Our next community spotlight falls on Rodney Appleyard FRICS. Rodney is a chartered building surveyor and specialises in building surveying as well as being an adjudicator and arbitrator and is based in Bingley, West Yorkshire, UK. Let's learn more about him:
The construction industry and building surveying is so diverse and never a boring moment, I only wish that more young people realised that it is fun and enter it.
So, to start, tell us a bit more about you and your field of expertise.
To start with I have more grey hair than black which people say give me an air of knowing, not sure about that but it does give an air of maturity and knowing what I am talking about. From a long history in construction and the glass industry I went back into education to gain various degrees at the ripe old age of 50 so the adage that you are never too old stands up well.
I started working as an expert witness in 1996 and was given the name of 'The Versifier' when writing for a trade journal. From that sprung my trading name of Verification Associates and took on the strap line of a Forensic Investigator of fenestration and building envelope defects.
Not only do I have a degree in surveying but also a master in construction law. I am an accredited expert with Cardiff university for England and Wales Courts and accredited expert for the Scottish courts with Aberdeen University.
I work predominantly as an expert witness although do act as either a mediator or expert determiner when appointed.
My field of expertise is fenestration and building envelope which gets me not only all over the UK but occasionally to foreign lands working on a very diverse range of structures and meeting some great people
Why did you decide to become a surveyor?
Although having carried out surveying within a company that I ran, I did not formally become a surveyor until 1996 when I divested myself of some business interest. This came about when I joined the Society of Surveying Technicians (SST) whom were absorbed into the RICS where I became a TecRICS
Surveying is an interesting and varied career so can you tell us why you decided to specialise in building surveying as well as your other roles as an adjudicator and arbitrator?
I originated from the construction industry and let's be honest we get to see a variety of projects, poke around and to cap it all play with some pretty big toys (sorry meant equipment). The construction industry and building surveying is so diverse and never a boring moment and I only wish that more young people realized that it is fun and enter it.
What are some of the most significant professional challenges you've faced in your surveying career, and what aspects of the job do you find most exciting?
The most challenging part of being a surveyor, especially in the field that I work, is keeping up with what is a fast and dynamic industry in terms of innovation. updates of legislation and standards can be a big headache to keep abreast of. Couple this with the ever-changing legal requirements can make life a bit hard.
My most significant moment was my first day in court as an expert. That showed me that I may know my stuff but definitely did not know what was expected of an expert witness and he tough questioning I would be faced with. It was at that point I reached out to Bond Solon to get trained to the best of my ability.
What do I find most exciting? you are presented with an issue and digging and digging until you find out the full extent of the issue, you just cannot beat the eureka moment and that is why I am known as a 'Forensic Investigator' also no two jobs are the same.
In your experience, how can the surveying profession attract a younger generation?
We have to make it look what it is: fun and diverse while making it a lot more interesting than staring at a computer screen. We have the technology and some pretty fancy toys so let kids know at an early age (school) how good it can be. If you want to sell being a fireman they turn up at a school with a fire engine and all sorts of things, could we learn from this?
How can MyRICS Community Forum help surveyors?
By being a voice for and to the powers that be and suggest changes that make sense and benefit the members. It also allows certain topics to be debated and it is great that this facility is available it was much needed.
Finally, where do you see the future of surveying?
We have to be careful not to be too seduced by technology which is a good tool but not the whole answer and ensure that we retain the feely touchy assets that we have. The future with AI is brilliant if used correctly but not the panacea for surveying the personal touch will always be essential and will be needed in the future as much as it has been needed now and in the past. We are a people profession and that must never be lost.
Rod A.