Getting to know Catherine Hagerman, Quantity Surveyor

Meet the people behind our success as we unveil the stories, passions, and expertise of our dedicated team. Discover how their experience enables us to become a trusted environmental services partner for clients across the UK. This time, let's get to know Catherine Hagerman, Quantity Surveyor at Aqua Consultants.

What was your background before joining Aqua Consultants?

I have previously worked as an assistant quantity surveyor for an earthworks and remediation subcontractor specialising in repurposing brownfield sites into useable construction spaces.

What do you do at Aqua Consultants?

I provide commercial assurance on clean water and wastewater treatment and infrastructure projects for Northumbrian Water. Through target cost assessments, I provide validation that the costs proposed by the contractor reflect the Schedule of Works and deliverables set out by the client.

Following this, I work alongside the client during the construction phase in assessing quotations posed by the contractor in response to changes on site. I currently work exclusively with the NEC suite of contracts, predominantly option C, so the meticulous assessment of applications and quotations is crucial in establishing defined costs due to the contractor.

What excites you about coming to work?

I am motivated by numbers, so working to achieve maximum efficiencies while exploring cost saving methodologies is an aspect of work I thoroughly enjoy.

During pre-contract negotiations, I enjoy the problem-solving discussions around value engineering opportunities and looking at how a project can be reconfigured to ensure all stakeholder deliverables are achieved and exceeded.

I also really enjoy the team I work with, both within Aqua Consultants, and client and contractor side. Ensuring everyone is working towards the same collective goal is quite motivating, and having open and transparent conversations about a project’s strategy and how it can be improved is key to achieving that goal.

I also feel massively supported within Aqua Consultants in setting targets and achieving them. The business is super encouraging of my personal development and continues to open doors for me in my career. I have been a finalist for both the NWL Rising Star programme and the Institute of Water programme, with the testimonials of my managers.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work I love spending time with my partner and family and friends. I love travelling and I am constantly looking at the next place to explore. I am a self-proclaimed runner (albeit I am slow!) and enjoy the fresh air and pushing myself to achieve new distances.

What are you looking forward to over the next 12 months?

In the next 12 months I will hopefully be graduating with a first-class honours degree in quantity surveying from the University of Wolverhampton. I should also be on track to achieve my chartership with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), which I have been completing alongside my degree and have been fully supported in by Aqua Consultants.