In this episode I’m joined by Joe Nelson, a chartered architectural technologist and chartered building engineer working in retrofit. We talk about what is actually happening on the ground in UK housing, from failed external wall insulation schemes and TrustMark action through to new PAS 2035 requirements, BS 40104 and RICS’ emerging retrofit pathways.

Joe brings it back to people. We explore how retrofit affects vulnerable communities, the links to Awaab’s Law and the housing crisis, and where UK surveyors and students can step into this space for meaningful work and new income streams.

What we cover

• Joe’s background in construction, energy assessment and retrofit coordination
• How government grant schemes have grown the retrofit industry, for better and for worse
• Eco4 and GBIS failures, phoenix companies and the “missionaries and mercenaries” of retrofit
• The impact on first generation immigrant communities and why trust has been damaged
• PAS 2035-2023, mandatory site visits and moving design work to chartered professionals
• BS 40104 and the push for a higher standard of retrofit surveying
• RICS’ new retrofit and sustainability pathways and what they could mean for residential surveyors
• Archetypes, social housing providers and why surveyors are ideal for first-in-door surveys
• Net zero, carbon capture, Awaab’s Law and health impacts from damp and mould
• Training routes, bootcamps and practical first steps for surveyors and students

Guest links

• Joe Nelson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-nelson-msc-mciat-c-build-e-mcabe-659284a6/
• Joe's website https://www.pas2035consultants.com

Useful links

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• RICS retrofit standard and guidance: https://www.rics.org/profession-standards/rics-standards-and-guidance/sector-standards/real-estate-standards/retrofit
• RISE retrofit masterclasses on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@RISERetrofit
• Government retrofit and skills bootcamps: https://energy-trust.co.uk/warm-homes-skills-programme
• National Careers Service: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk

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

Connect with me - Nina Young on LinkedIn

Summary
In this solo episode of This Is Surveying called "My Take", I talk about something I see across the whole profession. Surveying is still largely invisible to the public, to young people choosing careers, and even to some of the industries that rely on us. I share my own story, why I stepped away from qualifying as a residential surveyor to build Surveyors UK and The Surveying Room, and how this podcast is part of making surveyors visible and valued.

What we cover

• Why can most people describe what a solicitor or architect does, but not a surveyor
• How my experience training as a residential surveyor during COVID exposed the visibility gap
• The “Gandalf in tweed” moment that nearly put me off surveying at school
• Why I believe the surveying profession is at a crossroads, with an ageing workforce and course closures in areas like building surveying and geospatial
• The role of AI, reforms to buying and selling, and low public awareness in shaping the future of surveying
• How a Facebook student community of over 3,000 surveyors showed there was demand for something bigger
• The silos between residential, QS, geospatial and other specialisms, and the shared issues of isolation, value, and diversity
• Why I chose to focus on building Surveyors UK and The Surveying Room instead of finishing my residential surveying qualification
• What This Is Surveying is here to do, for both people inside the profession and those outside looking in
• An invitation to join The Surveying Room and to be a guest on the podcast

Links

• Connect with Nina Young on LinkedIn:
• Join Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room
• Email info@surveyors-uk.com about becoming a guest
  

You can also support the podcast by subscribing in your favourite podcast app, leaving a review, and sharing this episode with someone who needs to hear it.

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

Connect with me - Nina Young on LinkedIn

Summary

In this first episode, I speak with Richard Sexton, Commercial Director at Houzecheck. Richard has worked across the property and valuation sector for more than three decades, including corporate roles at LSL and exposure to major market shifts from the 1990s crash through to COVID. We talk about how desktop valuations have developed, how corporates compare with independent practices, and how technology and AI are shaping everything from reporting to customer experience.

This is a grounded, honest conversation about the realities of residential surveying today and the opportunities ahead for the profession.

What we cover

– Richard’s career path across valuations and property services
– The rise of desktop valuations and why they are here to stay
– Corporate vs independent surveying models
– Houzecheck’s flexible consultant model
– How PropTech and AI are influencing reporting and quality control
– The impact of legislation on upfront condition surveys
– PI insurance challenges and what may change
– Career advice for new and experienced surveyors
– Why residential surveying still has huge long-term potential

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:33 Meet Richard Sexton

00:58 Richard's Career Journey

03:38 The Evolution of Desktop Valuations

05:52 Corporate vs. Independent Surveying

09:47 Houzecheck's Business Model

10:55 The Role of Technology in Surveying

17:29 Legislation and Upfront Condition Surveys

22:41 Professional Indemnity Insurance Challenges

27:36 Final Thoughts and Career Advice

29:34 Closing Remarks and Contact Information

Learn more about Houzecheck

You can contact Richard on LinkedIn or email at Richard.Sexton@houzecheck.com

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

Connect with me - Nina Young on LinkedIn