Own The Build

In this Own the Build Question Time episode, Paul is joined once again by Chris Barber, COO and Co-Founder of C-Link, to answer listener questions sparked by the recent Leadership Series featuring some of the UK construction industry’s leading Commercial Directors. 

The conversation explores the consistent themes emerging from those leadership interviews — and what they reveal about how strong commercial leaders are actually built.

Paul and Chris discuss:

•  why becoming a “gun QS” still matters before stepping into leadership; 
•  the importance of exposure, reps and difficult projects early in your career; 
•  how mentors and advocates often shape progression more than qualifications; 
•  why good commercial leaders create clear frameworks and guardrails for their teams; and 
•  how culture, payment practices and communication directly impact supply chain relationships. 

The episode also tackles:

•  simplifying contract administration at project level; 
•  how to reduce adversarial behaviours between contractors and subcontractors; and 
•  managing relationships on projects where commercial pressure is intense. 

The underlying message is clear:
great commercial leadership is built through consistency, ownership, empathy and experience under pressure.

A practical and honest conversation for QSs, Commercial Managers and aspiring leaders looking to accelerate their development and build stronger teams.

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📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:

Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success

Send us Fan Mail

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link. 

C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.

In this episode, Paul is joined by Alex Kozikowska, solicitor at Vinci, to explore a fast-growing but often misunderstood area of construction:

Why data centre projects break traditional contract thinking.

With experience across contractors, consultants and in-house legal teams, Alex brings a practical perspective on how these highly complex, MEP-driven projects are exposing the limitations of standard forms like JCT, NEC and even FIDIC.

The conversation unpacks what actually makes data centres different:

•  why they are engineering-led, not building-led, with MEP dominating the scope; 
•  how design never truly stops evolving, driven by fast-moving technology; 
•  the impact of global procurement on programme, risk and delivery; and 
•  why traditional assumptions around fixed scope, price and responsibility simply don’t hold. 

Paul and Alex also explore the consequences of getting it wrong — from endless variations and programme delays to misallocated risk that no party can realistically control.

Most importantly, the episode looks forward:

•  how contracts must adapt to allow for design evolution and uncertainty; 
•  why commissioning should sit at the centre of contract structure; and 
•  the growing need for new, fit-for-purpose contract models tailored to data centre delivery. 

The message is clear:
 data centres aren’t just bigger projects — they’re fundamentally different projects, and the contracts need to catch up.

A timely and insightful episode for QSs, Commercial Directors and anyone involved in complex, high-value infrastructure — particularly as demand for data centres continues to accelerate globally.

---------------------------------

📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:

Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success

Send us Fan Mail

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link. 

C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.

In the fifth episode of the Own the Build Leadership Series, Paul is joined by Justin Fahy, Managing Director at Structure Tone UK, to explore the journey from QS to leading a £400m+ fit-out business. 

Justin’s career is a strong example of steady progression built on experience, longevity and advocacy — rising through the ranks from trainee surveyor to Commercial Director, before stepping into Managing Director.

The conversation focuses on what effective leadership really looks like at scale, including:

•  why advocacy and trust are critical to career progression; 
•  the value of staying in a business long enough to earn opportunity, rather than moving for short-term gain; 
•  how taking on difficult projects and responsibility early builds long-term capability; 
•  the shift from commercial leadership to full business leadership, including operations, people and risk; and 
•  why people management becomes the primary role at senior level. 

Justin also shares how Structure Tone has grown from £90m to £400m+ by focusing on simple but powerful principles — particularly fair risk management and paying the supply chain on time.

The episode closes with a clear message for aspiring leaders:
 work hard, stay consistent, build trust, and be a good person — the rest follows.

A grounded, experience-led conversation for QSs and commercial professionals aiming to step into senior leadership — and for those already there looking to sense-check what strong leadership looks like in 2026.

---------------------------------

📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:

Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success

Send us Fan Mail

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link. 

C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.

In this episode, Paul is joined by David Bebb, Partner at Fenwick Elliott, a construction lawyer with over 20 years’ experience working across the entire supply chain — from Canary Wharf and Network Rail to private practice. 

