A Week in the Life of Stephanie, Chartered Valuation Surveyor

As a Chartered Valuation Surveyor, my working week takes me to a wide range of properties across London. One day I may be inspecting a residential flat in North London, while the next could involve a mixed-use investment, an industrial unit or a development site in South London.

That variety is one of the things I enjoy most about valuation work. Every property has its own characteristics, and part of the job is working out which details really matter. I could be inspecting a seven-bedroom house with a swimming pool one day, very much the house of my dreams, and an office block the next. I also like that it is an active role. I am not sitting in the office all week, and the inspections give me the information I need for everything that follows, from researching the market evidence to reaching the final valuation.

Monday

Monday is usually my planning day in the office. My commute into London takes about an hour and 15 minutes door to door, but I actually quite like having that bit of calm before the working day starts. Although it is tempting to look at emails, I try to use the journey as downtime, usually catching up with friends on the phone before things get busy.

When I arrive, I review my live instructions, look at anything new that has come in and work out which reports need my attention first. Valuations are often time-sensitive, so starting the week with a clear idea of what needs to happen and when makes everything feel much more manageable.

We also have our weekly team meeting on Monday. It gives the surveyors, graduates and wider team a chance to talk through current jobs, approaching deadlines and any properties where another opinion would be useful. I really enjoy the training side of my role, and my colleagues probably know me as the person who is always happy to help. Because we are often out inspecting on different days, it is a useful opportunity to get everyone together and share what we are working on.

I will also prepare for the inspections ahead by reviewing the information available to me, such as floor plans, leases, title information or planning history. The aim is to arrive already knowing what I need to pay particular attention to.

Lunch is normally something fairly healthy, perhaps a salad or chicken and rice, although a Nando’s is always a good option too.

Tuesday and Wednesday

Tuesday and Wednesday tend to be my inspection days, and these are probably my favourite part of the week. I usually drive between properties with my music on, and depending on the diary I might end up covering several different parts of London in one day.

For larger or more unusual properties, I sometimes take one of our Graduate Surveyors with me. It gives them the chance to see different property types in practice, and I enjoy being able to talk through what I am looking at and why it matters.

At each property I take measurements, photographs and notes, and draw floor plans where required. I am looking at the construction, condition, layout and quality of the building, as well as anything that could affect its value or marketability. That could be cracking, damp, awkward

access, an unusual layout or something that does not appear to match the information I reviewed beforehand.

The inspection also goes beyond the property itself. The road, local amenities and transport links all help me understand how the property fits into its wider market.

After a full day of inspections, I am usually ready to switch off. My first stop when I get home is often cuddles with my cat, Fifi. I also go to the gym for Pilates, go walking and make time to see my family and friends.

Thursday

Thursday is often when everything I have gathered on inspection starts to come together. I review my notes and photographs and begin researching comparable evidence, using sources such as CoStar, Rightmove Plus and auction databases. I may also speak to local agents where I need a little more market context.

There is rarely one perfect comparable property, so the interesting part is building up the evidence and judging where the subject property sits within it. Different properties need different approaches. For residential work I may look at evidence on a price-per-square-foot basis, while commercial property can involve rental values, yields and lease terms.

For me, the most satisfying point is finally establishing the Market Value. It is what all the inspection work, research and analysis has been building towards, and there is a real sense of satisfaction in reaching a figure that I can clearly support.

Our reports also go through internal peer review, which means another surveyor will look at the evidence, calculations, assumptions and valuation. It can lead to useful discussions and is a good way of making sure the final report is clear and well reasoned.

Friday

Friday is about getting reports finished, responding to peer-review comments and dealing with any queries that have come back.

Post-valuation queries can actually be one of the more challenging parts of the role. Sometimes you need to defend the valuation you have reached, so you have to be confident in the evidence and able to explain your judgement clearly.

The client side can also be one of the most rewarding parts. On one recent job, a borrower wanted to instruct me on another valuation before I had even undertaken the first one because he felt I had been so helpful on the phone. That was lovely feedback to receive, particularly as I had not even inspected the property yet.

Before I finish for the week, I look ahead to what is coming up next and make sure my live instructions have a clear next step.

A good week for me is one where the inspections have gone smoothly, reports have been issued on time and I have reached valuations that I can confidently support. I like the combination of being out at properties, analysing the evidence and using professional judgement to reach the final figure.

Then I am very happy to switch off, spend time with family and friends and start thinking about the next holiday. I have recently come back from a long weekend in Palma, and I am already looking forward to my annual trip to Cyprus, my homeland, in September.