As a growing company, we’re consistently dedicated to providing flawless, bespoke fit-out solutions and that means continually strengthening our expertise and enhancing our perspective. On that note, we are pleased to introduce Stancold’s new Quantity Surveyor, Tom Barnes, bringing fresh insight into how we manage costs, control risk and serve clients at every stage.
Tom’s career in construction started off in a completely different place than quantity surveying. He spent six years as a recruiter for the construction industry, finding the best people to fill on-site roles.
While recruiting and quantity surveying might look like separate worlds, his approach involved a lot of the same skills and methodology: strong communication, a data-driven mindset, and meticulous organisation.
Tom recalls, “Every Sunday I’d run through my list of labourers, calling each one to confirm they were ready for Monday. That level of organisation and eye for detail is essential in quantity surveying.”
Five years into his work as a recruiter, Tom felt ready to make a change and find a new place for himself in the construction industry. His strong organisational skills and propensity for maths got him interested in becoming a Quantity Surveyor.
To become qualified Quantity Surveyor, Tom had to enroll in a college course while also taking on a full-time trainee role. “It was a very busy few years,” he says, “but I was driven to find success as a QS.”
Tom joined the Stancold team after 12 years as a Quantity Surveyor, having spent his career working in New Build, Refurbishment and Conservation sectors. When he was ready for a new challenge, he was happy to become a part of Stancold. Tom is eager to sharpen our commercial processes and drive even clearer cost control on every project.
As a Quantity Surveyor, one of Tom’s main goals is to make sure a finger is kept on the pulse of a project as it is going on. “Especially with some of the larger projects that Stancold and CREST take on,” he says, “it is for the benefit of both our team and the client to make sure communication is consistently clear throughout the project. That mitigates the risk of any misunderstandings once the project is complete.”
His recruiting background means Tom excels at stakeholder liaison, whether negotiating with client QS teams or coordinating subcontractors. As he puts it, “The more we communicate and collaborate, the smoother each project runs.”
Outside of work, Tom is very much a family man. He and his partner have six young children, and he says, “there’s little scope for anything else, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Still, he’s able to fit in daily gym sessions, which means getting up incredibly early every day to make it to the gym, a testament to his drive and time-management skills.
“I used to play a lot of rugby too,” he says, “but the physical demands of rugby, intense gym sessions and most importantly, being an involved and dedicated father to my kids were a bit too much, so I’m playing less rugby these days.”
Join us in welcoming Tom to the Stancold and CREST teams. He’s already made a positive impact on the business, and we have no doubt he will continue to do so.
