RAMS, CDM, Defects & Surveying | SML Construction Consulting Ltd
RAMS that pass
written by the person who used to reject them.
Risk assessments, method statements and CDM packages handled by a 23 year construction professional, so you win the work, pass the audit, and keep every site safe.
Defects, snagging and DLP inspections. Pre handover snagging, defects liability period (DLP) inspections and post works defects surveys for housing associations, councils and contractors, before the contractor’s liability expires. Plus independent building condition surveys, pre works surveys and HHSRS assessments.
New: damp and mould reports, and CHAS and SSIP applications done for you. Independent damp and mould reports for landlords, letting agents and housing associations from £175 a home. CHAS, SMAS and SafeContractor applications prepared and submitted for small contractors from £295. See both services →
Select billing type
Ongoing cover billed monthly. Rolls on a simple 30 day notice, cancel any time.
Bronze
ESSENTIALS
Sole traders & small firms keeping the basics watertight.
Damp and mould reports. CHAS and SSIP, done for you.
Damp and mould reports
£175 a home · £150 each when 3 or more are booked together
For: letting agents, landlords, housing associations and almshouse charities.
An independent inspection and written report for any home with damp, condensation or mould. We do not sell treatments, so the advice is impartial.
Every report includes
Moisture meter readings across the affected walls
Temperature and humidity readings, room by room
Dated photographs of every affected area
The likely cause: condensation, a leak, penetrating damp or rising damp
HHSRS context and how serious the hazard is
A clear recommended remedy, and who should carry it out
Why it matters now
Awaab's Law has applied to social landlords since 27 October 2025, with set timescales to investigate damp and mould, and phase 2 extends it to further hazards from 30 November 2026. For private lets, a dated written record from each inspection is your best evidence that a problem was found and dealt with. Usually within 5 working days across Luton, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes.
£295 for firms of 1 to 4 staff · 5 or more staff, price on request
For: small contractors who need CHAS, SMAS, SafeContractor or Constructionline to get onto council, housing association or main contractor approved lists.
We prepare your paperwork, complete the application and see it through to approval, written by a site manager who has spent 23 years checking contractor documents.
What we do
A health and safety policy written for your firm
Risk assessments and method statements for your trade
COSHH assessments where your work needs them
A training and competence matrix for your team
An insurance and evidence checklist, so nothing is missed
Complete and submit the application, then answer the assessor until you are approved
A reminder and support when your annual renewal is due
What you provide, and the scheme fee
Your insurance certificates, training cards, staff numbers and a few details about the work you do. The scheme charges its own annual fee, paid direct to them: CHAS from £429 and SMAS from £345. One SSIP certificate can then be used to apply to the other SSIP schemes, so you only do the full assessment once.
We arrange and manage a UKAS accredited survey end to end. Price on application. Cost varies by building size and sample numbers. Contact us for a quote.
Snagging & new build defects inspection, for developers, contractors and landlords
from £550
Pre handover snagging inspection with a full written schedule of defects and photographic evidence, ready for the developer or contractor to act on. £550 covers up to 6 homes, including the written schedule and photographic evidence. £75 per home thereafter. Within 30 miles of Luton. Beyond 30 miles, travel at cost.
End of DLP inspection for housing associations and councils. Identifies outstanding defects before the liability period closes, protecting your position against the contractor. £650 covers up to 6 homes, including the written schedule and photographic evidence. £75 per home thereafter. Within 30 miles of Luton. Beyond 30 miles, travel at cost. On larger schemes a representative sample across the house types plus all communal areas usually costs less, just ask.
Independent inspection with moisture and humidity readings, photos, likely cause and recommended remedy. £150 each when 3 or more homes are booked together. More detail
See exactly what you get before you book. Each example is an anonymised extract prepared for illustration, laid out the way a real report is delivered.
23 years managing EWI, new build, GSHP, high rise refurbishment and social housing programmes, from groundworks to handover and through the defects liability period. The RAMS we write and surveys we carry out reflect real site knowledge, not desk based assessments.