Together, they unpack one of the most frustrating — and costly — realities in construction:

Why do contract negotiations take so long, feel so combative, and often start in the wrong place?

David brings a rare perspective, having seen contracts from every angle, and explains how the industry repeatedly creates its own problems — through poorly coordinated documents, copy-and-paste specifications, and a lack of joined-up thinking between legal, commercial and design teams.

The conversation explores:

•  why most contracts are badly coordinated and full of contradictions; 
•  how starting with overly aggressive (“brutal”) clauses slows everything down; 
•  why the industry almost always ends up at the same deal anyway — just with wasted time and cost; 
•  how poor upfront drafting leads to letters of intent and commercial risk later; and 
•  why lawyers don’t argue clauses — they unpick the mess created between documents. 

More importantly, David outlines a better way forward:

•  start with a standard contract as a foundation, not something to overhaul; 
•  focus only on project-specific risks that actually matter; and 
•  replace endless email chains with direct conversations between decision-makers. 

The message is clear:
 contracts don’t need to be this painful — but the industry needs to change how it starts.

A sharp, insightful episode for Commercial Directors, QSs and anyone involved in procurement — and a timely reminder that better contracts lead to better projects.

---------------------------------

📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:

Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success

Send us Fan Mail

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link. 

C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.

In this Own the Build Question Time episode, Paul is joined once again by Chris Barber, COO and Co-Founder of C-Link, to answer listener questions shaped by recent episodes and the Leadership Series. 

The conversation focuses on the real challenges QSs face as they progress through their careers — from transitioning into the role, to stepping up into leadership and delivering meaningful value on projects.

Paul and Chris cover:

•  how to transition from cost engineer to high-performing QS, shifting from analysis to commercial strategy; 
•  why procurement is where margin is won or lost — and how to think differently about it; 
•  how to move from constant firefighting to leadership, by addressing root causes and carving out time for strategic thinking; 
•  the step change from being a competent QS to an influential one, including time on site, understanding operations, and building relationships; and 
•  what “delivering value” actually looks like day-to-day, from turning data into insight to taking ownership of project outcomes. 

The episode also touches on wider industry themes, including contract simplification and the importance of collective action to drive meaningful change.

The underlying message is clear: the best QSs don’t just report what’s happening — they shape what happens next.

A practical, experience-led discussion for QSs at every stage of their career looking to step up, think differently, and lead with impact.

---------------------------------

📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:

Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success

Send us Fan Mail

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link. 

C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.

In this episode, Paul is joined by Ray Mellor-Pike, Managing Director at RMP Consulting, for a deep dive into one of construction’s most uncomfortable — and important — questions:

Are we allocating risk in a way that actually works? 

Drawing on experience across PQS, main contracting and subcontracting, Ray brings a rare, balanced perspective on how contracts are written, negotiated and — often — misunderstood.

The conversation focuses on the clauses that matter most:

•  why limitation of liability is the first and most critical line of defence for subcontractors; 
•  how fitness for purpose clauses can quietly introduce uninsurable, business-ending risk; 
•  the realities of time bars and condition precedents — and why clarity from day one matters; and 
•  how aggressive contract “step-down” creates complexity that many supply chains simply cannot manage. 

But beyond the clauses, the discussion tackles a bigger issue:

the industry’s default to overly aggressive contracts — and whether it’s actually counterproductive.

From “brutal vs middle vs soft” contract strategies to the unintended consequences of pushing risk down the chain, Paul and Ray explore whether current practices are protecting businesses — or slowly weakening the supply chain they depend on.

The conclusion is clear:
better dialogue, more balanced risk allocation, and stronger leadership at main contractor level are essential to building a sustainable construction industry.

A candid, practical conversation for Commercial Directors, QSs and anyone involved in negotiating contracts — and a timely reminder that what’s written on paper has real consequences on site.

---------------------------------

📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:

Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success

Send us Fan Mail

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link. 

C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.

In the fourth episode of the Own the Build Leadership Series, Paul is joined by Anil Rai, Commercial Director at M Group Water, a £900m+ business within the wider £2.5bn M Group. 

Anil’s journey offers a clear view of what it takes to build a leadership career in a large, complex Tier 1 environment — from early progression through commercial roles to leading at scale across a major infrastructure business.

