Grant Crossley: All he surveys

Is the work of surveyors a mystery to you? In a brand new regular column, Grant Crossley lifts the lid on his world & the work that he undertakes

I’ve wanted to turn my hand to writing for a while now, so finally, after a few pointers from the inimitable Andrew Kay, here I am.

I’m a rare breed, a true Brightonian! I started my early career as a craftsman, a chippy, renovating homes for private clients across Sussex and also in London. I eventually decided to go back to University, and finally ended up being retained by local firm, BLB Surveyors.

Yes, I’m a chartered building surveyor; oh dear, you’re thinking. But I’m not the dull clip-board carrying anorak type. And I hate pinstripes. And don’t call me Mr. Crossley, Grant is fine.

Despite the stereotypes usually attributed to people in the surveying game, I’m cut from a different cloth. I’m full of energy and passion, a people person, for a new generation.

Over the next few months I plan to lift the lid on the property and building process, share a few tips, and open the doors on some of our surveying expertise, often dominated by our friends – the architects.

Future articles include:
• My top ten tips for a successful renovation project – Design and renovation tips to help avoid the pitfalls of your own Grand Design
• Cardinal rules when purchasing an older property
• Don’t get carried away with the excitement of purchasing a listed building – Look before you leap
• Garage vs room
• You require additional space
• You want to add value to your home
• Advice on how to convert your cobweb-infested garage into a habitable room
• Bungaroosh Brighton Bunga-who? Dishing the dirt, quite literally, on Brighton’s notorious building material

The perception of the work of a surveyor is usually: ‘So you just inspect homes that clients want to buy, right?’. Well, we’re not merely ‘defect detectives’ hunting for faults before you buy your dream home. There’s so much more!
Simply put, surveyors are problem solvers and trouble shooters, providing professional advice concerning property and construction.

For me, inspecting homes is just the tip of a property iceberg, and like icebergs there is so much more beneath the surface. I hope you will join me as I head into those depths and try to lift the lid on what it is that we do and make those often murky waters much clearer.

Follow me: @MrGrantCrossley