We are GLM: Murray Clouston
Edinburgh native Murray joined GLM less than a year ago, but has quickly become indispensable to our building surveying and project management teams. With a Building Surveying degree from Edinburgh Napier and a Higher National Diploma from Glasgow Metropolitan College in architectural conservation, Murray is a perfect fit for GLM’s niche conservation and restoration work. From refurbishments of listed castles to residential and commercial building surveys, we’re keeping him very busy. Find out what he’s up to at the moment…
Leading up to your role as a Graduate Building Surveyor with GLM, you seem to have gravitated towards the conservation field. Why did you want to become a building surveyor and hone in on building conservation?
I have always been interested in buildings and problem solving so I naturally gravitated towards the building surveying profession. But I was particularly keen on buildings with a story to tell or with unique features that made them different from everything else on the block. That interest grew into a passion for preserving these buildings for future generations so I got my HND in architectural conservation from Glasgow Metropolitan College. I then went on to get my degree in building surveying from Edinburgh Napier and wrote my dissertation on the current threats posed to Edinburgh’s traditional built heritage. So building conservation work has been a common thread in all of my educational and professional pursuits.
What is your favourite part of being a building surveyor?
Seeing the finished product. When the scaffold comes down and final snag is carried out, it’s a great feeling to see a project complete knowing it is now in good order. And I particular enjoy being a building surveyor at GLM. The scope and variety of projects we work on are right up my alley. In the short time I’ve worked here I’ve been able to work with so many spectacular buildings around the country.
You work on a wide variety of projects for GLM in both the residential and commercial sectors. What kind of projects excite you the most and why?
The more unusual the better, buildings which are in the public eye or are have unique features that you don’t see every day. And although I always love a castle, you can still get that wow factor from a tenement with a frontage looking on to a busy road – that’s what I love so much about GLM’s projects. It’s also comforting to know that we’re taking care of these beautiful buildings. Hopefully the public notices this, too.
What projects are you working on at the moment that you can talk about?
At the moment the majority of my time is spent working on the restoration of Nunraw Tower in East Lothian. The phase I external works are currently drawing to a close and the phase II internal works, which GLM are project managing, are kicking off so I’ll be very busy with this one over the next year.
What do you do in your free time to relax?
I’m really dedicated to my local rugby club. I play for them every Saturday and train twice a week. I generally love any physical activity that I can do outside so when I’m not playing rugby I’m usually running or cycling if weather permits. I also just moved into my first flat so that’s been keeping me very busy these days!
What’s next for you professionally?
The big goal right now is to sit my APC and become a Chartered Building Surveyor and member of the RICS. I am aiming to sit my APC at the beginning of 2017. It still seems a bit away but the first year has flown by and I’m sure the second will be just the same! But I’m accumulating some great experience leading up to it and also have great mentors at GLM. I’m in good hands.