The conversation focuses on what effective commercial leadership really looks like in 2026, including:

• building consistency and standards across large teams;
• creating alignment between commercial, operational and client objectives;
• leading with accountability while empowering others to take ownership; and
• navigating the scale and complexity that comes with major frameworks and long-term programmes.

Anil also reflects on the mindset shift required to step into a Commercial Director role — moving beyond individual performance to driving outcomes through people, structure and culture.

A practical and grounded discussion for QSs aiming for senior leadership — and for Commercial Directors operating in large, multi-project environments.

---------------------------------

📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:

Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success

Send us Fan Mail

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link. 

C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.

In this episode, Paul is joined by Pamela Cunningham, consultant at Growth & Performance Solutions, to unpack one of the biggest inefficiencies in construction:

The disconnect between main contractors and subcontractors during tendering. 

Having worked on both sides of the fence, Pamela brings a rare perspective — combining Tier 1 procurement experience with hands-on support for SMEs trying to win work in today’s market.

The conversation explores what each side consistently gets wrong.

From the main contractor side:

•  why poor tender packs and missing pricing documents create confusion and low engagement; 
•  how lack of feedback damages long-term supply chain relationships; 
•  and why simple actions like picking up the phone are still a competitive advantage. 

From the subcontractor side:

•  why many SMEs struggle to understand expectations and position themselves effectively; 
•  how resource, structure and strategy are becoming key differentiators; and 
•  what separates businesses that win work from those that don’t. 

The episode also tackles wider industry challenges — from supply chain underdevelopment and skills shortages to the unintended consequences of risk transfer and poor procurement practices.

The conclusion is clear:
better communication, better information and more intentional procurement processes would transform outcomes for both sides.

A practical, honest discussion for QSs, procurement professionals and subcontractors looking to improve how tenders are won, assessed and delivered.

---------------------------------

📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:

Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success

Send us Fan Mail

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link. 

C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.

In this Own the Build Question Time episode, Paul is joined once again by Chris Barber, COO and Co-Founder of C-Link, to answer listener questions sparked by the recent Leadership Series with leading Commercial Directors across the UK construction industry. 

The discussion dives into some of the most practical leadership challenges facing QSs and commercial managers today — from when to step in and when to let team members learn through mistakes, to how difficult projects can become the most valuable learning experiences of a career.

Paul and Chris also tackle the uncomfortable topic of “hard-nosed” commercial behaviour in the industry and whether that mindset is still sustainable in modern construction leadership.

The episode closes with advice for the next generation of quantity surveyors — exploring why QS remains one of the most flexible and opportunity-rich careers in construction.

A thoughtful conversation about leadership, growth through adversity, and the mindset required to build stronger commercial teams.

---------------------------------

📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:

Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success

For our list of other eBooks on building your QS Career and AI, click here - Free eBook Downloads.

Send us Fan Mail

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link. 

C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.

In this episode, Paul is joined by Cian Brennan, founder of Quantum Contract Solutions and author of The Subcontractor’s Edge, for a candid conversation about one uncomfortable truth:

Most subcontractors don’t lose money on site — they lose it in the paperwork.

From four-hour “favours” that quietly erode margin, to delayed variations that become interest-free loans to main contractors, Paul and Kian unpack how small commercial decisions in Q1 of a project often come back to bite in Q4 — what Kian calls “squeaky bum time.”

They cover:

• why early variations must be submitted immediately (even the small ones);
• how cash flow timing is the real battleground in subcontracting;
• acceleration traps — and the critical question to ask before agreeing to speed up;
• why final accounts are the most dangerous phase of any project;
• how to “train” payment behaviour from day one; and
• the simple quarterly check-in strategy that turns one project into long-term framework work.

This is a practical, straight-talking episode for subcontractor QSs and commercial leaders who want to protect margin, control cash flow, and avoid painful disputes at closeout.

Because in construction, the difference between surviving and thriving often comes down to process, discipline, and thinking three quarters ahead.

---------------------------------

📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:

Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial Success

For our list of other eBooks on building your QS Career and AI, click here - Free eBook Downloads.

Send us Fan Mail

Want to connect with Paul?

Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link. 

C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.