Craig MacDonald is a Chartered Building Surveyor with over 20 years of experience in property and construction sectors. He specialises in construction technology and building pathology in the Australian commercial real estate sector. He’s a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the current chair of RICS Member Engagement Group in Queensland, Australia, registered APC Assessor, and counsellor to APC candidates.

Craig is the author of the narrative non-fiction book, "The Building Detective: A Journey Into the Hidden Stories of Property, People, and Problem Solving", which is the starting point of this conversation. He shares the inspiration behind this book, his journey from Scotland to Australia, how storytelling can transform the profession and why surveying is a big adventure.

What We Cover:

• The motivation and process behind writing The Building Detective, Craig’s surveying journey, and how he moved to Australia.
• Insights into the APC qualification process and the role of mentorship
• The differences in surveying practices and standards between the UK and Australia
• How storytelling and technology shape the future of the profession

Resources Mentioned:

• The Building Detective by Craig McDonald https://amzn.eu/d/3QPXtCq
• #117 Alice Graham - Visibility and Technology in Quantity Surveying RICS Information on APC - Assessment of Professional Competence
• Watch the podcast video and read the blog here - https://www.lovesurveying.com/blog/the-building-detective-surveyor-hub-podcast-craig-macdonald

Connect with Craig McDonald:

• LinkedIn: Craig McDonald
• Instagram: @buildingdetective

Connect with Marion Ellis:

• • LinkedIn: Marion Ellis
  • Instagram: @love_surveying
  • Facebook: Love Surveying

Emma Fletcher is Low-Carbon Housing Director at Octopus Energy and the current Chair of the RICS Residential Professional Group Panel. After qualifying in rural surveying, she moved into housing and regeneration, focusing on affordable housing and sustainability. She is passionate about community resilience and has established a district heat network in her village.

In this podcast, we talk about Emma's varied career in surveying, but also what it means to take the opportunity to do the hard work and ultimately turn your passions into a career. We discuss her role as a Low-Carbon Director and what decarbonising means on the housing level, how she set up a community land trust in her village, her experience in rural surveying and her involvement with Residential PGP at RICS.

What is Covered:

• (00:00) Introduction to Emma and her Low Carbon Housing Role at Octopus
• (04:39) What decarbonising in housing means
• (10:12) Zero bills and why you need a funeral plan for your boiler
• (14:18) Maintaining curiosity and networking with surveyors
• (16:38) Why Emma set up a community land trust in her village
• (24:06) The challenges of the rural path in surveying
• (31:35) Emma’s experience with housing associations
• (43:35) Chairing Residential PGP at RICS
• (56:29) How to adapt to all the changes, innovations and new technology

Resources:

• Octopus Energy https://octopus.energy/
• Connect with Emma Fletcher on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmafletchercambridge/
• Book: Map of a Nation: A Biography of the Ordnance Survey https://www.amazon.com/Map-Nation-Biography-Ordnance-Survey/dp/1847082548
• Learn more about RICS Residential Professional Group Panel https://www.rics.org/about-rics/corporate-governance/professional-group-panels/residential-property
• Buy me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thesurveyorhub

• The Surveyor Hub Community - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.surveyor.hub.love.surveying/

Marsha Ramroop is an engaging and compelling speaker and former BBC journalist and leader. She’s a global award-winning inclusion strategist, and author with a passion for driving change in the built environment. She sees the sector as an opportunity to influence the creation of a more inclusive world. Marsha was the inaugural Director of Inclusion and Diversity at the Royal Institute of British Architects. She is the author of the book “Building Inclusion: Practical Guide to Inclusion in Architecture & the Built Environment,” published by Routledge.

Today, we talk about what cultural intelligence matters in surveying, and we discuss the importance of an inclusive perspective in policies, procedures and practices, which benefit all demographics. Marsha discusses her career transition from BBC to RIBA, highlights the need for systemic changes rather than identity-led initiatives to foster inclusion, and in her book, she advocates for actionable steps to address diversity and improve organisational culture.

