A chartered surveyors in the south has merged with a design and building services related company.
Portsmouth-based McAndrew Martin has taken over the Brunel Design Group as the business continues to grow.
Staff from Brunel Design Group led by structural engineer Noor Awan are moving from their offices in Fareham to McAndrew Martin’s headquarters at the Fairway Business Centre in Portsmouth.
The merger has bolstered the wide range of specialist services and depth of expertise McAndrew Martin provides – including an in-house structural engineering service.
McAndrew Martin managing director Bill McAndrew said: “This merger is a great start to the year.
“McAndrew Martin and Brunel Design Group are a terrific fit as we truly complement each other.
“We are like-minded businesses with highly-experienced, talented and dedicated teams focusing on first-class quality of customer service.”
He added: “We are now one of the few firms of chartered surveyors in the area to have in-house structural engineers, meaning we can offer our clients a swift and seamless service.”
Brunel Design Group and its dedicated team will become part of McAndrew Martin under the merger and cease operating under its own name.
Noor Awan, who is a chartered civil engineer, said: “We look forward to the future with confidence under our new arrangements with McAndrew Martin.
“Both the Brunel Design Group and McAndrew Martin have considerable talent, years of experience and depth of expertise.
“The merger will allow us to serve our customers even better and we also look forward to a future of great success and growth.”
McAndrew Martin, which has 17 staff, is an independent multidiscipline firm of chartered surveyors, architects, structural and mechanical and electrical engineers. It celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
It has clients across the south, London and home counties. They include the Ministry of Defence, schools, health authorities, Royal palaces and private customers.
The Brunel Design Group was founded in 1994.
Its expertise includes architecture, design, project management, structural and condition surveys and reports, building services inspections and appraisals, and cost management advice.
The company has worked on The Gallery at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport, home of the Navy’s very first submarine, the refurbishment of Chawton House which has links with Jane Austen, and a 60 bed ward unit at a MOD hospital.
The merger comes as figures show the economy and housing market picking up.
Growth was upgraded in the 2013 Autumn Statement from 0.6 per cent to 1.4 per cent for 2013, and from 1.8 per cent to 2.4 per cent in 2014.
Recent figures from Halifax showed house prices rising at 7.5 per in 2013 cent a year, with Nationwide placing the increase at 8.4 per cent.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
