Two of Scotland’s leading property focused professional services firms have agreed a merger.
Shepherd Chartered Surveyors and Hardies Property and Construction Consultants have joined forces to create a new industry heavyweight with a combined turnover in excess of £25 million and 350 staff.
While the companies – both of which are more than a century old and have strong associations with Tayside and Fife – are coming together they will continue to trade under their own names and will remain distinct in their professional disciplines.
Hardies will specialise in construction services while Shepherd’s will continue to specialise in residential and commercial valuation, property management and agency.
The combined business is to be led by Shepherd’s senior partner George Brewster and Hardies managing partner Derek Ferrier.
The pair hope the tie-up will help reduce costs through combined administrative functions and efficiencies, while improving the overall offer to their respective customer bases.
Both companies are headquartered in Edinburgh and they have a combined 47-strong office network across Scotland, all of which are being retained.
Locally, Hardies has outlets in Dunfermline, St Andrews, Perth and Dundee – where its office still trades under the WJR Christie banner – while Shepherd has branches in Dunfermline. St Andrews, Kirkcaldy, Perth, Montrose, St Andrews and Dundee.
“This merger between Hardies and Shepherds establishes us as the country’s leading powerhouse in property and construction consultancy services with the largest number of building surveyors, valuation surveyors and related construction consultancy professional services in Scotland,” Mr Ferrier said.
