Summary

Building surveying apprentice and RICS Matrics Apprentice of the Year, Sonya Swaley, joins me to share her journey into surveying and life on a five year apprenticeship. After Covid disrupted her A levels and a year studying economics, Sonya made the leap into professional construction and has not looked back.

We talk about the realities of balancing work, university and APC preparation, why she chose building surveying over quantity surveying, and how apprenticeships can unlock a chartered career without student debt. Sonya also opens up about being a young woman in a male dominated sector, developing confidence on site, and why she now prefers heritage and listed buildings to shiny new builds.

What We Cover

• How Covid, cancelled exams and a year of economics led Sonya to surveying
• Moving from full time university into an apprenticeship route
• Why building surveying is less promoted than quantity surveying but more varied
• What it is like to be four years into a five year building surveying apprenticeship
• Starting the APC early and building a diary from day one
• Sonya’s experience of the RICS Matrics Awards and winning Apprentice of the Year
• Why she believes apprenticeships are a win for both apprentices and employers
• Government funding support for smaller firms who take on apprentices
• Learning to handle difficult conversations with contractors using facts and kindness
• Being a woman in surveying and the role of women in property networks
• The joy and challenge of working on heritage and listed buildings
• Using LinkedIn as a portfolio and a way to help others into the profession

Guest Bio

Sonya Swaley is a building surveying apprentice currently working with Murray Birrell in London. After Covid disrupted her A levels, Sonya began a full time economics degree before realising that a traditional university route was not for her. She returned home, completed an A level in professional construction and secured a building surveying apprenticeship. Now over four years into a five year programme with London South Bank University, Sonya is already on her APC pathway and building a strong mix of site and office experience, particularly on heritage and listed buildings. In 2024 she was named RICS Matrics Apprentice of the Year, recognising her commitment, technical development and contributions to the profession. Alongside her role, Sonya is active on LinkedIn, mentors prospective apprentices informally, and is passionate about widening access to surveying careers through apprenticeships and better outreach in schools and colleges.

Guest Links

• Sonya Swaley on LinkedIn
• Murray Birrell Chartered Surveyors

Useful Links

• Association of Apprentices
• Outer Circle networking group
• Women in Property
• London South Bank University built environment apprenticeships

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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In this episode, I’m joined by registered building inspector and building control surveyor, Jack Calveley. Jack talks through his journey from SAVA residential surveying into LABC’s trainee programme, gaining his Level 4 and 5 qualifications, and moving from local authority into private sector building control.

We unpack what building control actually is, what a registered building inspector does all week, why the role is now a protected title, and how the profession is changing with new competency and registration requirements. We also cover training, CPD, career progression, and Jack’s own podcast, Behind the Regs, which shines a light on the building control community.

What We Cover

• Jack’s background – SAVA residential surveying, joining professional bodies and discovering building control
• How the LABC trainee programme works, and what Level 4 and 5 training looks like in practice
• The day to day role of a building control surveyor – design stage checks, site inspections and completion sign off
• Independence and impartiality – why inspectors cannot design the solution or tell builders exactly what to do
• Registration, protected titles and how to look up a registered building inspector on the GOV.UK register
• The shortage of building control surveyors, and why older surveyors left when competency proof was required
• Advice for trainees and career changers – how to approach the legislation, Approved Documents and CPD
• Salary bands and progression from trainee to Class 2 inspector and beyond in public and private sectors
• Behind the Regs – why Jack started a dedicated building control podcast and LinkedIn group
• What homeowners need to know about building regulations, re-roofs, knock throughs and social media myths

Guest Links

• Jack Calveley on LinkedIn
• Behind the Regs podcast LinkedIn group

Useful Links

• Building Control group - The Surveying Room - join here
• LABC – Building control careers and trainee programmes
• Total Training and Development – Building control qualifications (Level 4, 5, 6)
• CABE – Chartered Association of Building Engineers

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 solo episode, I talk about why AI is already reshaping surveying, from residential surveys to professional practice, whether you consider yourself “techy” or not. I look at the new RICS professional standard on the responsible use of artificial intelligence in surveying practice, and what it means for judgement, accountability and how we use AI day to day.

I also share details of a live, practical AI session I am running with AI trainer Nick Crawford, designed specifically for surveyors and surveying firms who want a clear, grounded starting point without the hype.

What we cover

• Why AI is already embedded in everyday tools like search, email and messaging
• How this shift in everyday life has finally landed in surveying
• Why AI is not just about faster reports, but a change in the whole operating environment
• The difference between knowledge and judgement for surveyors
• Why AVMs and AI tools cannot replace on site inspection and accountability
• How client search behaviour is changing, including people asking AI tools to find surveyors
• A practical explanation of the RICS standard on responsible use of AI and “material impact”
• Why responsibility stays with the surveyor, even when AI shapes the work
• How smaller firms and practitioners can use AI as a strategic partner, not a replacement
• Details of my live AI training session with Nick Crawford, and what we will cover

Useful links

• AI Explained: A Practical Session for Surveyors and Professionals - book here
  
  
• RICS: Responsible use of artificial intelligence in surveying practice
• Nina’s LinkedIn AI and surveying newsletter

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 episode I’m joined by Layla Davey, a Chartered Commercial Surveyor working in rail freight at Network Rail. Layla looks after a huge patch across the South of England, dealing with sidings, open storage, landlord and tenant issues and day to day commercial surveying on the railway. We talk about what rail freight actually involves, the reality of site inspections, and why “read the lease” has become her professional motto.

