In this reflective episode of Own the Build, Paul is joined by Chris Barber to dive deep into the early mistakes they made as young Quantity Surveyors — and what they’ve learned from them since.

If you’ve ever sat in a final account meeting feeling underprepared, avoided a difficult conversation with a subcontractor, or been caught off guard by a variation — you are not alone.

🎯 In this episode, Paul and Chris discuss:

• The pressure of being thrown into the deep end as a trainee QS
• Why their first final account meetings gave them a false sense of confidence
• What they’d do differently to manage variations, stakeholders and scope changes
• The power of one-to-ones, and why they’re still rare in construction firms
• How to manage difficult conversations internally and externally — before they blow up
• Why learning to regulate emotion in meetings is a career superpower

If you’re in the early years of your QS career — or mentoring someone who is — this is a must-listen.

📩 If you'd like to read the two Own the Build eBooks based on 200+ episodes — Mastering Your Career in Quantity Surveying and The AI Revolution in Quantity Surveying — head to the show notes to download your free copy.

Download them here - Free eBook Downloads.

🎙 Got a question or topic for a future episode? Email: [email protected]

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