Summary

In this episode of This Is Surveying, I’m joined by Peter Monk, an independent damp and timber surveyor based on the Isle of Wight.

Peter’s route into surveying is not the typical one. He left school at 16, trained as a baker, moved into management, worked as a contractor, then later qualified and moved into surveying. That mix of hands-on experience and deep technical curiosity shapes how he approaches damp, timber, ventilation, heritage buildings, and building pathology.

We talk about:
– Why damp and timber surveying can be unfairly looked down on
– What PCA membership and auditing actually means in practice
– Why “further investigation” in a Level 2 or Level 3 survey is often the right call
– How mortgage and lending requirements can drive poor outcomes (even when surveyors advise otherwise)
– Better ways for surveyors and specialists to work together
– The career pathways that exist for tradespeople, and why more people need to know about them

Peter also shares a simple rule for making sense of online arguments: the truth usually lies somewhere in between.

Chapters and timestamps (ready for YouTube)

– 00:00 Intro and welcome
– 00:01 Peter’s background, from leaving school to baking
– 00:03 Management, systems, and an “accidental” career
– 00:04 Music, then the route into damp and timber work
– 00:05 Heritage interest, lime, cob, and building pathology
– 00:07 Qualifications later in life, moving into surveying
– 00:10 Damp and timber “snobbery” and misconceptions
– 00:12 What PCA membership involves, auditing and CPD
– 00:15 Why the training is not “a quick certificate”
– 00:17 Social media blame culture, and what clients actually need
– 00:18 When Peter tells clients to get a contractor first
– 00:22 Mortgage requirements and damp proofing pressure
– 00:25 Careers, apprenticeships, and alternative routes in
– 00:39 Graham Coleman, learning resources, and YouTube
– 00:41 Closing mindset, “truth lies somewhere in between”

Peter Monk Guest Bio

Peter is an independent damp and timber surveyor based on the Isle of Wight. His career path spans hands-on contracting, heritage-focused repairs, and later qualification into surveying. Peter is known for his practical, evidence-led approach to diagnosis, with interests including ventilation and condensation, timber defects, traditional buildings, and building pathology.

Links mentioned

Connect with Peter on LinkedIn

Graham Coleman - YouTube

Property Care Associations - PCA

SAVA

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