (Referral) Development exit finance for property developers looking to release equity from completed developments, sourced through specialist lender partners.
• Warranty Finance (Referral) Warranty finance arrangements allowing customers to spread the cost of structural warranty premiums, sourced through financial partner referrals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ homes protected
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RICScoreOthersThe only RICS registered Structural Warranty company in the UK. All surveyors are RICS Qualified. Certificates backed by RICS and FCA Regulation Authorities.
• UK FinancecoreOthersFormerly Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). Professional Consultants Certificates are pre-approved by UK Finance for mortgage lending requirements.
• CTSI (Chartered Trading Standards Institute)coreOthersABC+ Consumer Code is CTSI Approved Code. Trading standards backed consumer protection for new home purchases.
• CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution)minorOthersDispute resolution provider for consumer complaints under the ABC+ Consumer Code. Provides unbiased, unprejudiced resolution for developer-purchaser disputes.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Checkmate Warranty: Checkmate is a UK structural warranty provider offering latent defects insurance and certification to developers and self-builders, with comparable product structure and lender-acceptance mechanics to ABC+.
• Build-Zone (Velocity Warranties): Build-Zone / Velocity Warranties provides 10 and 12-year structural warranties accepted by UK mortgage lenders, targeting new-build developers and self-builders in direct competition with ABC+.
• LABC Warranty: LABC Warranty offers structural warranties and building control services for new-build and conversion projects across the UK. It directly overlaps with ABC+ on warranty products, lender acceptance, and developer/housing-association customer segments.
• Advantage Structural Warranty: Advantage Structural Warranty is a UK provider of latent defects insurance and structural warranties to new-build developers, housing associations, and self-builders, with a product range that overlaps directly with ABC+.
• Build Assured (One Guarantee): Build Assured, part of One Guarantee, provides structural warranties and related construction insurance for UK residential and commercial developments, serving the same developer, housing association, and self-builder segments as ABC+.
• Premier Guarantee (MD Group): Premier Guarantee is one of the UK structural warranty providers competing head-to-head with ABC+ in 10/12-year latent defects cover and accepted by major mortgage lenders. Closely comparable product suite and target customer base.

Broad incumbents

• NHBC: NHBC is the dominant UK provider of structural warranties and building control for new-build homes. It is the primary incumbent ABC+ competes against and the de facto benchmark for new-build warranty acceptance by UK mortgage lenders.

Emerging players

• ARK Insurance Services: ARK is a UK broker and warranty provider offering structural warranties and related construction insurances. Smaller and more broker-led than ABC+, but operating in the same product category and competing for similar developer customers.
• Self-Build Zone: Self-Build Zone specialises in structural warranties and site insurance for self-build and custom-build projects in the UK. It overlaps with ABC+'s self-build warranty offering and shares the same lender-acceptance requirements.

Others

• Acrisure UK: Acrisure Eleven Network Limited is ABC+'s FCA-authorised principal under which it operates as an Appointed Representative. Connected through governance and regulatory infrastructure rather than direct product competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/abcwarranty

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 ABC+ Warranty & Architects Certificate