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Summary
Victoria Collins joins me to share her journey from working in a bronze foundry to becoming a chartered building surveyor at Ridge & Partners.

We talk about changing careers, studying later in life, and what it really takes to qualify in surveying. Victoria also shares her passion for historic buildings and her current path into building conservation.

This is a brilliant example of how varied the routes into surveying can be.

What We Cover

• From fine art to surveying
• Working in a bronze foundry
• Health challenges and career decisions
• Studying a master’s alongside work
• Passing the APC and becoming chartered
• Day to day life in commercial building surveying
• Project work and site experience
• Moving into building conservation
• Apprenticeships and supporting new entrants
• The importance of problem solving in surveying

Guest Links

Victoria Collins - linkedin.com/in/victoria-collins-670719195

Useful Links

Ridge and Partners LLP - https://ridge.co.uk/

Guest Bio
Victoria Collins is a chartered building surveyor at Ridge & Partners with a growing specialism in building conservation. She began her career in a fine art bronze foundry, working on large scale sculptures for internationally recognised artists. After eight years in the industry, she retrained in building surveying, completing a master’s degree while working and going on to achieve chartership through the RICS. Vicki is now undertaking a further master’s in historic conservation and is working towards professional accreditation in the field, combining her hands-on background with a passion for historic buildings.

If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room

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Summary
David Coplin-Chard, a founder & director of Landview Surveyors, joins me to share his journey from estate agency into residential surveying. We talk about branding, communication, and why soft skills are just as important as technical knowledge.

A practical and honest conversation about building a business, standing out, and improving the home buying experience.

What We Cover

• Moving into surveying from estate agency
• Soft skills and communication in surveying
• Managing difficult situations on site
• Survey timing and the buying process
• Building a brand in surveying
• The importance of reviews
• Social media for surveyors
• AI and the future of surveying
• Career advice for new surveyors

Guest Links:

David Coplin-Chard - linkedin.com/in/david-coplin-chard-827599203

Useful Links:

Landview Surveyors- landviewsurveyors.co.uk

Guest Bio
David Coplin-Chard is a founder & director of Landview Surveyors. He is a residential surveyor and business owner with a background in estate agency. He transitioned into surveying through the Sava route and has since built a growing brand in the residential surveying space. Known for his strong communication skills and presence on social media, David focuses on improving client experience, modernising how surveyors present themselves, and building a recognisable brand in a traditionally low-visibility profession.

If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room

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Summary
I’m joined by Tim Clarke, Managing Director of Harrison Clark, to talk all things dilapidations. We break down what they are, why they matter, and how surveyors help both landlords and tenants navigate risk.

This is a practical and honest conversation about commercial surveying, lease liability, and the real impact of good advice.

What we cover

• Tim’s journey into surveying
• Public vs private sector experience
• What dilapidations mean in practice
• Why landlords protect asset value
• How claims are assessed and negotiated
• Lease wording and risk exposure
• Schedules of condition explained
• Tenant and landlord strategies
• Real examples from practice
• The human side of surveying

Guest Links

Tim Clarke – linkedin.com/in/tim-clarke-bsc-hons-msc-mba-mrics-cmgr-fcmi-88064432

Useful Links

Harrison Clarke - harrisonclarke.co.uk

Guest Bio
Tim Clarke is the Managing Director of Harrison Clark, a chartered surveying firm specialising in commercial property advice, including dilapidations, technical due diligence, and lease consultancy. With experience across both public and private sectors, Tim has built a reputation for practical, clear advice and a strong understanding of property risk. He is also passionate about making surveying knowledge more accessible through education, content, and industry engagement.

If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room

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Summary
In this episode, Nina Young speaks with Ed Ellis about the human side of residential surveying.

From unpredictable site visits to emotional client situations, Ed shares what it is really like working in people’s homes and why communication skills are just as important as technical knowledge in the surveying profession.

