David M Barnes

David attended my property to conduct a survey on my wall ties yesterday. From start to finish he was very proffesional. He explained the whole process and even taught me things I had no clue about. I had my survey and recommendations back the same day, he went the extra mile to call me and let me know when he was going to send it. 100% value for money. My only regret is that I wish I had called him sooner. I highly recommend his services. Tradesman like him are hard to find. Thanks very much.

David turned up to carry out a survey on my property for wall tie failure, ahead of works which will eventually result in my house being extended and rerendered. David was keen that I watch the survey be carried out so that it was clear and transparent that the issues identified were genuine problems and not invented! Luckily only one of my walls required restorative works and David was able to attend to carry out the work with a very reasonable turnaround. The works were delivered with great care and whilst messy in nature were cleaned up fully before the job was finished, with good advice on how to restore the paintwork afterwards. As we discussed many times throughout the work it is rare to find a tradesman that is punctual, reliable and downright honest. David is all of those.

Mr Barnes recently carried out a detailed and thorough examination of the condition of wall ties in an older, neglected property we were expecting to buy. We were concerned about potential problems, because of several horizontal wall cracks. Having read that these can be an indicator of failing wall ties, we sought David’s professional help. By locating wall tie positions through metal detection, David showed us that the cracks did not correspond with wall tie locations, and were therefore superficial and not due to wall tie failure. He then selected several wall ties which were in critical areas subject to the prevailing weather. As these could not be viewed by fibre optic endoscope because of cavity wall insulation, they were exposed by drilling from the outside into the mortar. David showed us that the wall ties were of fish-tail type, exceptionally thick and in very good condition. His assessment was that no remedial wall tie work was necessary. It was reassuring to have such a painstaking evaluation, as the thought that wall tie failure could lead in some cases to structural collapse had been a cause of anxiety. David explained what he was doing at every step of the way, he is an extremely honest man and knows his chosen area of expertise thoroughly, due to over thirty years experience. The fee for his work was excellent value for money, for the peace of mind it gave us. .Moreexpand_more

David attended my property to carry out a wall tie survey after my house-buyer survey revealed a potential issue. He was very thorough and explained everything he was doing step by step, attention to detail was great. He was honest and thankfully found no wall tie problem. I would thoroughly recommend his services. .

The survey which David carried out was extremely thorough, lasting several hours and involving a wealth of specialist equipment. He discovered the problem and explained this and the work needed extremely clearly and in simple terms, which I appreciated. He was very professional in his work and his manner and I really felt I was dealing with an expert in the wall ties field. I have no hesitation in recommending him.

I was becoming increasingly concerned about some cracks in our home's external walls, especially as the original survey advised there could be corroded wall ties. I contacted David who came back to me promptly and offered a fixed fee independent survey. He arrived on time and checked over the cracks. He also drilled into one area to confirm the wall tie type. Happily, they are butterfly ties and show no sign of corrosion. The cracks are superficial and due to the age of the building. We were very pleased with the peace of mind which David provided.

I met David who was extremely thorough in his inspection and test proceedures of our propery, all of which were explained very clearly to me and costed at a very fair reasonable price. He is well mannered, old school professional tradesman who I would have no hesitation in recommending to anyone who might have need of his services etc. An absolute pleasure.

David gave a comprehensive talk which guided you through his survey from which he then summarised his findings and the work needed. From commencement of work to finish David's professionalism and work were flawless. He displays an authority about root causes of problems and how he tackles them. The assurance of his long term warranty speaks for itself. A thoroughly honest and trustworthy man , we fully recommend his service.

We have had the wall ties assessed and replaced on two walls and have been delighted by the service. We had a prompt response to every communication and the work was carried out professionally, tidily and quickly. David was always pleasant to have around and we were particularly pleased with the attention to detail. Thoroughly recommended.

David came and checked the wall ties in a house we are in the process of buying. Right from my initial phone enquiry David provided a professional and honest service and I felt at ease using his company. No hard sell, no gimmicks. Very personable man and good service. Recommended!

We bought and renovated a house in Bristol with the help of David Barnes in April 2013. He gave us a very comprehensive and competitive quote, and completed the work quickly and efficiently. We live in USA and had him liaise with our Lawyer and tenant direct for access etc and via email to us. We are very happy with his service and would highly recommend / use him again. Our Buildings surveyor was also very impressed. Thanks so much, David Barnes!

The word professional is sometimes used to easily and does not relate to the person or work carried out, But I can honestly say that this man is not only a professional but a gentleman as well, Its been a pleasure to have him around, and to do a fantastic job. Chris Nussbaum Bristol.

Received a very prompt service and couldn't fault it, highly commended. Good communication.

Superb in every respect. Extremely satisfied with every aspect of works carried out on my house. Highly recommended.

I contacted David at very short notice to survey the wall ties in a house on which I had made an offer to buy. David bent over backwards to re-schedule his work to get to the job within 24 hours. He answered many questions by the house owners regarding the work required, and satisfied them that he would leave little or no trace of the survey. David confirmed that the wall ties are sound, with no sign of corrosion. This was a great relief to us. David is highly knowledgable about his work, professional and diplomatic. I would not hestitate to recommend him.

On purchasing a property and being informed by the surveyors that "the wall ties are corroding and need replacing in the cavity walls", we instructed David to do the initial report and quote. After a very thorough and professional inspection, it was discovered the house is in fact solid construction and we do not have wall ties. Not only was David's knowledge first class and his manor extremely friendly, the result saved us lots of money when told we did not need any work doing! A very honest assessment which was much appreciated.

David fitted new ties and isolated the existing heavily rusted ties on our 1920's red brick semi recently. From the initial inspection to the completion of the works, David demonstrated both a knowledge of his trade and meticulous attention to detail to ensure that his work in no way impaired the appearance of our property. On top of that he was a thoroughly pleasant chap to deal with.

I had long been aware of the David M Barnes brand name as I'd often seen his boards and vans about in and around the Bristol area. A neighbour of mine recently used him and was very happy with the work undertaken, so we had no hesitation in calling upon Mr Barnes when we needed our own ageing property reinforced with metal wall ties. Mr Barnes is clearly very meticulous and knowledgeable in his approach to his work and he kept us informed of his procedures throughout. He ensures everything is cleared up after him and we believe we got good value for money, as well as peace of mind given the worrying cracks that had started to form on our weather-battered 80-year-old former council house.

David did an excellent job replacing the wall ties in my house. He explained the process and the issues with the existing wall ties very well, and made an extra effort to track down the materials to match the original pebbledash. I would recommend him without hesitation.

We had several quotes for the work required, we found David Barns to be by far the most knowledgable in the business; his quote was very competitive; he has an honest and open approach. Many years ago, whilst working as an Estate Agent, I was aware of his excellent reputation as several surveyors recommended him to me for clients purchasing property in need of 'wall tie replacement'. We found David Barns to be totally reliable, he is a tidy workman always leaving the area clean and clear of debris at the end of each day, he did an excellent job. We have no hesitation in recommending him.