Partner Article

New faces bolster team at growing building consultancy

Work to strengthen the team at one of the region’s newest building consultancy firms has taken a step forward with the appointment of two new surveyors.

Lantern Building Consultancy has welcomed Max Bertin, who brings to his role as senior building surveyor nearly 20 years of expertise gained at chartered level, and a considerable passion for the built environment.

He has been joined by assistant building surveyor Dominic Fernandes, a recent graduate of Northumbria University’s MSc in Building Surveying, who received a commendation from the institution ahead of securing this new role, his first full-time position in the field.

Having already gained experience on several dilapidations projects, as well as pre-acquisition surveys for industrial and mixed-use plots, Dominic is working towards the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), to become a Chartered Surveyor.

He said: “It’s a very varied profession, which is fantastic. No two jobs are the same and there’s huge variety between dilapidations, design, and pre-acquisition, not to mention the raft of services I haven’t covered yet, such as party wall, rights of light, and green consultation.

“It’s a career rather than a job, with clear and structured progression, and I felt during my interview that myself and Lantern’s co-directors, Alex Carter and Martin Smith, had a good rapport.

“I was also impressed with the APC support offered. I’m at the start of my career, so having knowledgeable and experienced people who are willing and able to teach me is key.”  

One of those knowledgeable and experienced individuals is Max, who hails from Whitley Bay in North Tyneside, where his careers advisor suggested a future in building surveying after learning about a childhood dream to build his own home. He previously spent five years at Space Group, and joined the business from Faithful+Gould, where he was based for more than eight years.

Also a Northumbria University graduate, he explained: “I’ve been impressed by how rapidly Lantern has grown as a business, with like-minded staff that really show a team spirit. I feel privileged to be part of this journey and look forward to supporting our junior team members to become Chartered Surveyors.”

Max’s first project at Lantern involves a new heating system for a Grade II listed building in Newcastle. Having successfully concluded the tender exercise, works have commenced and an interior refurbishment will soon follow which will involve cosmetic and acoustic improvements.

Prior to joining Lantern, Max was Project Manager at the University of Sunderland working on projects including the demolition of their former offices to the and the creation of new teaching space within a multi-use five storey building on City Campus.

Lantern Building Consultancy, which is based at Generator Studios in Newcastle upon Tyne, offers a full range of services to investors, landlords, tenants, consultants and developers.

Co-director Martin Smith added: “We have seen steady growth since forming the company five years ago and are happy to be able to support the careers of newcomers to the industry, alongside those with an extensive background in the field.

“Max and Dominic have so far proved to be fantastic additions to the team, and we look forward to seeing how their enthusiasm and professionalism supports our client’s varied projects to take shape.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Four Walls PR .