01. Who are you, and what is your role?
My name is James Revels-Hull and I am a Senior Quantity Surveyor. My day-to-day role has recently changed with my promotion to Senior QS; it now involves more delegation and people management. I oversee a team of Assistant Quantity Surveyors and Quantity Surveyors. My role is to check my team are prioritising tasks, are confident in what they are doing and are keeping to schedule. I also have more of a client-facing role, attend meetings, work on Contractor’s Proposals documents, and price potential jobs that are being tendered for.
02. What has your journey been to get to SDC?
When at school, I enjoyed technology-based subjects and was inspired by a school visit from a building firm, who explained the role of a site manager. I knew then I wanted to work in construction.
My first job at SDC was as a temporary administrator in Special Projects which began when I was on work experience at school. I then came back to do admin in school holidays. While studying for my BSc (Hons) Construction, I had a gap year at university where I worked as a Trainee Site Manager. I returned to this role when I left university.
After a year, I joined the SDC Management Trainee course. I was on this for about a year, which gave me the opportunity to work in the different departments within the company. When I made my way to work with the Quantity Surveying department, I initially hated it! But after about 3 months, something just ‘clicked’ and I realised that was something I wanted to move into. I have since worked my way up to Senior QS. Had I not taken part in the Trainee Programme, I may not have found my way to my current role, which I love.
03. What projects are you currently working on?
I work on multiple projects as a Senior QS. I currently have multiple projects based at Jaguar Land Rover in Gaydon, Warwickshire, and an increasing number in Cambridge. All of the projects I work on are at different stages of their programmes, so I spend more time on those in which have just started, ensuring the buyers and other members of my team on site are on top of everything that needs doing. In the future, I will be working more in Cambridge as my workload there is increasing.
04. What motivates you?
Enjoyment of my job is my main motivation; if I didn’t enjoy my job, I wouldn’t do it. For me, I know when I started here, I was very quiet and got on with what I needed to in order to progress. As my knowledge and experience have increased as I’ve gone along the journey, I feel like I am much more confident now. Developing me as a person, understanding more, taking on more responsibility is very rewarding. Its nice to look back at where I started to where I am now. There are also the benefits of increased salaries etc through more responsibility which in turn releases the pressures at home with current inflation rates and knowing that everything will be covered. I’m a real family man, and working here allows me to provide for, and spend time with them.
05. What does working at SDC mean to you?
When I was young, I completed work experience at another local construction firm and found that I much preferred the ‘vibe’ at SDC; work is taken seriously but the team can have a laugh together.
Early in my career at SDC, I was mentored by a director and had regular contact with them. They have always been very supportive of my career, particularly when I switched to be a Quantity Surveyor. SDC has a real family ethos, which you get because of the close contact with the directors. Certainly, with my family at home, SDC have been supportive of ensuring I have a good work/life balance. The feeling I get is that at another company, I would be more of a ‘number’ and not treated with the same respect I have here.
