Find out what it is really like to work for us...
Q: What were you doing before you joined Watts and how long have you been with the firm?
A: For the last four decades I have been a specialist surveyor of historic buildings dedicating my career to the care, repair and rescue of the heritage of Britain. My aim is always to help clients realise the full potential of heritage buildings in their ownership. Getting under the skin of historic buildings to fully understand their needs, passing them on to future generations in better condition than they are now, and enabling them to earn their keep, remains my key ambition.
I am more than happy to admit I have just turned 60 years of age and equally happy to indicate I really enjoy what I do professionally.
I joined Watts on 2 April 2002. Prior to working for Watts, I was at Davis, Langdon and Everest from 1999-2002, and Poole, Stokes Wood from 1995-1999, preceeded by Tuffin, Ferraby and Taylor from 1991-1995.
Prior to 1991, I pursued a career in local government with the Greater London Council and the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Bromley from 1965 to 1991.
Q: Why did you decide to join Watts?
A: Watts had and has a reputation for excellence and detail in what it does. I was looking to move on and develop my career further into the understanding of the behaviour of materials and fabric of historic and older buildings. A fortuitous meeting with a Watts partner, Paul Lovelock, on a historic building case on Park Lane in the spring of 2002 led to an invitation to meet with Peter Primett and Trevor Rushton and an invitation to work at Watts - one that was taken up instantly.
Q: What kind of projects are you currently involved in? What has been your most interesting job to-date?
A:One of the pleasures of working for Watts has been the opportunity to broaden my professional work outside the UK. I have also been able to carry out due diligence surveys of buildings of all ages, enabling me to better understand and report on their needs for potential investor clients.
At present, it is a real pleasure to be the historic buildings advisor of the joint investigation team that has just won the commission to fully understand the construction of and potential reconstruction needs of the Grade 1 Listed Royal Albert Hall in London.
The enjoyment of providing on-going historic buildings conservation advice on the Foreign Office in Whitehall and the Old Admiralty building overlooking Horse Guards Parade in London has recently been matched by due diligence investigations of an office block in Hamburg Germany and three factory sites in Finland. Travel broadens the mind and provides the challenge of understanding forms of construction outside the UK and the legal controls and construction processes across Europe.
My most interesting project so far at Watts has been the sequence of commissions that started in 2004, to produce the condition survey, repair needs and restoration assessment for the Grade 1 Listed Royal Ballet School in Richmond Park London. This was followed up in 2006 by the quinquennial survey of the school and an on-going watching brief on the restoration and reconstruction of the school. A Royal Hunting Lodge, research in the Royal Archives in Windsor matched by a love of ballet as an art form and a pleasure in being a part of ensuring that art form can flourish in Britain, gives one a happy heart and immense professional pride.
I would add that inspecting a 17th/18th Century town palace in Paris – the one time home of a French princess - that survived the French Revolution and which was then providing offices for the French Ministry of Culture, does run a close second for fascinating forms and uses of stonework and the thoughts of Baroness Orczy's novels, Tales of Two Cities and the Scarlet Pimpernel. Surveyors can and do have a romantic nature you know.
Q: How has your career progressed since joining Watts? Where do you see it going?
A: I came in as a senior building surveyor and have been promoted to associate, specialising in conservation advice and building pathology investigations on heritage and modern buildings, due diligence inspections across UK and Europe and, for buildings of all ages, solving water ingress problems including a sewage ingress problem for the Headquarters of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.
I would like to see my career continue along the same lines, helping promote Watts as a centre of excellence in these fields.
Q: How would you describe Watts as a company?
A:A large happy family that helps each other.
Q: How would you describe the social side of your team?
A: A wonderful melange of the serious and sublime - attending a theatrical performance at the Globe Theatre; organising a heritage walk through to Spitalfields; listening in rapture to the choral society that my colleague Jane Dalgliesh is a member of; and enjoying the various curries and skating expeditions at Christmas.
Q: Do you have any advice for people wanting to join Watts?
A: If you are offered the opportunity grab it with both hands! I have enjoyed my time so far and have absolutely no intention of moving on. My final career aim is to happily retire from Watts when I’m 65.