Own The Build

In the third episode of the Own the Build Leadership Series, Paul is joined by Mark Walker, Managing Director of Seddon Housing Partnerships, an £85m social housing contractor operating across the North West and Midlands, part of the wider Seddon Group.

Mark’s journey is a powerful example of progression through ownership, resilience and long-term thinking. Starting in construction at 16 as a trainee QS, he worked his way through Assistant QS, QS, Senior QS, Managing QS and Commercial Director — before recently stepping into the Managing Director role.

This conversation explores what that journey really looked like.

Mark reflects on:

• putting his hand up for responsibility before he felt fully ready;
• how difficult projects build the resilience and judgment required for leadership;
• managing people older and more experienced than you;
• why bad jobs often create the best commercial leaders;
• the shift from project-focused thinking to full commercial oversight across estimating, surveying and supply chain;
• building collaborative two-stage tendering cultures that remove silos;
• why fairness with subcontractors is not weakness — it’s long-term strategy;
• the importance of transparency in reporting and contingency management; and
• why ownership and honesty are non-negotiable traits in high-performing commercial teams.

Mark also shares the mindset behind his move from Commercial Director to Managing Director — taking control of his own progression, succession planning his role beneath him, and making promotion a logical decision rather than a leap of faith.

The episode closes on a clear definition of great commercial leadership in 2026:
 Create clarity. Build trust. Develop people. And take ownership.

This is essential listening for QSs aspiring to senior leadership — and for existing directors who want to sense-check what strong, modern commercial leadership really looks like.

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

📥 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 Kate Kennedy, Head of Legal Bids and Contract Transformation at Laing O’Rourke, to explore a bold idea: what if construction contracts were actually easy to understand?

Kate is leading an industry-first initiative to rethink how construction contracts are written, used and negotiated — starting with a simple premise: most people working on projects don’t understand the contracts they’re expected to deliver. 

Drawing on global research and collaboration with the not-for-profit World Commerce & Contracting, Laing O’Rourke is piloting a simplified subcontract designed to be clearer, shorter and far more practical for the people actually using it on site.

In this conversation, Paul and Kate explore:

• why construction contracts have become so complex over the last 40 years;
• the surprising statistic that 88% of business users struggle to understand their contracts;
• how redesigning contracts with diagrams, timelines and clearer structure can transform how projects operate;
• why simplification must come before the bigger challenge of fairer risk allocation; and
• how industry-wide collaboration between contractors could finally drive meaningful contract reform.

The goal isn’t just shorter contracts — it’s better outcomes for clients, contractors and supply chains alike.

A fascinating look at how one Tier 1 contractor is attempting to shift the industry towards simpler, more collaborative and outcome-focused contracting.

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

📥 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 once again by Simon Robinson, former main contractor Managing QS turned founder of Subport, to unpack a question that sits at the heart of construction delivery:

What actually makes a “good” subcontractor — and a “good” main contractor — from a commercial perspective?

Using results from a live poll of 100+ main contractor QSs, Paul and Simon explore the four traits most valued in subcontractors — including timely applications, real-time variation submissions, and the surprise winner: strong records and audit trail.

The discussion then flips perspective.

From the subcontractor side, what really matters?

•  Clear information at tender stage.
•  Fair and timely assessment of variations.
•  Cash flow discipline.
•  And, above all, communication that doesn’t label professionalism as “being contractual.”

The episode digs into:

• why poor variation timing destroys trust;
• how “payment on account” can quietly cripple subcontractor cash flow;
• the perception gap between managing one project vs managing twenty;
• why structured applications dramatically increase payment success; and
• how simple planning and empathy can transform commercial relationships.

The conclusion is refreshingly simple:
 Professionalism. Communication. Planning. Empathy.

If both sides understood each other’s pressures just a little better, many of the industry’s recurring disputes would disappear.

A practical, honest conversation for any QS operating on either side of the fence.

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

📥 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 Davin Dillon, founder of Clearnorth — known in the industry as “the QS people” — to unpack one of the most important career questions in construction:

What does it really take to become a Commercial Director?

Drawing on insights from more than 40 in-depth interviews with Commercial Directors, Davin shares the patterns, pitfalls and turning points that consistently shape the journey from graduate QS to commercial leadership.

The conversation explores three critical phases of the journey:

1️⃣ The Early Years — Accidental Beginnings & the Power of Mentorship

Most Commercial Directors never set out to become QSs. They fell into it. What separated those who progressed was strong mentorship, deliberate development and early exposure to responsibility. The message is clear: don’t drift — take ownership of your career.

