Blane Perrotton – BSc (Hons) Building Surveying graduate, Quantity Surveyor and winner of the RICS ‘UK Young Surveyor of the Year’ award – shares his inspiration, his success in industry and his passion for helping others.
Blane is a chartered Fellow (FRICS) of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and the Founder and Managing Director of his own chartered surveying practice Pride Consulting IMS (Independent Monitoring Surveying). Blane’s journey to success began as a teenager, when he used to help his dad, a carpenter, on building sites.
Set on a career path in the building industry, Blane began investigating universities – but it didn’t take him long to settle on the University of Reading’s School of Construction Management and Engineering.
“I spoke to some surveyors and they all immediately recommended Reading. So I had a look around the campus and loved it – I didn’t look at any other universities after that.
“Being accepted into Reading was a turning point for me. My course was fantastic, I had an incredible tutor, and I even met my wife there with whom I now have three children.
“Without Reading I wouldn’t have my career, my beautiful wife and family, and I wouldn’t have the memories and experiences it gave me. I’m incredibly grateful for my time there – it sounds cheesy, but it really does hold a special place in my heart.
“Reading is so highly regarded in my industry and if people know you’ve come from Reading it’s a tick in the box straight away. None of my achievements would have been possible without Reading.”
Taking the leap
In late 2019, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Blane took the leap to start his own business.
“I always say ‘if you don’t like the playing field, create your own’, so I decided to follow my own advice, leaving my Managing Director role to start my own firm."
“I’m also really proud of our Pride Pledge – every year we donate 1% of our profit to charity. I’d love to donate a higher percentage in the future and to see the wider industry make similar pledges – how fantastic would that be?”
Award-winning
Blane’s career has continued to go from strength-to-strength and in 2019 he won the RICS ‘UK Young Surveyor of the Year’ award. The awards recognises the most inspiring and influential surveyor – aged 35 or under – in the UK.
Those on the RICS judging panel said: “Blane was highly deserving of the top accolade for not only achieving a high level of success in the industry, but also actively helping to advance the construction market and routes in to the surveying profession.”
Blane was selected out of thousands of surveyors in the UK and beat tough competition from a shortlist of 80 other surveyors.
Inspiring others
Blane was also commended by the Head of the RICS judging panel for not being “afraid to challenge existing systems to ensure success, not only for his own business but for others in their careers.”
“I am working to establish a new APC [Assessment of Professional Competency] pathway, as there isn’t currently a pathway for the niche area of Quantity Surveying I work in – bank surveying. So I’ve been working closely with RICS to enable graduates to qualify as banking Quantity Surveyors, to make the industry more accessible.”
Blane is also passionate about inspiring others to consider surveying as a career.
“I want young kids to know about surveying and aspire to do it – it’s such an incredible career with a great mix of opportunities and a diverse range of people doing it.
“It’s a career I’m really proud of. I believe surveyors hold an important role in our economy and infrastructure, and we work on so much more than just houses – my first role was the 2012 Olympics. This career offers so many opportunities, yet not many young people know about it which is something I’d like to change.”
Find out more about the School of Construction Management and Engineering.
