黑洞社区

... And it鈥檚 no different for quantity surveyors. They just start talking about it more quickly, and in a more informed way, than most.

The consensus from the EC Harris team is that any signs of a slow market in London and the South-east at least have disappeared. A house on Harry鈥檚 street sold in double-quick time in the past month. Gary said he sold his home, down in 鈥渟unny Kent鈥� before it was even officially on the market. Others have had similar experiences. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 believe there鈥檒l be a double dip,鈥� says Harry, and if you live on the Bucks/Oxfordshire border it鈥檚 not an unreasonable assumption.

There are, however, some concerns over the impact the election will have. We are drinking on the day that Greece has had its bailout agreed by the EU, and with that in mind Mark offers his opinion: 鈥淚鈥檒l vote for anyone who keeps us out of the euro.鈥�

Still, the euro crisis has its positive side, on which everyone can agree. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to the exchange rate changing,鈥� says Mark. 鈥淚鈥檓 fed up of paying 拢6 for a hot chocolate in France.鈥�

鈥淗ear, hear!鈥� comes the somewhat middle class cry.

Ross, who is on the graduate programme, admits that the three-day induction to the company was a bit like freshers鈥� week

I鈥檓 keen to find out the truth behind EC Harris鈥� infamous on-premises free bar for staff. (Having the drinks there might鈥檝e saved 黑洞社区鈥檚 expenses budget a pretty penny.) Unfortunately, it turns out we鈥檝e got the wrong night 鈥� the free bar is on Thursday and Friday nights. Even if we had picked the right night, we might have had to restrain ourselves as the watchful eyes of senior partners ensure that the more junior members don鈥檛 get carried away by excessive youthful exuberance.

I put it to Ross, a very impressive guy on EC Harris鈥� graduate programme, that it must have been quite a draw for a student to go to a company with a free on-site bar. However, I think he has too keen an eye on a continuing and prospering career with EC Harris to make any unguarded remarks about company drunkenness. Later, though, he does admit that the three-day induction into the company was a bit like freshers鈥� week. But I get the sense the similarities are more to do with enforced frivolity than extremes of drunkenness.

The best story of the night comes from Dawn, who said she was working on a project recently in the West Midlands where coal was discovered while digging for the foundations.

EC Harris was asked to determine whether on or not there was money in them there groundworks 鈥� and there was. The developer cut out and sold the coal 鈥� enough to pay for the bulk of the preliminary works.

And people say there鈥檚 no excitement in the QS world.