2️⃣ The Middle Years — The “Glass Ceiling” Moment

Many technically excellent QSs stall at senior level. Why? Because the next step isn’t about technical competence — it’s about leadership. Delegation, emotional intelligence and developing others become the defining skills. As Davin puts it:

3️⃣ The Final Step — Readiness, Not Recklessness

Chasing the title too early can damage credibility. Commercial Directorship requires strategic thinking, people leadership and self-awareness. The best leaders didn’t force the move — they built capability until someone else saw they were ready.

The episode also covers:

• why curiosity consistently stands out in future leaders;
• what Commercial Directors really look for in interviews;
• the difference between managing projects and leading teams;
• how to know when you’re genuinely ready for the step up; and
• why honesty, humility and cultural fit often matter more than technical brilliance.

If you’re a QS aiming for the top seat — or a Commercial Director developing the next generation — this is a grounded, experience-led conversation on building a credible, resilient leadership career in construction. You can find the ClearNorth Road to Commercial Director eBook here.

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

📥 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.

Question Time is back for 2026! 🎉

In this episode, Paul is joined once again by regular co-host Chris Barber for a lively and candid discussion driven entirely by listener questions. Together, they cover a broad range of topics—from fantasy fixes for the construction industry, to spotting the next generation of commercial leaders, and the fine line between being “commercially astute” and just plain difficult.

Expect strong opinions, industry war stories, and the usual dose of friendly disagreement.

🧠 Topics Discussed:

• If you had a government mandate, how would you fix construction?
• Are we being held back by planning delays and building safety bottlenecks?
• The role of project bank accounts and retention reform in creating a fairer supply chain.
• How to spot future leaders in your commercial team — and how to retain them.
• The hidden career value of being on-site early in your QS career.
• What makes a QS commercially difficult versus commercially sharp?
• Industry phrases we’d happily never hear again (yes, “progressing well” made the list…).

📣 Listener shoutouts include:

• James (Commercial Manager)
• Darren (Surveying Director)
• Alexandra (Commercial Lead)
• Alan (Senior QS)

💬 Got a question for the next Question Time? Email Paul directly at [email protected]

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

📥 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 the second episode of the Own the Build Leadership Series, Paul is joined by Chris Hartley, former Commercial Director at McLaren Construction, a £1bn+ main contractor, and now a business change consultant and quantum expert.

Chris shares a deeply reflective account of his journey from early career QS to leading commercial teams of more than 50 people — and what that experience taught him about trust, detail, leadership and decision-making at scale.

Rather than a linear career story, this conversation focuses on the realities of commercial leadership: earning trust through technical credibility, knowing when to empower people to make mistakes, and why the best Commercial Directors never lose touch with the fundamentals of construction.

The discussion explores:

• why mastery of detail is the foundation of commercial authority;
• the transition from “doing” to leading — and why people skills become decisive;
• building high-performing commercial teams in large, complex organisations;
• how trust is given, earned and sometimes rebalanced;
• the role of information quality in better commercial decisions;
• freeing up QS time from administration to focus on commercial judgement; and
• what world-class commercial leadership looks like in 2026 and beyond.

Chris also reflects on succession planning, developing future leaders, and why rushing progression without grounding ultimately limits long-term impact.

This episode is a thoughtful, experience-led perspective on Commercial Directorship — essential listening for QSs with leadership ambitions and senior commercial professionals looking to sense-check what good really looks like at the top.

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

📥 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 Brandon Silver, construction solicitor at Bexley Beaumont, for a deep, practical conversation on where construction contracts most often unravel — and how QSs and commercial leaders can protect themselves before problems escalate.

Brandon works daily on adjudications, payment disputes, termination claims and delay arguments, acting for contractors and subcontractors across the UK. In this episode, he shares real-world insights into the contractual mistakes he sees repeatedly — many of which are entirely avoidable.

The conversation covers:

• why most construction professionals fundamentally misunderstand their contracts — particularly JCT;
• how poor contract administration quietly destroys entitlement;
• termination under JCT: common law vs contractual termination, and why procedure matters more than intent;
• the five-step checklist every contractor should follow before issuing a termination notice;
• how easily an invalid termination can expose a party to loss of profit claims and significant financial risk;
• why smash-and-grab adjudications are rising — and how simple diary failures are costing businesses millions;
• concurrent delay explained properly: why true concurrency is rare, and why effect matters more than timing;
• the difference between relevant events and relevant matters — and why time does not always mean money; and
• record keeping in practice: what actually wins disputes, shortens arguments and protects cash flow.

Throughout the episode, Paul and Brandon connect legal theory with commercial reality, exploring how QSs can balance strong relationships with robust record keeping — and why being “commercial” without being contractual is one of the industry’s biggest risks.

This is essential listening for QSs, commercial managers and directors who want to reduce contractual exposure, protect entitlement and lead more confidently in an increasingly adversarial environment.