🏗️Site photo
Roofing & External Works
🏠Site photo
Social Housing Retrofit
📋Site photo
Condition Surveys
Site photography from live SML programmes.
How it works
From sign up to site ready in days.
01
Choose your package
Pick the level of cover your sites need today. Switch tier or scale up the moment your workload does.
02
Onboarding call
Shane maps your projects, accreditations and any immediate compliance gaps, usually within a day.
03
Documents delivered
Your RAMS, assessments and surveys land ready to submit. The first set arrives within 48 hours.
Questions
Answers before you ask.
What exactly is a RAMS?+
RAMS stands for Risk Assessment and Method Statement. It is the document your principal contractor or client requires before you can start any significant work on site. It sets out how you'll do the job safely, what the hazards are, and how you'll control them. A rejected RAMS delays your start date, sometimes by weeks.
Why do RAMS get rejected?+
The most common reasons: generic template language that doesn't reference the actual site or task; wrong site name (copied from a previous job); missing competence evidence; no CSCS card numbers or qualifications listed; and hazards that are irrelevant to the actual work being done. Shane has rejected hundreds of RAMS in 23 years, so he knows exactly what principal contractors are checking for, and how to make sure yours passes.
Can I switch packages later?+
Yes. You can upgrade, downgrade or cancel at any time on 30 days' notice. There are no penalty clauses and no minimum term beyond the first month.
What if I need more documents than my plan includes?+
You can top up with additional RAMS packs at any time, from £175 per single document or £595 for a pack of five. If you find you're consistently needing more, it's usually worth upgrading to the next tier.
How quickly will I get my documents?+
The first set of documents is delivered within 48 hours of onboarding. Express same day RAMS are available at a premium for urgent pre start situations. Call Shane directly on 07453 883869.
Is there a long contract?+
No. Monthly plans roll on a simple 30 day notice, with no lock in and no exit fees. Annual plans are paid upfront and run for the full 12 months. That commitment is what the 17% discount is in exchange for, so annual terms are not refundable in part if you cancel early. If you want the flexibility to stop at any time, choose monthly.
Which areas do you cover?+
SML Construction Consulting Ltd is based in Luton, Bedfordshire. RAMS, CDM packages and remote compliance work is provided UK wide. Building condition surveys are carried out across Luton, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and the wider South East. Contact us for other locations.
What is a defects inspection and do I need one?+
A defects inspection identifies outstanding or latent defects in a newly built or recently refurbished property. There are two common types: a pre handover snagging inspection (carried out before the developer or contractor hands the property over, so defects are recorded and must be remedied before completion) and a defects liability period (DLP) inspection, carried out at the end of the DLP, typically 12 months after handover, to identify any defects that have emerged during occupation which the contractor remains liable to fix. Housing associations and councils in particular benefit from DLP inspections, as they protect the organisation's position before the contractor's liability expires. Shane has 23 years of experience accepting handovers, managing DLP defects and working on new build programmes, giving him the technical knowledge to identify defects that a generalist surveyor might miss.
Do I need a damp and mould report?+
If you manage social housing, Awaab's Law requires significant damp and mould hazards to be investigated within set timescales, and an independent written report is strong evidence that you acted. If you let privately, a dated report from each inspection shows the problem was recorded and dealt with, which matters if a tenant complains or a deposit is disputed. The report also tells you the likely cause and the right fix, so you only pay for the repair that solves it.
What do I need for a CHAS or SSIP application?+
Your public liability certificate, employers' liability certificate if you have staff, training cards and certificates for your team, your staff numbers and a short description of the work you do. We write the health and safety policy, risk assessments, method statements and training matrix, complete the application and deal with the assessor's questions until you are approved. The scheme's own fee is paid direct to the scheme.
Get in touch
Talk to Shane direct.
Not ready to pick a package? Call or email and Shane will come back to you within one business day. No obligation, no sales team.
Buying a new build home? Our homebuyer snagging service is called Snag Spotter. We find the snags so your builder can fix them. From £275 for our first five customers.
