Mortgage Soup fires the questions at Brett and Evelina Ray, co-founders of Survey Shack.
Mortgage Soup (MS): What personal or professional experiences inspired Survey Shack?
Brett and Evelina Ray (B&ER): Years of surveying showed me how often sellers were blindsided late in a deal by issues they could have addressed upfront. Survey Shack was born to fix that, giving visibility earlier in the process, reducing valuation disputes and transaction risk.
MS: How did you first validate the need?
B&ER: We saw the fallout: deals collapsing or being renegotiated due to late discovery of defects. Scotland’s model, where sellers provide surveys upfront, results in far fewer fall-throughs. Survey Shack offers a scalable way to bring that model to the rest of the UK.
MS: What was the biggest challenge building it?
B&ER: Translating technical survey language into something users, and ultimately lenders or brokers, could act on. We focused on clarity, removing jargon, and structuring findings around material risks that impact lending and decision-making.
MS: What moment confirmed you were on the right track?
B&ER: Survey Shack matched around 70% of issues raised in a professional Level 2 survey — and flagged all the major ones.
Investors committed within 30 minutes of testing our MVP.
A former client who once used our traditional report to negotiate £100K off a purchase came back as a seller and offered to invest in Survey Shack.
MS: How do you balance accessibility with reliability?
B&ER: We isolate the factors that typically cause renegotiation, down-valuations, or post-offer delays, and present them clearly. The reports are focused, structured, and explain issues in plain English, with next steps that support both seller preparation and buyer due diligence.
MS: What role do trusted partners play?
B&ER: When a condition flag needs follow-up, we link users to vetted specialists — not generic damp firms or national chains. These partners provide clarity, helping brokers and underwriters understand what steps have been taken to address flagged risks.
MS: How does Survey Shack change the view that surveys are only for professionals?
B&ER: It shows that early-stage condition insights can be accurate, structured, and helpful — even without a chartered surveyor on-site. We’re not replacing professional surveys where needed — we’re bridging the data gap earlier in the deal.
MS: What pain points does it eliminate for brokers or lenders?
B&ER: Lack of early visibility on condition-related risks;
Delays from post-offer surprises caused by confusion around vague or caveated survey findings;
Cost barriers preventing sellers from being proactive;
Our reports surface key issues fast, helping professionals make quicker, more informed decisions.
MS: Why make the inspection free and report only £29.99?
B&ER: To remove friction. The free inspection drives engagement. The low-cost report, which includes desktop research — provides structured, actionable condition data without needing to wait for a full survey. It supports triage at scale.
MS: What’s been the most rewarding outcome?
B&ER: Seeing sellers fix flagged issues early, reducing valuation risks. One client fixed a roof defect proactively, documented the work, and sailed through the buyer’s scrupulous survey. That’s a win for everyone in the chain.
MS: How is data like radon risk or planning history made reliable?
B&ER: These are sourced from licensed datasets and cross-checked against national databases.
MS: How did you make the app engaging?
B&ER: By designing it like a guided inspection, not a form. We reward progress, avoid legalese, and give users a clear sense of what matters. That clarity helps brokers explain issues to clients more easily too.
MS: How will Survey Shack impact the wider market?
B&ER: We aim to create a new default: sellers provide condition data upfront. That helps brokers avoid nasty surprises, reduces the need for underwriters to re-offer, and cuts down wasted time on deals that would otherwise fall through. Long term, Survey Shack will enable autonomous inspections powered by advanced tech.
MS: How do you deal with scepticism from surveyors?
B&ER: We try to educate them too — ha — but seriously, pushback comes with disruption. The stats don’t lie: Scotland’s higher completion rates stem from sellers being proactive. That’s the shift we’re driving. Survey Shack flags risks early, reduces fall-throughs, and complements full surveys. Those who resist? Their methods will retire with them. We’re not replacing professionals, just fixing what arrives too late.
MS: What values drive you?
B&ER: Innovation, clarity, and accessibility. We’re challenging outdated models to deliver better, faster insights — and make condition data work harder for everyone involved in the transaction.
