Top 20 QS Robinson Lowe Francis has acquired London-based competitor Cross & Hall, and plans to launch a consultancy division this summer.
Cross & Hall's seven quantity surveyors will move to a floor in RLF's London head office.

Steven Barker, senior partner in RLF, said: "Cross & Hall has a good mix of commercial work and local authority work, which we've never been into until now.

"It's good timing, considering the state of the commercial market."

He added: "We want to form a consultancy division that incorporates tax advice and risk management in the next few months.

"We're still on the look-out for other mergers – we have a lot of national clients, and if we build up our presence in different cities they're more likely to give us more work."