About Crowborough Surveyor

Independent building surveyors with deep roots in Crowborough and East Sussex — here to protect your property interests with honest, expert advice.

Aerial view of Crowborough and Ashdown Forest in East Sussex showing the area Crowborough Surveyor serves
Our Story

Crowborough Surveyors with Local Roots

Crowborough Surveyor was founded on a simple belief: that every property buyer and owner in East Sussex deserves straightforward, expert advice from someone who genuinely knows the local area. Not a faceless national firm — a real local practice that cares about outcomes.

We've been carrying out building surveys in Crowborough and surrounding areas for over 15 years. In that time, we've inspected everything from Victorian terraces in Tunbridge Wells to converted oast houses deep in the Weald, from modern new-builds in Uckfield to ancient farmhouses near Hartfield.

What sets us apart? We never rush a job. We always explain our findings in plain English. And we give every client our personal number so they can call us when their solicitor asks a question they don't understand.

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What We Stand For

Our Values as Chartered Building Surveyors in Crowborough

These aren't words on a wall. They're the principles every member of our team works by, every single day.

Independence

We have no commercial relationships with estate agents, lenders or developers. When we report on a property, we report what we find — not what anyone else wants us to find. Your interests, always.

Thoroughness

A building survey is not a box-ticking exercise. We look at every accessible area of a property, take time to understand its history, and never leave a site until we're satisfied we have the full picture.

Clarity

Jargon helps no one. Our reports are written in plain English, with photos of every issue we identify and clear, prioritised recommendations so you know exactly what needs attention first.

Accessibility

We believe every client deserves a direct line to their surveyor after they receive their report. We make ourselves available to talk through findings and answer questions — whenever you need us.

Local Knowledge

We live and work in East Sussex and Kent. We know the Weald's clay soils, the typical construction techniques used in Crowborough's Victorian and Edwardian housing, and the issues common to local properties.

Professionalism

All our surveyors are accredited under RICS, CIOB and/or RPSA. We carry full professional indemnity insurance and adhere strictly to the professional standards set by our regulatory bodies.

Meet the Team

The Surveyors Behind Crowborough Surveyor

A small, dedicated team of experienced professionals who care deeply about getting things right for every client.

James Hollingsworth, Principal Chartered Building Surveyor at Crowborough Surveyor

James Hollingsworth

Principal Surveyor & Founder

James founded Crowborough Surveyor after 12 years working for national firms in London and the South East. A lifelong resident of East Sussex, he wanted to build a local practice that put clients — not corporate KPIs — at the centre of everything. He has personally carried out over 800 building surveys across the region and is a passionate advocate for buyer education in the property market.

Outside work, James is a keen walker on the Ashdown Forest and a regular at Crowborough Cricket Club. He firmly believes that knowing your patch — really knowing it — makes you a better surveyor.

Rachel Pemberton, Chartered Surveyor and Registered Valuer at Crowborough Surveyor

Rachel Pemberton

Associate Surveyor & Registered Valuer

Rachel joined the practice in 2018, bringing with her a decade of experience in residential valuations and survey work across Kent and East Sussex. She specialises in RICS HomeBuyer Reports, Help to Buy valuations and probate cases. Clients consistently describe Rachel's reports as among the clearest and most thorough they've ever received.

Rachel is also our lead for party wall matters and has successfully resolved numerous complex disputes between neighbours — always aiming for an outcome that preserves relationships as well as property values.

Tom Ashworth, Building Surveyor at Crowborough Surveyor specialising in architectural design

Tom Ashworth

Building Surveyor & Architectural Consultant

Tom handles our architectural design, planning application and project management services. With a background in both surveying and the construction industry, he bridges the gap between assessing what's wrong with a property and helping owners plan what to do about it. He has overseen residential and commercial projects throughout East Sussex, Kent and Surrey.

Tom is particularly experienced in barn conversions, listed building consents and the specific planning challenges that apply to properties in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Professional Standards

Our Accreditations & Regulatory Bodies

Our accreditations aren't just letters after a name. They're a guarantee that you're dealing with professionals who are held to the highest standards in the industry.

RICS

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

The world's leading professional body for qualifications and standards in land, property and construction. RICS regulation means full professional indemnity insurance, a formal complaints procedure and adherence to strict ethical standards.

CIOB

Chartered Institute of Building

The CIOB is the world's largest and most influential professional body for construction management and leadership. CIOB membership signals deep expertise in building construction, defects analysis and project management.

RPSA

Residential Property Surveyors Association

The RPSA represents independent residential surveyors across the UK. Membership requires commitment to consumer-focused survey standards, ensuring our reports are clear, comprehensive and genuinely useful to property buyers.

Our Journey

15 Years of Building Survey Excellence in East Sussex

2009

Founded in Crowborough

James Hollingsworth establishes Crowborough Surveyor as an independent practice, carrying out the first 50 surveys solo from a home office in Crowborough town centre.

2013

Expanded to Kent Coverage

Growing demand from clients in Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks and Tonbridge led us to formally extend coverage throughout Kent, adding our first associate surveyor.

2018

Rachel Pemberton Joins as Associate

Rachel brings specialist valuation expertise, enabling us to offer Help to Buy, probate and matrimonial valuations alongside our survey work for the first time.

2021

Architectural Design Services Launch

Tom Ashworth joins the practice, adding architectural design, planning application support and project management to our range of building surveying services.

Today

500+ Surveys & Growing

We've completed over 500 surveys across East Sussex, Kent and Surrey — and we're still the same independent local practice we've always been, with the same commitment to honest, personal service.

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Ready to Book Your Crowborough Survey?

Whether you need a Level 3 building survey, a RICS HomeBuyer report or party wall advice, our team is ready to help. Get your free, no-obligation quote today.

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