Layla also shares an honest account of navigating the APC as a dyslexic and autistic surveyor, diagnosed in adulthood, while working full time and raising two young children. We explore processing challenges, distraction, burnout, lone working safety, and how things like quiet spaces, headphones, reasonable adjustments and workplace coaching can make surveying far more accessible. She is now an RICS counsellor and actively supports other surveyors, especially those who are neurodivergent or juggling family life through the APC.

Guest Bio

Layla Davey is a Chartered Commercial Surveyor working in rail freight at Network Rail. Covering a large patch from South East London down to Dorset, she manages sidings, open storage and industrial sites, bringing together commercial surveying, landlord and tenant work, lease compliance and on the ground health and safety. Layla came into surveying via a psychology degree and a role in local authority estates, where she discovered a love of leases and problem solving. Diagnosed with dyslexia and autism in adulthood, she completed her surveying apprenticeship, master’s and APC while working full time and raising two young children. She is now an RICS counsellor, with a particular passion for supporting neurodivergent surveyors and those balancing family life with the APC.

Disclaimer
The views expressed in this episode are Layla's own and are not representative of her employer.

What We Cover

• What a Chartered Commercial Surveyor does in rail freight at Network Rail
• Managing sidings, open storage and industrial sites alongside landlord and tenant work
• Lone working on site, safety apps, procedures and the Suzy Lamplugh story
• How Japanese knotweed, asbestos and other risks show up along the railway
• Layla’s route into surveying from a psychology degree and local authority work
• Doing a surveying apprenticeship, a master’s and the APC while raising two young children
• Dyslexia, autism, possible ADHD traits and how they affect processing and focus at work
• Reasonable adjustments for the APC and support available from RICS
• Burnout, sensory overload and the value of workplace coaching and quiet spaces
• Why Layla loves leases, landlord and tenant puzzles, and is now training as an RICS counsellor

Useful Links

Layla Davey LinkedIn

Suzy Lamplugh Trust

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

A song written just for you - all the incredible surveyors and supporters of Surveyors UK. I want to say a personal thank you for all your support, both on this podcast and across The Surveying Room and Surveyors UK.

Wishing you all a well-deserved break, and here's to 2026!

Nina Young

Founder - Surveyors UK, The Surveying Room and This is 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

Connect with me - Nina Young on LinkedIn

Summary

In this episode of This Is Surveying, I’m joined by Peter Monk, an independent damp and timber surveyor based on the Isle of Wight.

Peter’s route into surveying is not the typical one. He left school at 16, trained as a baker, moved into management, worked as a contractor, then later qualified and moved into surveying. That mix of hands-on experience and deep technical curiosity shapes how he approaches damp, timber, ventilation, heritage buildings, and building pathology.

We talk about:
– Why damp and timber surveying can be unfairly looked down on
– What PCA membership and auditing actually means in practice
– Why “further investigation” in a Level 2 or Level 3 survey is often the right call
– How mortgage and lending requirements can drive poor outcomes (even when surveyors advise otherwise)
– Better ways for surveyors and specialists to work together
– The career pathways that exist for tradespeople, and why more people need to know about them

Peter also shares a simple rule for making sense of online arguments: the truth usually lies somewhere in between.

Chapters and timestamps (ready for YouTube)

– 00:00 Intro and welcome
– 00:01 Peter’s background, from leaving school to baking
– 00:03 Management, systems, and an “accidental” career
– 00:04 Music, then the route into damp and timber work
– 00:05 Heritage interest, lime, cob, and building pathology
– 00:07 Qualifications later in life, moving into surveying
– 00:10 Damp and timber “snobbery” and misconceptions
– 00:12 What PCA membership involves, auditing and CPD
– 00:15 Why the training is not “a quick certificate”
– 00:17 Social media blame culture, and what clients actually need
– 00:18 When Peter tells clients to get a contractor first
– 00:22 Mortgage requirements and damp proofing pressure
– 00:25 Careers, apprenticeships, and alternative routes in
– 00:39 Graham Coleman, learning resources, and YouTube
– 00:41 Closing mindset, “truth lies somewhere in between”

Peter Monk Guest Bio

Peter is an independent damp and timber surveyor based on the Isle of Wight. His career path spans hands-on contracting, heritage-focused repairs, and later qualification into surveying. Peter is known for his practical, evidence-led approach to diagnosis, with interests including ventilation and condensation, timber defects, traditional buildings, and building pathology.

Links mentioned

Connect with Peter on LinkedIn

Graham Coleman - YouTube

Property Care Associations - PCA

SAVA

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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In this “My Take” solo episode, I talk about what it really feels like to be a surveyor at this time of year. Not just the technical side, but the human side.

I dig into independence vs isolation, the quiet pressure of judgement and risk, and why cross-disciplinary community matters more than ever for the surveying profession. I also share how The Surveying Room is helping surveyors connect, and outline my new introductory AI webinar for January, designed to give surveyors practical, safe first steps with generative AI.

What we cover

• How surveyors are listening to the podcast in the car, on site and on the treadmill
• Why independence is a strength in surveying, but can slip into isolation
• The responsibility surveyors carry around risk, judgement and complex decisions
• How silos form across surveying disciplines, even when experiences overlap
• Why The Surveying Room was built to be cross-disciplinary, not boxed into pathways
• Real topics from the Weekly Dig: boundaries, retrofit, dyslexia, neurodiversity and more
• How LinkedIn’s algorithm quietly narrows your professional world
• Why AI in surveying is about connection, clarity and context, not hype
• Details of the 2 hour introductory AI webinar in January for surveyors
• A light finish with some “did you know” trivia from around the world

Important links

AI introductory webinar details and waitlist: https://surveyors-uk.kit.com/1893f79a5b

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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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

• 
  
• 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