Creativity meets construction – Toni’s unexpected route to Torridon

Sometimes, finding the right path in life takes a few detours. For Toni, one of our Assistant Surveyors at Torridon, it all began at Edinburgh University studying architecture. While she loved the design aspect, she soon realised architecture wasn’t the perfect fit. A friend’s recommendation led her to explore construction at Heriot-Watt University, where she discovered quantity surveying for the first time.

Before that, Toni admitted that she hadn’t heard of Quantity Surveying, but after attending an open day and speaking with lecturers, she discovered that the programme that aligned perfectly with her interests and skills. Making the switch wasn’t easy and took courage and determination to leave one university, reassess her path, and start fresh at another. During her third-year studies, Toni also transferred to the University’s Malaysian campus for 6 months during her studies, giving her a valuable opportunity to learn about global construction methods and different cultural approaches to design.

Now thriving as an Assistant Surveyor at Torridon, Toni highlighted the team as her favourite part of the job. “You go to the office knowing there will be supportive people and a few good laughs along the way.” That sense of team spirit is really important to her, making every challenge feel manageable. Outside of work, Toni’s creativity shines through and as a very creative person, she’s brought her artistic flair to the team in thoughtful ways – like the secret Santa gifts she hand crafts, or the clay Christmas tree decorations that she made for each of the team!  “I love making things; it’s relaxing and gives me a break from everything else,” she explained.

Toni has already made her mark on some major projects, with the Chivas refurbishment standing out as a milestone. “It was one of the first projects I was involved with, and it was a big one to start with,” she says. “It was definitely going in at the deep end, but I learned so much.”

Quantity surveying comes with its own learning curve, but Toni thrives on the challenge. “There’s so much to learn,” she explains. “Sometimes it feels overwhelming, but then someone asks a question I know the answer to, and I realise how far I’ve come.” Her extracurricular activities, like tag rugby, have also helped her grow professionally. “You’re constantly adjusting to new teammates and situations, which is a lot like working on different projects”.

Looking ahead, Toni’s focus is on getting chartered which is a challenging but exciting milestone. Beyond professional goals, she has a vision of refurbishing her own space, bringing her love of design and creativity to create a bespoke space for her, already equipped with Pinterest boards full of tile designs and light fixtures, it’s clear that her creativity knows no bounds.

Toni’s journey to Torridon so far has been anything but linear, yet every step has brought her closer to where she’s meant to be. From architecture to quantity surveying, rugby fields to crafting tables, her story is highlights her resilience, appetite for exploration, and the power of a supportive team.