Tim & Alastair from Butler Procter – 55 Years of “Surveying Shenanigans”

This week’s InGroup had an almost full house—20 members packed in for a very entertaining and insight-rich presentation from Tim and Alastair of Butler Procter, chartered surveyors with, quite literally, a lifetime of experience.

With over 55 years under his toolbelt, Tim gave us a classic off-the-cuff rundown on what it really takes to inspect a house—dodging wasps in attics, slipping into drains, bouncing on laminate floors (yes, the infamous “heel drop test” made a return), and avoiding being caught out on someone’s CCTV while commenting on their curtains.

Their duo act is finely tuned: Tim does the inside, Alastair braves the outdoors (usually in the rain, of course—it is the Lakes). Between them, they’ve seen it all: knotweed infestations, dodgy septic tanks, and legal wrangles over non-compliant private drainage systems.

Alastair, by the way, is your go-to guy for invasive plant species. Japanese knotweed? He’s got a season-by-season guide to spotting it. Himalayan balsam? Pretty but a pest. Bamboo? Keep it in a bloody pot.

In all seriousness, their knowledge is vast, their delivery is refreshingly no-nonsense, and their passion for the job—warts, wasps, and all—is undeniable.

We also had 7 referrals and generated over £20K in business from past referrals—proof that expert advice (even when it comes with a few jokes) really pays off.