How varied project experience shaped Sarah's building surveyor career

In 2017, Sarah Palmer was working as a programme manager for a government-funded Listed Places of Worship Roof Repair Scheme, but after observing the expertise and impact of building surveyors first-hand, she was inspired to retrain and pursue a career at RSK Group company Kendall Kingscott.

Pursuing a career offering long-term stability and growth

Keen to move into a profession that offered long-term opportunities and stability, Sarah spoke to a Chartered Building Surveyor to learn more about his career path.

She said: “He had undertaken the diploma in building surveying offered by the University of the West of England (UWE). Later that year, I made the decision to enrol on the course, a pivotal step that marked the beginning of my career in building surveying.

“It was during my studies that I first heard about Kendall Kingscott after a fellow student had secured a role at the business’s Bristol office. They spoke highly of the varied and interesting project work the team was delivering.”

Wanting a position that was strongly focused on project-led work, rather than one centred solely on undertaking surveys day-to-day, Sarah submitted her CV to Kendall Kingscott, which led to an interview.

Sarah said: “Through the interview process, I gained a much clearer understanding of the business, the type of work the Cardiff team would be delivering and the opportunity to be part of a newly established and evolving team. The prospect of contributing to the growth of that team, alongside exposure to diverse project work, strongly reinforced my desire to join the business.”

Developing a broad skill set through varied project exposure

As an Associate Chartered Building Surveyor, Sarah has a day-to-day workload that is varied and largely project based, providing exposure to a wide range of work. On any given day, she may be preparing specifications and schedules of works, attending site to scope new projects or reviewing the progress of construction works on-site.

She added: “My workload is predominantly local, with projects based mainly across Bristol and South Wales, although this can vary depending on the projects I am working on at any one time.”

One project that Sarah found particularly rewarding was the external refurbishment of a Georgian Grade II listed building. Involved throughout the entire project life cycle, from identifying the required works to obtaining listed building consent, Sarah had to balance heritage sensitivity with practical delivery, ensuring compliance while meeting the client’s objective.

Sarah said: “The project required a careful and considered approach, particularly in liaison with conservation officers to agree appropriate replacement roof tiles and to successfully discharge planning conditions.

“More broadly, what stands out to me across my experience is the variety, from undertaking detailed surveys and applying building pathology principles to diagnose defects to working on listed buildings, designing dementia-friendly environments and managing complex boundary issues, which has really shaped me into a well-rounded building surveyor.”

How lifelong learning supports career growth at Kendall Kingscott

Continuous professional development is a focus at Kendall Kingscott, with the business treating learning as a lifelong process to support career growth. Sarah was supported heavily by her line manager and colleagues, who provided consistent guidance and encouragement as she pursued chartership.

Knowing the value this support can have, Sarah has spent a significant amount of time supporting junior members of staff. This includes her role as a building surveying regional mentor covering the Cardiff and Bristol offices: “The role focuses on supporting and guiding early career surveyors with their Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) through the delivery of workshops and by acting as a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) APC supervisor and counsellor.”

Sarah would like to see more people consider a career in building surveying. She said: “The role offers a great mix of technical knowledge, problem-solving and project management. You are constantly learning and being challenged, which keeps the role engaging and rewarding.

“I would love to see more women represented in the industry. Building surveying offers excellent career progression and long-term opportunities, and a more diverse workforce can only strengthen the profession.”

In the year ahead, Sarah is keen to expand the delivery of APC workshops to ensure that all colleagues at Kendall Kingscott on the institute’s pathway can benefit from the resources and support available to them.