As a student Quantity Surveyor at the University of Portsmouth, you spend a lot of time looking at cost models, spreadsheets, and theoretical logistics. But what happens when your project is on a remote island?

I recently had the incredible opportunity to work on a live project on the Isles of Scilly while operating from our Eastleigh office. It completely reshaped how I look at commercial management.

1. Communication is everything
Operating remotely meant keeping flawless communication lines open with the on-site team and subcontractors wasn’t just a preference – it was critical to the project’s survival.

3. The reality of island logistics
Classroom theory rarely covers how heavily island variables impact your bottom line. I quickly had to learn on the job that every single project change requires a much more detailed cost buildup to factor in things like ferry schedules, transport and strict supply chain variables.

2. You can’t commercialise what you can’t see
While tools like Oculus VR and site photos are great, they can’t fully replicate physically standing on-site. Being down there with the operatives, learning how a building physically goes together, and spotting problems in real-time was a massive eye-opener. It completely changed how I understand the relationship between on-site variations and total cost impact.

4. Embracing traditional craftsmanship
This was my first time working on a project utilising granite and lime. Factoring in remedial work and hand-cutting stone using traditional methods was a massive, and incredibly exciting learning curve that you just don’t get in a standard lecture hall.