Simon Pole is a triple chartered since 1986; in Structural Engineering (C Eng FIStructE), Civil Engineering (C Eng MICE) and Building Surveying (MRICS).
As a hands-on business owner, he actively conducts daily Structural Engineers Reports for clients and has led Pole Structural Engineers as Principal for over 30 years, managing a team of designers and specialist surveyors. Before founding POLE, Simon accumulated a decade of experience with various central London practices.
Simon is a dedicated Structural Engineer, extensively involved in numerous professional interest groups and has lectured widely to Structural Engineers, Surveyors, and Party Wall professionals.
His voluntary contributions to the Institution of Structural Engineers include helping graduates prepare for their professional examinations and advising the professional conduct committee on matters within his expertise, as well as on general ethical and professional standards.
Simon’s comprehensive training encompassed various structural design projects but his true passion lies in the forensic examination of building defects and reporting on them. He has specialised in identifying defects in residential properties for many years, often in conjunction with refurbishment projects or while advising clients involved in buying and selling their properties.
Structural Engineers Reports have been his passion for many years and the business now specialises almost solely on reports rather than design work, allowing the business to tailor their services to clients who expect decisive,clear and prompt reporting given the normal point of sale process.
Simon has spent years advising Insurance Companies and Loss Adjusters on subsidence claims. His experience in this area, including expert investigations and specifying remedial works, has significantly shaped his career.
Handling subsidence claims and preparing expert reports has required thorough research into structural defects, particularly structural movement and cracking. His expertise in these areas has often led him to provide expert evidence in County Court, where clear, professional, and unbiased reporting is paramount.
Simon’s reports are renowned for their clarity and decisiveness, which is essential for purchasers and their Surveyors, and lenders as there is no time for protracted investigations, soil testing and digging holes when a property is about to be sold.
This clarity and impartiality in his reporting have resulted in numerous referrals. These have often come from opposing parties such as both the buyers’ Surveyor and the sellers’ Estate Agent, reflecting the high regard for the straightforward and transparent nature of his reports.
Simon possesses extensive technical expertise in residential structural defects and maintains a rigorous commitment to providing clear, unbiased reports. This has resulted in numerous engagements as an Expert Witness for both routine dispute resolutions and formal litigation purposes.
These reports often facilitate early resolution of disputes between clients and builders or other property professionals, thereby keeping costs manageable and frequently avoiding litigation.
In instances where litigation has occured, Simon has prepared Expert Reports and given evidence in County Court cases, including those at the Technology and Construction Court in London. Notably, he was involved in a significant case in 2015, Chaturachinda v Fairholme, which focused on a complex basement and the Party Wall Etc Act 1996 concerning Special Foundations.