Paul Waite Associates

What Paul Waite Associates does

Paul Waite Associates, trading as PWA Group, is a UK-based multidisciplinary engineering consultancy founded in 1988 by Paul Waite and headquartered in Cross Hills (Keighley), West Yorkshire, with a second office opened in Leeds in 2023. The firm delivers integrated civil, structural, and geo-environmental engineering services to property developers, contractors, architects, public sector bodies, and private clients, primarily across Yorkshire and Lancashire but with projects delivered nationwide. Operations are organised around three in-house service lines — civil engineering (drainage strategy, SuDS, flood compensation modelling, highway design), structural engineering (foundations, steel/concrete/timber/masonry design across RIBA Stages 1–6), and geo-environmental engineering (Phase I/II site investigations, contaminated land, coal mining risk assessment, remediation) — with the geo-environmental capability operated through the wholly-owned subsidiary PWA Geo Environmental Limited, established in 2009.

The business model is straightforward project-based professional services consulting. Revenue is generated through fee-for-service engagements priced per project scope, with contracts ranging from individual dwellings and refurbishments (e.g., £1.1M Springfield Medical Centre) through to multi-year schemes on major developments (Bridgehouse Mills at £20M headline value). The go-to-market is direct sales-led: PWA acquires work via tender, referrals, and long-term relationships with developers such as Skipton Properties and contractors such as Barnfield Construction and MSM Construction, often repeating across multiple projects. Marketing is light — primarily a content-led website, LinkedIn presence, project case studies, and industry award recognition (Constructionline Gold, Civic Society design awards, LABC Building Excellence, ICE Quest). No external funding, private equity, or parent company is involved; the firm is founder/management-owned with leadership transitioned to Paul McDonald as Managing Director in March 2020.

Headcount sits in the 11–50 band with engineering, geo-environmental, and management roles including a Development Manager, Office Manager, and Engineering Manager. The firm operates from two UK offices and has not expanded internationally, nor disclosed M&A activity. Customers span property development, construction, education, healthcare, manufacturing, sport/leisure, and hospitality, with named logos including Burnley FC, Bradford Grammar School, Presspart, Coniston Spa, and Really Useful Products, alongside the anchor developer/contractor relationships.

Name

Paul Waite Associates

Legal name

Paul Waite Associates Limited

Website

https://pwaite.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineering Consultancy

NAICS

Engineering Services (54133), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting (BPAHAIAN), Permitting, Siting & Environmental Impact (EIA/NEPA) Advisory (EUAMANAB)

Keywords

• Civil engineering consultancy
• Structural engineering services
• Geo-environmental engineering
• Transport assessments
• Infrastructure design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Keighley

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: Professional consulting fees for civil, structural, and geo-environmental engineering design services. Revenue is generated through project-based engagements for developers, contractors, architects, and public sector clients. Projects range from residential developments to commercial, industrial, and conservation projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Paul Waite Associates provides civil, structural, and geo-environmental engineering consultancy services to property developers, contractors, architects, housebuilders, and public-sector clients across the UK. The firm delivers infrastructure design, building structural engineering, site investigations, and transport assessments on a project basis. It operates as a private limited company from its Cross Hills (Keighley) headquarters and Leeds office.

Product overview

PWA Group is a Civil, Structural, and Geo-Environmental Engineering consultancy offering three integrated core services. The Structural Engineering team provides bespoke structural design across RIBA Stages 1–6, covering foundations, steel frames, and superstructure/substructure design for residential, commercial, and industrial projects. The Civil Engineering team delivers drainage strategy, SuDS assessments, adoptable drainage and highway designs, flood compensation modelling, and construction-phase assistance. The Geo-Environmental Engineering team (trading as PWA-Geo) conducts Phase I and II site investigations, geotechnical appraisals, ground gas risk assessments, coal mining risk assessments, remediation and validation, and earthworks strategy. These three disciplines are coordinated in-house to provide a holistic, multidisciplinary site strategy, enabling clients to progress efficiently from initial site assessment through to detailed design and construction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Civil Engineering Design

Quantifiable outcome

• 35+ years of trusted client relationships with repeat business
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Skipton PropertiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing client and strategic partner for residential developments. PWA Group has delivered multiple projects for Skipton Properties including Kearns Village, Old Mill Court, Bridgehouse Mills, and ongoing residential schemes. Relationship described as trusted, long-term partnership delivering exclusive courtyard-style developments.
• Barnfield Construction LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor construction partner working on multiple projects including commercial premises in Nelson, Harrison Drive affordable housing scheme (79 affordable units in Colne with Pendle Council and Together Housing), and other developments. Joint venture partnership on Harrison Drive 'Colne Pearl' project.
• MSM ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Spring Gardens mixed-use development in Colne - former mill site with flood zone challenges. PWA provided geo environmental, civil and structural engineering for this 24-month project.
• Halliday Clark ArchitectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural partner on numerous projects including Sycamore Drive (Civic Society Design Award winner), Parish Ghyll Road, All Saints Church (Conservation award), Wakefield Theatre, and Bradford Grammar. Collaborative design relationship delivering award-winning architecture.
• Dobson Construction LtdminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction partner on Scargill House refurbishment project and eco-friendly bespoke home development. Works alongside PWA Group on delivery of construction projects.
• Rural SolutionsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting partner on eco-friendly bespoke home project. Collaborative relationship on rural development projects.
• Smeeden ForemanminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction partner on Scargill House project, working with PWA Group on this Grade 2 listed building refurbishment.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BWB Consulting: Mid-sized UK multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy offering civil, structural, geo-environmental and infrastructure services with similar integrated delivery model to PWA.
• Patrick Parsons: UK-based multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy delivering civil, structural and geo-environmental design for residential, commercial and public-sector clients at similar scale to PWA.
• Hydrock (now part of Stantec): UK multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy of comparable size offering integrated civil, structural and geo-environmental services before acquisition by Stantec, mirroring PWA's integrated model.
• Curtins: UK-based civil and structural engineering consultancy with comparable mid-market positioning, delivering integrated design across residential, commercial, education and heritage sectors with multiple regional offices.
• Eastwood & Partners: Yorkshire-headquartered structural and civil engineering consultancy operating at similar size and serving the same regional property developer, contractor and architect ecosystem as PWA.

Broad incumbents

• Waterman Group: Larger UK-headquartered multi-disciplinary engineering and environmental consultancy offering overlapping civil, structural and geo-environmental services to developers, contractors and public-sector clients.
• WSP: Global professional services firm with a substantial UK property and buildings engineering practice covering civil, structural, geo-environmental and sustainability consulting at far greater scale than PWA.
• Arup: Global engineering consultancy with UK buildings and infrastructure practices covering structural, civil, geo-environmental and sustainability work, competing with PWA on larger and more complex schemes.
• Burro Happold: International engineering consultancy with strong UK presence in structural, civil and environmental engineering for buildings and development projects overlapping PWA's service lines.

Regional players

• Mason Clark Associates: Yorkshire-based structural and civil engineering consultancy serving a similar Northern England property developer and contractor ecosystem to PWA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pwa-group
• Xx.com/PWA_Engineering

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Paul Waite Associates