Own The Build

Question Time is back — and it’s better than ever. After a brief baby-related break (sorry about skipping 224.1 and 228.1), Paul and Chris are back to answer your burning questions about quantity surveying, procurement, contracts, and even… sport.

In this episode, we cover:

• 🧠 How to build a standout QS career — including which contract type to master and why
• 🤖 What skills QSs need in an AI-driven world (spoiler: it’s not just tech knowledge)
• 💸 Whether main contractors can mandate portals like PayApps — and if freezing access is legal or just cheeky
• 🏉 What sport best represents the QS profession (Test cricket? Heptathlon? Rugby?)
• 🏆 Which sports personality would make the best QS (yes, Roy Keane gets a shout)

Plus, advice for QSs returning to the UK job market and how to unlock freelance roles with developers, SMEs, and beyond.

This is QS advice from the trenches — funny, honest, and straight-talking. Question Time is officially back, every 4 episodes.

📩 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.

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 special episode of Own the Build, Paul is a guest on Ross Griffin's Inventing Construction podcast.

The conversation dives deep into Paul’s journey from subcontractor QS to co-founder of C-Link, a software platform built to overhaul procurement and supply chain management in construction. Paul shares raw and honest reflections on why QSs are drowning in admin, how traditional tender processes fail everyone, and what needs to change to give commercial teams the tools and time to lead projects more effectively.

Topics include:

• The inefficiencies baked into modern QS workflows
• The real problem with Excel and “invisible” audit trails
• How SMEs and subcontractors can lead the digital charge
• Why BOQs should make a comeback – and who should own them
• Advice for young QSs entering a fast-evolving profession

This is a practical, no-fluff episode for any QS frustrated by inefficiencies and curious about how tech can actually make life easier.

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 final part of the Contract Clarity Series, Paul is joined once again by the brilliantly practical contract expert Sarah Fox to explore the future of contracting in construction.

They dive into the rise of AI, what it means for lawyers and quantity surveyors, and how contracting must evolve in a digitised world. From empowering junior QSs to building smarter scopes of work, the discussion unpacks the risk and opportunity of emerging legal tech — and why simplification, not just automation, is the path forward.

You’ll also hear:

• Why contract scopes are the secret weapon for managing liability
• How Gen AI tools can help (and hinder) contract review
• Whether clients and funders might embrace simpler, fairer contracts
• Why Sarah believes better contracting starts with the outer edges of the supply chain

This is an optimistic and eye-opening wrap-up to the series — packed with practical advice, lightbulb moments, and a vision for more balanced, efficient contracting in the years ahead.

📩 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.

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, titled Subcontracting Simplified, Paul and Sarah Fox go deep into what’s really broken in subcontracting — and what can be done to fix it. From clause-dumping and risk overload to overlooked meeting minutes and unreadable contracts, this is a frank conversation about the challenges subcontractors face and the behaviours that hold the industry back.

We discuss:

• ❌ Why many subcontractors are set up to fail before they’re even on site
• 🧾 The madness of passing down entire main contracts (and what should actually flow)
• 🤝 The power of better communication and properly structured pre-let minutes
• 💡 Sarah’s three-part strategy to improve subcontracting: Simplify, Optimise, Digitise
• 🧠 How smarter procurement leads to stronger relationships, better pricing, and successful delivery

🔗 Sarah also shares real-world stories and offers tangible advice for both main contractors and subcontractors who want to build better, fairer, and more effective projects.

📩 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.

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 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]

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.

The Contract Clarity Series with Sarah Fox (Part 2)

In this second instalment of the Contract Clarity Series, Paul is once again joined by construction’s contract queen, Sarah Fox — contract strategist, author, and keynote speaker — to explore a topic every subcontractor, QS, and contractor needs to understand: liability.

Sarah breaks down the risks contractors are exposed to, explains how liquidated damages (LDs) really work, and pulls back the curtain on indemnity clauses – which she calls “company killers” if left unchecked. Together, they walk through the hidden dangers of skipping LDs, the power of negotiation, and the steps you should take to ensure your liability is capped and your insurance can actually cover what you're signing up for.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why LDs aren't just a risk — they can be a protection
• How to spot and challenge dangerous indemnity clauses
• What to ask your insurer before signing any subcontract
• Why “any limit is better than no limit”

Sarah also gives practical advice to estimators and QSs on how to respond when the contract says “no LDs” — and how to avoid getting caught out in final account negotiations.