What we Cover:

• (00:00) Marsha’s background and experience in radio journalism
• (11:12) The role of Director of Inclusion at RIBA
• (22:50) The difference between diversity and inclusion
• (25:13) What are inclusion led strategies in organisations?
• (35:24) “It’s inclusion for all, or it’s not inclusion at all”
• (37:48) Marsha’s experience of writing a book and why it serves as a practical guide
• (44:22) What cultural intelligence is and its practical applications
• (53:40) How to deal with mistakes and receive feedback
• (58:17) Marsha’s hopes for the impact of her book

Resources:

• Book: Building Inclusion: Practical Guide to Inclusion in Architecture & The Built Environment, by Marsha Ramroop https://www.routledge.com/Building-Inclusion-A-Practical-Guide-to-Equity-Diversity-and-Inclusion-in-Architecture-and-the-Built-Environment/Ramroop/p/book/9781032564838

• Connect with Marsha Ramroop on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marsharamroop/
• RIBA - Royal Institute of British Architecture https://www.architecture.com/
• Buy me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thesurveyorhub

• The Surveyor Hub Community - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.surveyor.hub.love.surveying/

Sam Nicholson is a building surveyor based in the North East. He worked with Maersk Training in offshore wind, and has extensive past experience volunteering with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Recognised as Mentor of the Year 2023, Sam has previously served as Matrics Chair, actively supporting young professionals in the industry with a surveying APC community.

We talk about Sam’s involvement with the APC study group, his current role in Wakefields Chartered Building Surveyors, his past experience working on a lifeboat and in emergency management training, as well as discuss the importance of soft skills and mentoring for the development of competent and skilled surveyors.

What is Covered:

• (00:00) Sam’s career journey
• (07:40) Working with Maersk Training
• (12:00) Mark’s work on the lifeboat
• (16:49) From onshore training to supporting APC candidates
• (20:40) How Sam started on the building surveying pathway
• (23:23) What the APC study group is about
• (29:43) How Sam’s work changed post qualification
• (33:00) What Matrics is and how it supports surveyors
• (37:30) Networking advice and recommendations
• (43:00) Mentor of the Year nomination and application process
• (49:50) Why Sam is passionate about surveying
• (55:45) The importance of role models for life and career

Resources:

• Wakefields Chartered Building Surveyors https://www.wakefieldscbs.co.uk/
• Connect with Sam Nicholson on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-nicholson-frics-4148a1a8/
• Maersk Training https://maersktraining.com/
• RNLI - Royal National Lifeboat Institution https://rnli.org/
• RICS Matrics UK https://www.rics.org/networking/matrics
• RICS Matrics Surveyor Awards https://www.rics.org/training-events/rics-awards/matrics-surveyor-awards
• Ryan Parke - The Science of Men’s Mental Health https://www.lovesurveying.com/podcasts/the-surveyor-hub-podcast/episodes/2148287598
• Super Prime UK News and The Property Valuation Podcast with Rob Cohen and James Wild https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/super-prime-uk/id1566847536
• Buy me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thesurveyorhub

• The Surveyor Hub Community - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.surveyor.hub.love.surveying/

Our first 2025 guest is Mark Duckworth, Chartered Surveyor and Director at Martin & Mortimer, a firm founded in 1965 at Bishop’s Stortford. His previous roles include agriculture, accountancy, production management, voluntary work and sales roles, before starting a remedial repair business working with older buildings.

As a building surveyor with various skills and rich experience, Mark seeks to combine a clear understanding of a given building together with an appreciation for his client's particular needs, where the use of emotional intelligence and soft skills such as listening and communicating are considered highly important. Mark loves people as well as buildings, and his aim is to grow the business by growing people within it.

What is Covered:

• (00:00) Introduction and Mark’s background
• (03:11) The changing landscape in residential surveying
• (07:27) The importance of emotional intelligence in surveying
• (08:53) Learning about client communication from claims and complaints
• (22:53) Mark’s career journey and qualifications
• (23:14) Understanding the client’s emotional needs as an added value in surveying
• (28:19) Using emotional intelligence in dispute resolution and mediation
• (31:19) Why surveyors need to learn about neuroscience and the limbic brain
• (40:54) Mark’s experience with burnout and the importance of self-care
• (42:16) Why surveyors need robust management procedures in place
• (59:51) Mark’s experience as a District Councilor
• (1:08:13) The transferability of skills between surveying and other roles

Resources:

• Connect with Mark Duckworth on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-duckworth-mrac-c-build-e-fcabe-assocrics-mediator-b116a923/
• Martin & Mortimer Chartered Surveyors and Building Consultants https://www.martinandmortimer.co.uk/
• Ep 099 Adventures in Surveying with Stephen Scott-Fawcett https://www.lovesurveying.com/podcasts/the-surveyor-hub-podcast/episodes/2148104926
• Ep 101 Self-Regulation in Surveying with Larry Russen https://www.lovesurveying.com/podcasts/the-surveyor-hub-podcast/episodes/2148104925
• CABE - Chartered Association of Building Surveyors https://cbuilde.com/
• Buy me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thesurveyorhub
• The Surveyor Hub Community - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.surveyor.hub.love.surveying/

Hannah Howard Jones is the Director of Asset Management for Home Group, a housing association with over 58,000 rented and home ownership properties, combining integrated housing, health and social care in supporting their customers to fulfill their aspirations and live independently. Hannah's a chartered residential management surveyor with over 15 years experience in agency and client-side roles, across both the public and private sector.

