A Complex Process in Urgent Need of Simplification

Only 30% of building inspectors had real-time access to site data. Reporting was still reliant on paper-based processes. And communication between surveyors, contractors and councils often fell through the cracks, leading to delays, confusion, and compliance risk.

Today, LABC supports over 3,700 professional surveyors and technicians across 12 regions in England and Wales. However, professionals were working with outdated tools that couldn’t keep pace with the scale and complexity of modern construction.

With mounting pressure from evolving building regulations, the cracks in the process were becoming impossible to ignore. LABC recognised the need to digitise and unify how local authority teams work with surveyors, builders and contractors.

It wasn’t just about improving speed; it was about building trust, traceability, and future-ready oversight. 

Key Features

Video Inspections
On-site builders can request recorded, audited video calls with building control inspectors, minimising travel and enabling rapid feedback. The app provides users with contact information for specific jobs or inspections, and surveyors can use this tool to request calls with managers for on-site assistance, supporting new and training workers.

Messaging Tool
Surveyors, builders, and contractors can quickly communicate through the in-app messaging tool, facilitating pre-application discussions and enhancing collaboration.

Training
The app offers demonstrations, learning materials, and safety guides. It contains compliance guidelines and safety tips, allowing users to log their training experiences with LABC. This feature also enables users to request quick confirmations and receive remote explanations of any issues.

Review and Support
LABC can review team members’ inspections via the admin area, providing a second opinion or confirmation. Recorded videos can be utilised by managers, trainers, and mentors to verify junior staff competency throughout their training.

On-Site Tools
Users can capture photos and record videos to send to inspectors for review, providing evidence of inspections or records of building regulation compliance. They can also include their rationale alongside the evidence. Inspectors can easily download the media upon receipt. The app is GPS-enabled, automatically registering the location where each media file was captured.

The Challenge

Local Authority Building Control (LABC) plays a vital role in ensuring that construction projects meet rigorous safety and compliance standards. But their teams were facing growing challenges:

• Disconnected systems made collaboration between surveyors, contractors, and council officers frustrating and inefficient.
• Paper-based inspections and manual reporting led to errors, delays, and limited visibility.
• Increased regulatory pressures demanded clearer audit trails and digital accountability.

As construction projects became more complex and time-sensitive, it was clear that the traditional, fragmented approach to site inspections and project oversight was no longer sustainable. LABC needed a smarter, future-ready solution that could unify its network and serve as a blueprint for national rollout.

The Approach

We began with a thorough discovery phase, working hand-in-hand with LABC stakeholders to understand the day-to-day pain points of surveyors, contractors, and compliance teams.

From there, we designed and built a mobile-first application that centralised communications, simplified inspections, and integrated seamlessly with existing LABC systems.

Key features included:

• On-site reporting tools with image capture and note-logging
• Real-time updates to keep stakeholders aligned and projects on track
• A shared dashboard for surveyors, contractors, and council officers
• Secure, timestamped records supporting full audit trails
• Scalable infrastructure ready for regional and national deployment

With a strong emphasis on usability and real-world workflows, we ensured that the platform not only met technical requirements—but was quickly adopted and loved by its users.

The Result

The mobile app is now a core part of LABC’s operational toolkit, supporting seamless collaboration across multiple councils and construction teams.

• Ready for scale, the app lays the foundation for digital transformation across the UK’s building control ecosystem
• Inspection turnaround times dropped thanks to simplified, mobile-first reporting
• Data accuracy improved with less manual entry and fewer errors
• Stakeholder visibility increased, with all parties working from a single source of truth
• Stronger compliance with better auditability and digital traceability