👷‍♂️ Own the Build listeners: If you're not already checking for indemnities... this episode is your wake-up call.

📩 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.

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 first instalment of our 4-part Contract Clarity Series with Sarah Fox — contract strategist, speaker, and author of Small Works Contracts in Just 500 Words — Paul dives into one of the trickiest, most nerve-racking topics in construction: contract termination.

Termination often strikes fear into contractors and lawyers alike — but it doesn’t have to. In this episode, Sarah and Paul explore why termination needs to be seen less like a courtroom drama and more like a planned, mutual exit when things aren’t working.

We cover:

• What termination for cause, for convenience, and at-will really mean
• Common traps and how to avoid a Multiplex v Cleveland Bridge-style disaster
• What rights you have even if your contract is silent on termination
• Why “termination at convenience” clauses are a red flag for subcontractors
• How to build fairness into your contracts and avoid company-ending mistakes

If you’ve ever issued (or received) a 7-day notice, considered walking off site, or been hit by a termination clause you didn’t see coming — this episode is essential listening.

📩 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.

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 today’s episode, Paul is joined by Langley Sharp, former Head of the Centre for Army Leadership at Sandhurst, Commanding Officer of the Parachute Regiment, and now MD of Frontier Leadership.

With over 20 years’ experience leading teams in the British Army—including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan—Langley brings a rare and proven insight into how leadership really works under pressure. He’s also the author of the bestselling book The Habit of Excellence and today, he’s helping construction teams rethink how leadership shows up on site.

In this conversation, Paul and Langley discuss:

💥 Why construction often confuses leadership with management—and what the Army does differently

🧠 “Leadership is a role, not a position” – unpacking one of the most misunderstood ideas in team dynamics

🎯 Mission Command – how to brief better, empower your people, and stop micromanaging

🔗 Followership – the surprising secret to high-performing teams (and why it matters in chaotic construction environments)

🔐 Trust and culture – how elite teams build cohesion, resilience, and results

🏗️ Real-world advice for QSs, PMs, and Directors on becoming better leaders and followers

This one’s packed with leadership gold—whether you’re running a site, a team, or your own development business.

📩 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.

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 Heming and Chris Barber challenge the view of Quantity Surveyors as mere cost controllers — and makes the case for QSs to step up as strategic commercial advisors.

Through personal stories (including a classic misunderstanding in Italy), Paul explores why QSs are often misunderstood, and what it takes to shift from passive cost reporter to trusted advisor. Whether you're a junior QS or commercial director, this episode offers practical tips to transform how you're perceived by clients, project teams, and the wider business.

🎙 In this episode, we cover:

• Why the perception of QSs is still stuck in “bean counter” territory
• The cost of being reactive rather than commercially proactive
• What great strategic QSs actually do differently
• How to build trust and influence from day one on a new project
• Simple ways to present risk and cost that shape decision-making
• Paul’s one-page playbook to reposition yourself on your next project

🎁 Exclusive Giveaway: Download your free eBooks:

• Mastering Your Career in Quantity Surveying
• The AI Revolution in Quantity Surveying

Download them 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 today’s episode, Paul is joined by Stefan Panourgias, a seasoned commercial consultant and specialist in construction settlements. With a career spanning London, New York, Malaysia, and the Middle East, Stephen has built a reputation for resolving disputes before they derail projects — from forensic delay analysis to strategic negotiation with the C-suite.

We discuss:

• Stephen’s global career journey — from Heathrow Express to boutique consulting in Dubai
• What it actually means to be a settlement specialist in construction
• The warning signs that conflict is brewing (and what to do next)
• Why documentation is key — but diplomacy often wins
• UK vs. Middle East contract culture — and how to navigate both
• Real-world tactics for bringing even the most stubborn parties to the table

If you’re involved in commercial negotiations, claims, or final accounts, this episode is packed with insight on how to fight for resolution, not just the money.

📩 Have a question for Paul? Email [email protected] to have it answered in an upcoming episode!

📩 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.

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.