Research you can act on
Our reports don’t gather dust
- We won’t mince your clients’ words – verbatim comments only
- We make it easy for the people in your business to use the data to catalyse change
- We’ll identify what needs fixing NOW, as well as later
read more about our research products and services here
A safe set of hands
- We speak the respondent’s language
- Total respect for confidentiality encourages candid and valuable feedback
- Exceptional client focussed service
read more about our people here
Specialists, not generalists
- We have more than ten years continuous experience of research in the built environment
- We’re proud to have worked with some of the biggest names in property and construction
- Experience allows us to pre-empt issues and design effective projects
read more about our work in your sector here
Our client portal
- Interrogate, slice and dice your data in real-time
- Use our search facility to find answers to your questions
- Generate graphic reports to visually communicate the issues
Our commitment to quality
- Building Understanding is a Company Partner of the Market Research Society, the world’s largest trade association for the research sector
- Companies with MRS Company Partner status abide by the MRS Code of Conduct
- This accreditation is a promise that the organisation operates at a trusted level
We’re members of the BUS Methodology Partner Network
- Powerful new addition to our Post Occupancy Evaluation Services
- Robust, tried and tested, and widely recognised approach, that highlights both positive and less favourable aspects of building performance
- Contributes towards BREEAM, LEED, WELL Standard, NABERS and Soft Landings
We are experts in the property, construction and related professional sectors
Who we are
Building Understanding is a specialist research agency consisting of enquiring minds and enthusiastic individuals. Based in West London, we operate within the UK property and construction industries and adjacent professional services sectors, such as planning and property consultancy.
Who we work with
Our clients are diverse. Many are property owners or sizeable construction contractors whilst others are drawn from a variety of service sectors. What they all have in common is a need for answers and signposts to a more successful and profitable future.
Our services
We deliver insightful high quality, client perception and customer satisfaction research for our clients, that catalyses change and business improvement. We can provide you with the insight that will enable you to respond to business opportunities and challenges, strengthening your business offer and your client relationships.
Building Understanding has the expertise to gather insight through any one of a variety of methodologies, depending on the particular project objectives, the needs of our client and the scope of the budget. Our flexibility and experience, coupled with technological expertise means we are as experienced in conducting focus groups as we are with depth interviews and online questionnaires.
Everything we do is bespoke.
We design our research so that the output is easy to use. We can deliver research results in a myriad of different forms and will liaise with you to make sure that we deliver output that people are going to digest and act on.
Our output is focussed on these five main product areas but can ultimately be anything that involves collecting and analysing stakeholder feedback:
Client perception research
See your business through the eyes of your clients. learn more ...
Project reviews
Find out how it was for them. learn more ...
Post occupation audits
Occupier feedback on their journey from first date through to first setting up home together. learn more ...
Lost enquirer studies
What made them swerve? learn more ...
Customer/occupier satisfaction research
How healthy are your customer relationships? learn more ...
How we do it
Building Understanding has spent time developing a research approach designed to gather the very best insights from different types of respondents. When it comes to research methodologies, one size does not fit all.
We apply our knowledge of behaviours and what motivates different groups of people, to select and suggest the right methodology for each respondent group. Some groups, for whom there is a low level of vested interest in participation, may require incentivisation in order to contribute their feedback.
We have a wealth of experience in a broad range of methodologies from focus groups, to personal interviews, to online questionnaires. We also apply a number of tried and tested mechanics that we have evolved over time. For instance, our site level retail team talk to store managers face-to-face and record their feedback using iPads. This means we gather better quality feedback than a telephone interview or email questionnaire would provide, whilst making the experience fast and easy for the interviewee. Further, we have developed mechanics such as card sorting, which can be done through an online questionnaire.