Charles Garth

Accurate insurance assessments that protect your property assets.

A Building Reinstatement Cost Assessment (BRCA) is a professional assessment prepared for insurance purposes by an RICS-qualified Chartered Surveyor. It determines the estimated cost of rebuilding a property on a total loss basis, including demolition, professional fees, and all materials required to reinstate the building allowing for current statutory requirements.

Getting this figure right protects you from under- or over-insurance and ensures your buildings insurance policy truly covers what it should. With around just one in four properties adequately insured, regular, professionally conducted Building Reinstatement Cost Assessments protect landlords and property owners from serious financial exposure.

At Charles Garth, our Chartered Building Surveyors and quantity surveyors experienced in RCAs carry out detailed BRCAs across residential, commercial, healthcare and education estates. We provide clear, data-driven assessments you can rely on for building insurance cover and funding bids.

Building Reinstatement Cost Assessment by sector

Education estates: We deliver BRCAs for schools, academies and multi-academy trusts across the UK. From significant alterations to essential maintenance, our team – all experienced with DfE estate management standards – work with education estates on a regular basis to provide whatever you property require.
Residential blocks and PRS schemes: From housing associations to private landlords, we assess single blocks or portfolios, identifying the correct reinstatement values for buildings with varied ages, materials and occupancy.
Healthcare and care facilities: Operating within live environments demands precision and discretion. Our surveyors are familiar with NHS estates considerations, infection-control constraints and complex building services when calculating reinstatement costs.
Commercial and mixed-use properties: For offices, industrial units and mixed-use developments, we deliver assessments that account for bespoke fit-outs, plant equipment, and high-spec finishes. Our BRCAs support owners, investors and tenants in meeting lease obligations and managing risk. We also provide other services such as condition surveys, dilapidations advice, and lifecycle planning, giving clients full visibility of their property risk and investment priorities.

Why a BRCA matters

- Avoid under-insurance – Property insurance specialists RebuildCostAssessment report that around 79 % of commercial buildings are underinsured. The 2025 Allianz SME survey found that just over half (52 %) of business owners know the rebuild value of their property or the sum insured under their policy.
- Stay compliant – Insurers and RICS guidance recommend reviewing your assessment regularly, typically every three years, to ensure sums insured remain accurate.
- Control costs – An evidence-based estimate for rebuild stops you paying higher-than-necessary premiums and reduces the chance of over-insurance.
- Support claims – Well-documented BRCAs can assist claims handling
- Plan ahead – Use your BRCA data to inform lifecycle, investment, and maintenance planning

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How we work with you for Reinstatement Cost Assessments

Also referred to as Reinstatement Cost Assessments (RCA), we carry out assessments informed by BCIS benchmarks and current market data. Our assessments include allowances for demolition, site clearance, professional fees, external works, VAT where relevant, and applicable statutory requirements. We advise applying annual indexation and completing a full reassessment every three years or sooner if significant changes occur. We factor in:

construction type and quality
current labour and material rates
demolition, debris removal, and site-clearance costs
external works, boundary structures, and below-ground services where applicable
professional fees and statutory charges
temporary works and access complexities
listed status, conservation requirements or modern building systems

You receive a clear, RICS-compliant report with an accurate reinstatement cost, explanatory notes and practical guidance on review frequency and insurance implications.

How costs are calculated

A Building Reinstatement Cost Assessment (BRCA) determines the estimated cost of rebuilding a property after total loss.

Rebuilding costs are developed using a combination of trusted sources and professional insight. We reference the RICS Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) and draw on verified cost data from recent construction projects across comparable sectors. This ensures every reinstatement value reflects current market rates for labour, materials, plant, and professional fees.

Our Chartered Surveyors cross-check BCIS benchmarks against live tender returns and supplier data from our own project portfolio, adjusting for regional variations, building type, complexity, and site conditions. This blended approach delivers a reinstatement cost that is RICS-compliant, evidence-based and defendable in insurance negotiations.

We also assess non-standard materials and bespoke finishes, ensuring your assessment reflects the full rebuild reality.

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Is your BRCA up to date?

Insurers recommend a full BRCA at least every three years, or sooner after:

major review of your insurance schedule
major refurbishment or extension
changes in use or occupancy
significant material cost changes

If your last BRCA is older than three years, your cover may no longer reflect true rebuild costs.

Contact our team to arrange a Building Reinstatement Cost Assessment for your property or portfolio. The process is straightforward – after an initial conversation to find out more about your needs our team will arrange to visit to inspect the property in person and explore next steps.

We’ll produce clear, accurate assessments so you can insure with confidence.

Building Reinstatement Cost Assessment (BRCA)

Accurate insurance assessments that protect your property assets.

Building Reinstatement Cost Assessment by sector

Why a BRCA matters

How we work with you for Reinstatement Cost Assessments

How costs are calculated

Is your BRCA up to date?

Get in touch...