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

📥 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 Amy Connor from Clear North — a QS-focused recruitment specialist who supports freelance quantity surveyors across the UK. Amy describes herself as “the QS agent”, helping QSs stay off job boards, understand the freelance market, and make informed, sustainable career decisions.

This is a practical, no-hype conversation about what freelance life really looks like in 2026.

Paul and Amy explore why more QSs are considering freelancing — from burnout and lack of control in permanent roles to the appeal of higher day rates, flexibility and autonomy. But they also unpack the realities behind the headline numbers, including the responsibilities, risks and trade-offs that come with running your own limited company.

Topics covered include:

• the true financial comparison between permanent salaries and freelance day rates;
• hidden costs such as holidays, pensions, insurance, tax, IR35 and business overheads;
• the level of experience required before going freelance — and why most successful freelancers are senior QSs;
• which sectors are thriving (infrastructure, utilities, data centres) and which are tightening;
• why sector versatility is becoming essential for freelance security;
• how IR35 has evolved from a blocker to a manageable reality;
• when freelancing works as a long-term career move — and when it doesn’t.

The conversation also looks at freelancing from a commercial leadership perspective, including:

• why more commercial directors are choosing to step back into freelance roles later in their careers;
• how contractors are increasingly using freelancers as a core part of delivery, not just a stop-gap;
• why hybrid teams of permanent and freelance QSs are becoming the norm; and
• how smart resourcing can reduce burnout while protecting delivery and margin.

This episode is essential listening for QSs considering freelancing in 2026 — and for commercial leaders who want to understand how the labour market is shifting and how to adapt their hiring strategy accordingly.

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

📥 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 David Longman, Managing QS at Rendesco, a £15m M&E specialist contractor, for a frank and wide-ranging conversation about quantity surveying from the subcontractor’s perspective — an angle that is often misunderstood higher up the contracting chain.

David’s career path is unusual and valuable: starting in main contracting, moving into PQS work, and ultimately landing in subcontracting, where he now leads and has helped grow the business from £4m to £15m in under three years. That breadth of experience allows him to speak candidly about the realities, pressures and blind spots that exist on both sides of the commercial fence.

The conversation covers:

• what it’s really like being a standalone QS in a growing subcontractor business;
• the difference between managing packages as a main contractor QS versus running the full commercial lifecycle as a subcontractor;
• why pricing documents matter — and how poor tender scoping creates disputes, inefficiency and margin erosion later;
• cash flow from the subcontractor’s lens, including downstream risk, extended payment terms and the knock-on effects to second-tier trades;
• why respecting a subcontractor’s bank account changes behaviour, outcomes and relationships;
• the value of interim final accounts as a way to draw a line in the sand, reduce risk and improve collaboration;
• leadership lessons from stepping up into a Managing QS role without formal management training; and
• why communication, scope clarity and fewer contractual amendments would materially improve project delivery.

Throughout the episode, Paul and David connect lived experience with practical commercial insight, offering both subcontractors and main contractors a clearer view of how decisions made upstream directly affect delivery, risk and performance downstream.

This is an honest, experience-led discussion for QSs, commercial managers and directors who want to understand how subcontractors really operate — and how better procurement, payment practices and leadership can improve outcomes for everyone.

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

📥 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 Simon Rubinsohn, Chief Economist at the RICS, for a deep dive into one of the most pressing and under-discussed challenges facing the industry: the critical shortage of quantity surveyors — and what it means for productivity, cost, innovation and delivery across UK construction.

Drawing on the RICS 2025 Skills Survey and the latest Construction Monitor data, Simon explains why the QS shortage is no longer a future risk but a current constraint, with over a third of respondents describing it as critical — even in a flat market.

Together, Paul and Simon explore:

• why the QS skills shortage is more severe than most people realise;
• how limited capacity is already impacting output, cost control and client service;
• why skills shortages suppress innovation and lock productivity in a low-growth cycle;
• how construction productivity compares to the wider economy — and why it has stalled for years;
• the role sentiment data plays in understanding the real health of the industry;
• why construction struggles with perception, narrative and early-career attraction; and
• what needs to change across education, apprenticeships, mentoring and messaging to bring new talent into the profession.

The conversation also looks ahead to 2026 and beyond, unpacking the UK housing and infrastructure outlook, planning reform, interest rates, and why any future uplift in activity will only succeed if the skills gap is addressed first.

This is a timely, evidence-based discussion that connects labour shortages, productivity and economic growth — and challenges the industry to rethink how it attracts, supports and values quantity surveyors.

Essential listening for QSs, commercial leaders, policy-makers and anyone serious about the future of construction.

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

📥 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.