This is an honest and insightful look at residential surveying in the UK.

What we cover

• Career journey into surveying
• Life on site as a residential surveyor
• Managing emotions and difficult situations
• Survey vs valuation confusion
• Importance of soft skills
• Client perception of surveyors
• Property documentation challenges
• Professional standards and reputation
• Industry misconceptions
• Future of the surveying profession

Guest Links

Ed Ellis - https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-ellis-15627636

Useful Links

RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors): https://www.rics.org
SAVA (Surveying Training): https://sava.co.uk

Guest Bio
Ed Ellis is a registered valuer and experienced residential surveyor with over 14 years in the industry. With a career spanning agencies, corporate firms, and private practice, this breadth of experience offers a well-rounded perspective on surveying and valuation. A strong emphasis is placed on the human side of residential surveying, highlighting the importance of clear communication, professionalism, and delivering a positive client experience.

If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room

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Summary

Drones are transforming surveying, but what does the job actually look like in practice?

In this episode, Nina Young speaks with Zara McGregor, Chief UAS Pilot at Plowman Craven. Zara shares how she built a career in drone surveying, the realities of flying drones on construction sites, and the challenges of regulation, safety, and public perception.

What We Cover

• How Zara became a Chief UAS Pilot
• Apprenticeships and alternative routes into surveying
• Drone surveying on construction sites
• Navigating airspace restrictions and flight permissions
• Working with the Civil Aviation Authority and drone regulations
• Safety checks and operational planning
• The accuracy of drone survey data
• Public perception of drones and privacy concerns
• Career opportunities in drone surveying
• Encouraging the next generation into geospatial careers

Guest Links

Zara McGregor on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-mcgregor-drone-whiz

Plowman Craven - https://plowmancraven.com

Useful Links

Coptrz – https://www.coptrz.com

Drone Pilot Academy – https://dronepilotacademy.co.uk

Guest Bio

Zara McGregor is Chief UAS Pilot at Plowman Craven, where she leads drone operations for surveying and construction projects. She began her career through a geospatial technician apprenticeship and developed her skills in land surveying, CAD, and aerial data capture. Zara now specialises in commercial drone operations, managing drone surveys, inspections, and mapping projects while ensuring compliance with Civil Aviation Authority regulations. She is also passionate about sharing her experiences and encouraging more people to explore careers in geospatial technology and drone surveying.

If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room

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Summary

Charlie Crocker, Managing Director of Terracosta Property and an RICS Registered Valuer, joins Nina Young to talk about valuation, starting a surveying firm, and the realities of running a small practice.

From his early days at JLL to an unexpected entrepreneurial chapter in Brazil during the Olympics, Charlie shares lessons on pricing, resilience, graduates, and how AI is beginning to support valuation work.

What We Cover

• Moving from town planning into surveying
• Training as a graduate surveyor at JLL
• Entrepreneurial lessons from working in Brazil
• Launching Terracosta Property
• Valuation and the complexity of commercial property
• The challenge of pricing professional services
• AI and its role in surveying today
• Automated valuation models and where they fit
• Supporting graduates through the APC process
• Collaboration across the surveying profession

Guest Links

Charlie Crocker – https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-crocker-b498bb12

Useful Links

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) - https://www.rics.org

Guest Bio

Charlie Crocker is the Managing Director of Terracosta Property and an RICS Registered Valuer and Chartered Surveyor. His career began at JLL after completing a RICS accredited masters, where he trained in valuation and gained experience across commercial property.

After several years in London, Charlie moved to Brazil, where he built and ran property businesses during the Olympic years. Returning to the UK, he founded Terracosta Property, a chartered surveying practice providing valuation and building surveying services across residential and commercial property.

Charlie is passionate about professional standards, developing graduates through the APC process, and embracing technology responsibly within surveying practice.

If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room

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Summary

Professor Richard Fitton joins me on the podcast to talk about building performance, EPC reform, and the growing role surveyors will play in the retrofit of UK housing.

