Membership grades

• Contractor
• Manufacturer / Distributor
• Consultant
• Surveyor
• Associates

Contractor

A company providing services to the domestic and/or commercial market.

Full Membership

A Contractor member must demonstrate that:

• Every Surveyor in the workforce has achieved specialist professional qualification(s) relevant to the sectors applied for e.g. CSSW, CSRT or ASRT, unless they are deemed to be Trainee Surveyors and therefore supervised or unless there are special reasons (e.g. no specialist qualifications available). Where no specialist qualification is achieved a report will be considered as an alternative and this should detail the individual's experience (5 years min). The report must be kept on file and made available at the company’s first or next audit visit.*
• Submission of 2 recent survey reports clearly identifying the authors.
• All members of the workforce are actively encouraged to develop their skills and qualifications.
• The company has traded for a minimum of 2 years.*
• Professional indemnity Insurance is in place.

* If you do not fully meet either of these two criteria, consider Provisional Membership (click through to Provisional membership criteria)

Provisional Membership

If an application for membership meets all the PCA criteria for Full membership except for ONE of the criteria listed below, Provisional membership may be granted. Membership under this grade will be for a maximum of two years only. Provisional members will aspire and strive to be Full members. Provisional members will receive all the benefits of Full membership as set out in the "PCA Benefits of Membership" document. However, during the period of Provisional membership, the member will not be able to display and use the PCA/BWPDA logos, but may use such wording as ‘XYZ is a Provisional member of PCA ...’. The right to vote will be withheld until Full membership status is attained.

Provisional status is for contractors that are:

A newly formed company (thus not meeting the requirement for 2 years trading), but can demonstrate that it is being run by an experienced person employing qualified surveyors. The company may attain Full membership within the 2 year period by submitting accounts for scrutiny i.e. profit and loss account and balance sheet. This can be done at any time during the 2 year period. The accounts will be examined by the PCA accountant and if the company’s financial status is approved, Full membership will be offered within 4 weeks. If the company’s financial status is not approved on the first occasion a second opportunity will be given to submit information after a further 12 months trading.

A well established company that does not employ qualified surveyors (thus not meeting the requirement that all surveyors must have the relevant qualifications) but has been trading for 5 years or more. Full membership will be offered as soon as evidence is provided that the relevant qualifications have been achieved.

Guidance will be given regarding these requirements in relation to each contractor company. And in all cases full support will be given by the team at PCA headquarters in order to expedite the process through to Full membership. The applicant will pay the normal application fee and if accepted into Provisional membership the subscription will be calculated in the same way as for Full members. Two years’ subscription will be payable in advance. When membership is upgraded to Full membership, the subscription fee will be re-calculated and credit will be given for any fees already paid.

In the event that PCA receives complaints that are substantiated, or the company fails to comply with PCA’s written instructions, Council will have the power to withdraw Provisional membership from the contractor without the need for disciplinary hearings. PCA Council will retain the right to expel the contractor from Provisional membership without granting leave to appeal. No subscription will be refundable.

Further Reading

• Benefits of Membership
• Memorandum & Articles of Association
• Data Protection
• Membership Subscriptions
• Code of Ethics
• Turnover Declaration
• Professional Indemnity
• TrustMark
• Guarantee Protection Insurance
• Code of Conduct
• Technical Audit Process
• Subscriptions

Manufacturer / Distributor

A company manufacturing and/or distributing products used by contractors. These products enable contractors to give a professional service to their customers, allow them to achieve high standards of workmanship and benefit from technological advances in the designated PCA trade sectors.

Manufacturer/Distributor members are encouraged to support PCA activities by attending meetings and events. Free stand space is offered at regional meetings (members only) and at the Annual Conference. Further involvement is welcomed through sponsorship of promotional literature and other publications. Involvement in PCA working groups, sub-committees and projects is also beneficial to all parties.

Further Reading

• Benefits of Membership
• Memorandum & Articles of Association
• Data Protection
• Membership Subscriptions
• Code of Ethics
• Turnover Declaration
• Subscriptions

Consultant

For professionals who are not employed by a company and can thus demonstrate independence.

A consultant must demonstrate achievement of professional qualifications in his/her area of expertise for example:

• CSSW for Structural Waterproofing
• CSRT/ASRT for Damp and Timber work
• Where no specialist qualification is achieved a report will be considered as an alternative this should detail the individual’s experience (5 years min).
• Submission of 2 survey reports.*

A consultant must provide evidence of Professional Indemnity cover.

Additional evidence of competence must be proved through:

• Submission of 1 analytical report (produced in the last 2 years) which demonstrates ability to interpret data obtained from laboratory analysis.*
• Submission of 1 report (produced in last 2 years) used for litigation as an expert witness.*

* Reports are assessed by a membership panel.

Further Reading

• Benefits of Membership
• Memorandum & Articles of Association
• Data Protection
• Membership Subscriptions
• Code of Ethics
• Professional Indemnity
• Subscriptions

Surveyor

For professionals who are not employed by a company and can thus demonstrate independence.

A surveyor must demonstrate achievement of professional qualifications in his/her area of expertise for example:

• CSSW for Structural Waterproofing
• CSRT/ASRT for Damp and Timber work
• Where no specialist qualification is achieved a report will be considered as an alternative this should detail the individual’s experience (5 years min).
• Submission of 2 survey reports.*

A surveyor must provide evidence of Professional Indemnity cover.

* Reports are assessed by a membership panel.

Further Reading

• Benefits of Membership
• Memorandum & Articles of Association
• Data Protection
• Membership Subscriptions
• Code of Ethics
• Professional Indemnity
• Subscriptions

Associates

For those that wish to have involvement with PCA and support the aims and objectives but do not actively work in the designated PCA trade sectors in the UK, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. Associates do not have any entitlement to vote and are not entitled to use the PCA logo. In publicity material, Associates may refer to their relationship with PCA in the following terms: "Supporting the aims and objective of the PCA".

Associates can join any one of the following categories:

Associate (Company)

No additional criteria other than that above.

Associate (Individual)

For individuals in business who do not actively work in the designated PCA trade sectors in the UK, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. (If the individual is involved with a company, he/she should consider whether that company will benefit through the relationship with PCA. Is so, the company should be registered as an Associate.)

Associate (Individual Retired)

This grade is for individuals who are no longer in business and consider themselves as having retired but who wish to maintain links with PCA.

Further Reading

• Benefits of Membership
• Memorandum & Articles of Association
• Data Protection
• Membership Subscriptions
• Code of Ethics
• Subscriptions