My job: Being the master of all he surveys

Brian Jones. Photo / Ted Baghurst

* Name: Brian Jones
* Age: 40
* Role: Building Surveyor/Director of Hampton Jones Property Consultancy
* Working hours: typically 40 hours
* Average salary: Qualified surveyor $70,000 - $100,000; project management $120,000 - $140,000
* Qualifications and institution: BSc (Honours) - major in building surveying from University of Greenwich (UK) and MBA in Construction and Real Estate from University of Reading (UK).
* Professional member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors UK (RICS) and registered with New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors (NZIBS).

Describe what you do?

We provide advice predominantly on existing buildings, focusing on construction, performance and condition of buildings, including the impact of use and the environment on their performance.

We survey buildings to determine their condition and advise clients what needs to be done to fulfil the clients' requirements.

This can involve technical due diligence reports for people buying commercial buildings or providing advice to landlords or tenants on lease liability issues.

We also prepare maintenance programmes, pre-purchase reports, fire insurance assessments, weathertightness investigations, defects analysis and expert witness services. It is good fun, varied and never boring.

Building surveyors advise on building performance so where do you sit with leaky building issues?

Defect analysis, construction detailing and reporting are core skills that identify what has gone wrong after the design and construction process. These skills place building surveyors in the best position to report on problems and provide expert witness services and advice on the most appropriate level of repair, particularly in respect of leaky buildings.

In countries where building surveying is well established, building surveyors are often involved at design stage to reduce the likelihood of potential defects. This is starting to happen in the New Zealand.

How did you end up in this role?

I grew up in the UK and always wanted to do something that involved buildings, being outside and working with people.

I thought about architecture but chose building surveying because I liked the emphasis on the whole building process, rather than just one part. And because building surveying involves learning the building process from beginning to end, the degree included a number of architecture papers.

We also did a lot of property and contract law which I find fascinating.

The training involved a three-year degree and two years of monitored industry training.

After that we undergo a submission and are interviewed by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to become members; an essential requirement for building surveyors in the UK.

What is your work history?

After graduating I started working with a specialist facilities management firm, looking after Ministry of Defence properties in central London, including the Tower of London, Horseguards Parade and St James Palace.

However, after three years the recession hit and I was made redundant. I moved to a job with Fraser Corporate Real Estate, a specialist surveying practice where I did building surveying and project management work. I was associate director there before coming to Auckland in 2003 to take up a similar role.

I soon realised there was a huge gap in the Auckland market for commercial building surveying, so in 2005 I started up Hampton Jones Property Consultancy along with a couple of colleagues. We now have 19 staff, including 10 building surveyors, four architects and a quantity surveyor project manager.

What training or experience can be done in New Zealand?

Currently there is no building surveying degree yet in New Zealand, although I believe the NZIBS and RICS are talking to universities about developing one.

The best preparation is either a building-related degree, such as architecture, quantity surveying or property, or some kind of grounding in construction. We employ people from all those backgrounds, then put them through RICS or NZIBS training.

How is building surveying different to architecture?

Architects are very conceptual; they design for good views, amazing spaces and great lighting. A building surveyor observes the whole life cycle of maintenance, repair and renewal.

We are taught to presume a building will deteriorate with time and eventually fail so we learn how to mitigate and manage that.

Essential skills?

A good knowledge of business, property/contract law, construction, design and management, and an analytical mind that gives attention to detail. You need solid commercial knowledge; no point advising on the purchase of a building that has no return. You have to be objective and impartial. You need really good communication skills and must be able to work under pressure.

Best part of the job?

I work with a great cross-section of society; tradespeople, CEOs, lawyers, tenants and landlords. I also enjoy getting out of the office.

As a director and project manager, I'm outside two to three days each week. Our building surveyors get out about two days and spend the rest of the time in the office writing up reports.

Challenges?

The day-to-day requirements of getting things delivered to deadlines, managing various jobs at once, and making sure things are always moving forward.