Richard is a Chartered Building Surveyor and Professor of Building Physics at the University of Salford. He leads Energy House 2.0, a world-leading research facility where full houses are tested inside climate-controlled chambers to understand exactly how buildings perform.

We talk about EPC accuracy, the performance gap between modelling and real buildings, and the research behind Richard’s white paper calling for better building data.

We also explore the Warm Homes Plan, the debate around fabric-first retrofit, and why surveyors have a major opportunity to expand their role in energy performance, ventilation, and healthy homes.

What We Cover

• Richard’s route into surveying and academia
• Inside Energy House and Energy House 2.0
• Why real building performance testing matters
• EPC reform and measured building data
• The UK Warm Homes Plan and retrofit funding
• Fabric first versus technology first retrofit
• Opportunities for surveyors in retrofit work
• The RICS retrofit surveyor pathway
• Assessing renewable technologies in homes
• Why healthy homes and ventilation matter

Guest Links

Richard Fitton on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-fitton-a668a822b

Useful Links

RICS Guidance on Retrofit - https://www.rics.org/consumer-guides/retrofitting-improving-energy-efficiency-home

Energy House - https://energyhouselabs.salford.ac.uk/

Warm Homes Plan - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/warm-homes-plan

Guest Bio

Professor Richard Fitton is a Chartered Building Surveyor, Fellow of the RICS, and Professor of Building Physics at the University of Salford.

He is the Technical Director of Energy House 2.0. This unique global research facility enables the construction of full homes within climate-controlled chambers to test real building performance under simulated weather conditions.

Richard’s research focuses on building performance, retrofit, energy efficiency, and housing sustainability. His work is influencing major UK housing policy and helping shape the design of new homes and retrofit strategies nationwide.

Alongside his research, Richard continues to engage with industry and surveying practice. He is also a member of the UK Fuel Poverty Committee, advising the government on policies to reduce fuel poverty and improve housing conditions.

If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room

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Summary

Marine surveying is a fascinating part of the surveying profession that many people never hear about.

In this episode, Nina Young speaks with David Pestridge, marine surveyor and owner of White Hat Marine Surveying. David shares what life is really like inspecting yachts, narrowboats, and barges across the UK.

From pre-purchase inspections to identifying serious structural defects, David explains the realities of marine surveying and how the role shares many similarities with property surveying.

They also discuss the importance of inspection routines, report writing, communication skills, and professional judgement.

Along the way, David shares some memorable stories from the field and explains why he is passionate about helping people understand boats and the marine surveying profession.

What We Cover

• David’s journey from army engineer to marine surveyor
• What marine surveyors inspect on boats and yachts
• The process of a pre-purchase boat survey
• Why routine and consistency matter in inspections
• Common defects include corrosion and fatigue
• Writing clear and defensible survey reports
• Managing difficult conversations with clients and sellers
• The realities of working outdoors and travelling for surveys
• Advice for people interested in marine surveying careers
• Educating boat buyers through guides and YouTube

Guest Links

David Pestridge LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpestridge

Useful Links

• International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) - https://www.iims.org.uk
• Free ebook: How to Buy Your First Boat https://boatchat.beehiiv.com/products/how-to-buy-your-first-boat

Guest Bio

David Pestridge is a marine surveyor and the owner of White Hat Marine Surveying. He specialises in surveys of yachts, motorboats, narrowboats, and barges across the UK.

Before becoming a surveyor, David served for 17 years in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as an engineering officer. After leaving the army in 2008, he retrained as a marine surveyor and has since built a successful practice inspecting boats for buyers, owners, and insurers.

David is also Deputy Vice President of the International Institute of Marine Surveyors and is passionate about improving standards across the profession. Through his writing, YouTube channel, and educational resources, he helps boat owners and aspiring surveyors better understand marine surveying and boat inspection.

If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room

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