Meet the Team: Jaspal Virdee-Dhanjal, Building Control Manager

We’re pleased to introduce the latest member of the Harwood team, Jaspal Virdee-Dhanjal, who has joined the business as Building Control Manager to lead our new London and Surrey office.

Bringing more than 35 years of experience across both the public and private sectors in building control, Jaspal joins Harwood with a wealth of technical knowledge, leadership experience and industry insight. The launch of the new office marks an exciting step in Harwood’s continued growth, strengthening its presence across London, Surrey and the wider South East while continuing to deliver responsive, practical support across a broad range of projects.

We spoke to Jaspal about her career so far, what attracted her to Harwood, and her ambitions for the new office’s future.

Tell me a bit about yourself and your career so far…

“Like many people in building control, I actually fell into the industry by accident,” Jaspal explained. “My first degree was in Public Administration, and I applied for a trainee role with Ealing Council without really knowing what building control was.”

That opportunity quickly developed into a long-term career. While working full-time, Jaspal completed a five-year degree course through the University of Westminster, graduating with a first-class honours degree before progressing through a series of increasingly senior positions.

Throughout her career, Jaspal has held senior roles with organisations including Ealing Council, Westminster City Council, BAA Heathrow, Approved Inspector Services, Transport for London, and Crossrail, and has been working for herself under a franchise for the last 14 years. Alongside her day-to-day project work, Jaspal remains heavily involved in the wider profession through RICS and CABE, contributing to professional panels, assessments, mentoring and industry training.

“Working in Central London gave me exposure to such a variety of buildings and environments — domestic, commercial, listed buildings, bars, restaurants and major refurbishments,” she said. “Soho in particular was always fascinating because things changed so frequently and you were constantly working with different creative teams and project requirements.”

Her career later expanded into major infrastructure and transport projects, including Heathrow Airport and Crossrail

“I was team leader at Heathrow covering Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4, and later worked with Transport for London and Crossrail, managing shared assets and infrastructure projects. It’s been a very varied career, and I think that’s what has kept it interesting. When I think about what the favourite project I’ve worked on, for me it’s not about the biggest building, but it’s been about the type of people you meet.”

Alongside her technical experience, Jaspal has remained passionate about supporting the wider industry and developing future talent.

“I’ve always enjoyed mentoring and coaching people coming into the profession. Building control is still a career many people don’t know exists, so supporting the next generation is important.”

How have your first couple of weeks been as you settle into your new role?

“From the moment I joined, everyone has been very supportive and welcoming,” said Jaspal. “You don’t feel isolated here — there’s always someone you can speak to, whether that’s technical support or simply bouncing ideas around.”

After spending the past 14 years working effectively independently in her previous role, Jaspal says that joining a broader team environment has been a refreshing change.

“It’s nice being part of a team again. The type of work Harwood is bringing in is interesting, and it’s made me feel stimulated again and reminded me why I enjoy the industry.”

She also highlighted Harwood’s culture and professionalism during the onboarding process.

“The induction process has been handled really professionally, and there’s a strong culture of inclusivity and support across the business. Everyone wants to help each other, which makes a huge difference.”

What attracted you to Harwood and the opportunity to lead the new Surrey/London office?

“What attracted me was the direction the business is going in, the quality of projects they’re involved with and the growth ambitions for the future,” Jaspal explained.

Having spent the majority of her career working across London, Surrey and the surrounding areas, the opportunity to help establish Harwood’s presence in the region felt like a natural fit.

London and Surrey are hugely important regions with such a broad range of projects and opportunities. Having a local presence is important because clients want responsive support from people who understand the area and the pace of projects within London in particular.”

Jaspal also believes the expansion creates exciting opportunities for both clients and the wider team.

“There’s real capacity for growth and development here. The variety of projects available allows people to continue building experience across different sectors, which is increasingly important now that the industry is so competency-led.”

The new office will strengthen Harwood’s ability to support projects throughout the South East with local expertise, fast response times and direct access to experienced building control professionals.

How important is mentoring and coaching in helping develop the next generation of building control professionals?

“It’s hugely important,” Jaspal said. “Building control is still a profession many people don’t fully understand, so we have to continue encouraging and supporting the next generation coming through.”

That mentoring focus will continue at Harwood, particularly with the development of the new Surrey and London office team, including Assistant Building Control Surveyor Jai Basra, who previously trained under Jaspal.

“Jai originally came to me as a trainee, so we’ve worked together for a long time. Supporting people through qualifications, helping build confidence, and sharing experience is something I genuinely enjoy.”

Alongside mentoring within the workplace, Jaspal has spent many years supporting the wider profession through schools outreach, professional assessments and industry training.

“I’ve carried out mock interviews, supported people through APC (Assessment of Professional Competence) processes and trained surveyors on approved documents and regulations. I think if you can help people feel confident and supported, they perform much better.”

Looking ahead, what would success look like for the office over the next few years?

For Jaspal, success is about much more than growth alone.

“For me, success is about having a positive work-life balance and a supportive environment,” she explained. “If people feel supported and enjoy what they do, they perform well, clients get a better service, and the business naturally becomes successful.”

She believes that creating a positive culture will ultimately help Harwood continue to attract both talented professionals and new clients as the Surrey and London offices grow.’

“If staff are well looked after and people can see there’s a positive environment and opportunities to develop, that naturally creates success for the business as well. A happy workforce is a productive workforce.”

Connect on LinkedIn – Jaspal Virdee-Dhanjal

Whether you are planning a residential, commercial, mixed-use or complex refurbishment project, our team is here to help guide you through the building control process. To find out more about our London and Surrey office or speak to the team about an upcoming project, get in touch today.