Meet Faye Allen
30+ years in construction, from trainee quantity surveyor to dispute resolution expert, author, and advocate for industry-wide transformation.
How It All Began
I started my construction career officially at 18 years old with a Tier 1 contractor as a trainee quantity surveyor, working 4 days a week and studying at college and then later university on the other day.
However, I had been involved with construction many years before that thanks to my wonderful dad John Allen, a construction estimator. Before he started his own business, I'd go with him to the construction yard. I have fond memories of a yard man named Dan who made the strongest tea known to man - he simply added more and more teabags to the pot as the day went on! It was vile but he was lovely and always made me feel welcome!
Once my dad started his own business, I sometimes used to go out with him and visit sites (or sometimes it might be a family outing driving across the country on a Sunday to deliver tenders and estimates!).
The Tudor Manor House Story
My dad is the one who got me hooked on the industry. One specific project made a real impact - an old listed building that was being renovated, a Tudor built manor house where it was said Henry VIII stopped off when travelling around the country.
That day, I was dragged along by my dad who said I wasn't just sitting at home. He gave me the plans and a tape measure and told me he wanted measurements in four places on each wall. I was 17 and cocky and obviously thought he was completely bonkers until I realised how wibbly wobbly those ancient walls were!
The renovation plans he was pricing were epic and that was it - I wanted to be in an industry that could do so much with amazing buildings! My dad's response: "You'd better go and get trained then" ...so I did just that.
30 Years in Construction
Education & Early Career
• Honours Degree in Quantity Surveying - working 4 days a week, attending university on the 5th day
• Post Graduate Diploma in Law via distance learning while working full time
There are always options if you don't want to stay in full time education!
First 20 Years
Worked for various contractors as trainee quantity surveyor, then quantity surveyor and commercial manager.
Sectors Worked In:
- • Residential (housing, university accommodation, flats/apartments)
- • Old peoples homes
- • Commercial developments
- • Large scale mixed-use developments
- • Education facilities
- • Hotels
- • Healthcare
- • Aviation
- • Rail infrastructure
Recent Projects:
- • Power plants
- • Wind farms
- • Shipbuilding
- • Sports stadiums
- • Cladding remedial projects post-Grenfell
I had some brilliant times but also some incredibly difficult times (some of which made me want to leave the industry all together).
The Last 10 Years
10 years ago I stopped working for contractors and chose to step into the construction dispute and dispute avoidance arena. I needed change.
I now support a variety of construction and engineering clients to avoid, mitigate and resolve disputes and I'm regularly involved in dispute resolution processes both domestically and internationally.
I have even given evidence....
Why I Wrote Building Women
I love what I do but there was still a nagging feeling. There was still something I needed to do.
Little did I know back then that I was to embark on a huge and sometimes painstaking journey of writing a book.
To learn my trigger you will have to read my book (after all I'm not giving everything away here) but suffice to say there was a huge trigger that led me to where I am today.
I want to make things better for future generations, so that they can thrive where so many haven't been able to in an industry I love.