Robert started his time as a surveyor at William Gerard & Sons Ltd of Edinburgh in 1986 who had their own Stone Masonry yard as well as a general construction side. Robert spent a period on the shop fitting side of the construction industry but the majority of his 36 years has been spent in stonemasonry working as lead stone surveyor on building projects such as McEwan Hall the Boarders railway ,Scotsman steps, Greyfriars kirk as well as numerous projects for Edinburgh University,Edinburgh city council and a large number on main contractors.