A home-based surveying app that launched in October 2024 has just reached its 1,000th download milestone. Survey Shack, founded by qualified surveyor Brett Ray, has been designed to shake up the surveying process by empowering homeowners and buyers to understand a property’s condition far earlier. The goal is to enable both parties to make informed decisions with confidence, tackling the issue of surprise late-stage survey results head-on.

CEO and Founder Brett Ray explains: “One of the most frustrating parts of working in surveying is watching around 25% of transactions fall through because of issues identified during surveys. The transactions fall apart not because homes are unsellable, but because the problems surface too late. That’s why we built Survey Shack – to flag issues cost-effectively at an earlier stage. Sellers and buyers can then move forward with clearer expectations, saving time, stress and money for all parties.”

Survey Shack’s flagship premium option, the Do It Yourself Report, delivers an interactive, comprehensive property assessment directly to users. By using the intuitive app, individuals can thoroughly inspect their property, both inside and out, gaining valuable insights throughout the process. Once the assessment is complete, users can instantly access a detailed report that includes clear recommendations, suggested remedial actions, and direct referrals to specific specialists such as qualified tradespeople or professional surveyors if further evaluation is necessary. The premium package also includes an in-depth additional Data Report, offering essential local information such as surface water risk, radon gas levels, detailed planning history, and much more. To get a feel for the platform, new users can start with the interactive Freemium tester—a quick, engaging introduction to the Survey Shack experience.

To date, both buyers and sellers have been putting Survey Shack to good use, with users split between 51% buyers and 49% homeowners across the UK. The ability to uncover valuable, surveyor-inspired insights is reducing confusion between parties and ironing out the frustrating lack of clarity often associated with the surveying process.

Brett Ray comments: “We wanted to create a straightforward, rapid and easily accessible way to assess a property’s condition. Survey Shack does precisely that, reducing risk for both sellers and buyers.”