In this episode, we talk about Hanna’s career journey and how her life experience affected her trajectory as a surveyor. We discuss the importance of understanding the built environment and people inhabiting it, the role of emotional intelligence in dealing with the challenges of housing repair and disrepair claims, how utilising the date can ensure compliance and quality in property management, and the significance of visibility, inclusivity and fairness in the housing sector and property professions.

What is Covered:

• (00:00) The role of a chartered residential management surveyor
• (05:15) Hannah’s experiences prior to becoming a surveyor
• (09:33) Her current role at Home Group
• (14:00) The significance of property and asset management
• (17:00) Surveyors’ detective work and dealing with repairs and disrepair claims
• (21:00) The need for education on how to be a responsible tenant or landlord
• (23:39) The fundamental significance of access to quality housing
• (31:00) Hannah’s experience of co-chairing a conference and representing the sector
• (38:18) The importance of creating an inclusive environment in the housing sector
• (44:05) The need for emotional intelligence in dealing with customers and colleagues
• (53:30) Addressing biases in property professions
• (57:56) The importance of listening and understanding the needs of customers
• (01:03:04) How to utilise data to improve compliance and quality in property management

Resources:

• Home Group https://www.homegroup.org.uk/
• Connect with Hannah Howard-Jones on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-howard-jones-mrics-05584465/
• Learn more about Awaab’s Law https://www.housing.org.uk/resources/awaabs-law/
• Tina Paillet “Why we need a built environment GCSE to inspire the next generation of professionals” https://www.bdonline.co.uk/opinion/why-we-need-a-built-environment-gcse-to-inspire-the-next-generation-of-professionals/5131605.article
• Samantha McClary “Male, pale and privileged: welcome to real estate” https://www.egi.co.uk/news/male-pale-and-privileged-welcome-to-real-estate/
• Ryan Parke - The Science of Men’s Mental Health https://www.lovesurveying.com/podcasts/the-surveyor-hub-podcast/episodes/2148287598
• Buy me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thesurveyorhub
• The Surveyor Hub Community - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.surveyor.hub.love.surveying/

Today Marion Ellis chats with Joshim Uddin, a Chartered Surveyor in Tower Hamlets and RICS Matrics Award Winner.

Joshim is a Chartered Surveyor who leads a public sector development viability service. The key purpose of his role is to ensure maximum levels of affordable housing/developer contributions is provided as part of planning applications for new development schemes for local residents.

In this episode, we discuss development viability, the public sector and local authorities, the RICS Matrics surveyor of the year award, and the purpose of work and social value.

What Is Covered

• 3.44 - Role Models and Inspiration in Surveying
• 16.42 - Joshim’s perspective on the PGP
• 22.04 - Joshim’s work in Tower Hamlets
• 34.08 - Discussion on Social Value

Resources

• Connect with Joshim on LinkedIn
• Guidance from the NPPF
• Financial viability in planning: conduct and reporting (rics.org)
• Buy me a Coffee
• The Surveyor Hub Community - Facebook

Today, Marion Ellis chats with George Hooton, a General Practice Surveyor and the RICS Matrics Commercial Property Surveyor of the Year 2023.

A surveyor with a demonstrated history of working in the commercial real estate industry, George works hard both inside and outside of the business to drive a better and more inclusive property profession.

In this episode, we discuss George’s career, his award, his perspective on the surveying sector, how it could better accommodate people with disabilities, and how this would improve everyone’s quality of life.

What Is Covered

• 5.03 - George’s Career and Award
• 13.59 - Discussion on Facilitating Disability
• 28.16 - Perspective and Responsibility as a Wheelchair User
• 36.40 - How Disability has impacted George’s work

Resources

• Follow George on LinkedIn
• Changing Perceptions of Disability in Surveying (Article)
• Uniting around accessibility – George Hooton, Hootons Commercial Ltd. Article France+Associates (franceandassociates.co.uk)
• Buy me a Coffee
• The Surveyor Hub Community - Facebook