Youth is no barrier for building consultancy co-founder

A 27-year-old member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has co-founded a new building consultancy.

Fourth Wall Building Consultancy, co-founded by Josh Weston, from Sheffield, provides building surveying and architectural services to clients across the North of England.

With a client base in the residential and commercial sectors, the practice is taking steps to expand its team and diversify its offering.

Weston, who has more than 10 years’ experience in the building and construction industry, set up the business with his partner in late 2020, after previously working for some of the world’s leading commercial and residential building surveying firms.

He explained: “We set up Fourth Wall with innovation at the forefront of our minds and a sharper focus on what makes this profession so valuable: integrity.

“A building surveyor’s input is critical at every stage of the property cycle, but it’s clear that so many people don’t really understand what a surveyor does or how much it can help them.”

Commenting on his decision to launch a new business at a young age and in the midst of COVID-19 restrictions, he added: “We knew there was scope to run a dynamic practice, utilising technology, embracing our honesty, and providing better value and a seamless service to our clients, we couldn’t not take the risk in launching the practice now.

“Our focus is on connecting more closely with our clients, offering guidance at every step of the property process, and speaking to them directly in a language that works for them.”

He said he believes this is an incredibly important time for the property and construction industry, noting: “We all need to adapt moving forward.

“Property is changing all around us, be it commercial or residential, and the need for property due diligence and new ways of working is more evident now than ever.

“A big development we believe we’ll see is the conversion of commercial to residential, opening up opportunities across the board, be that more affordable housing or increased city centre living creating more green spaces.

“The past year has forced change, of course not all good, but it’s definitely going to make the future very interesting.”