The Off Site Podcast

Construction is one of the largest industries in the world, yet the way we talk about it has not evolved at the same pace as the technology reshaping it.

In this episode, we turn the microphones around on Owen and Martin, the founders of Bricks & Bytes. Owen is a quantity surveyor by background and Martin a structural engineer, both having run their own construction businesses before building one of the most recognised media platforms in construction tech. They share why they started the podcast, what they saw missing in the industry conversation, and how their experience on real projects shapes the way they approach media.

We get into why many construction events feel disconnected from project reality, the tension between niche tech audiences and boots-on-the-ground professionals, and whether AI and robotics are moving toward real adoption or just another hype cycle.

In this episode of the Off Site podcast, Jason and Carlos are joined by Andrew Chapman, CEO of the Queensland Major Contractors Association (QMCA), to discuss the changing landscape of major project delivery in Queensland as the state prepares for a significant decade of infrastructure investment ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. 

The conversation explores the broader pressures facing the construction industry, including workforce capacity, delivery timelines, productivity, and the role of long-term planning in supporting sustainable growth. It also touches on how major events can act as catalysts for infrastructure investment, and the importance of ensuring these projects deliver lasting value beyond fixed deadlines.

A wide-ranging discussion offering context and perspective on what it takes to deliver major infrastructure programs at scale, and what the coming years may mean for Queensland’s construction and engineering sectors.

In this episode, Jason and Carlos sit down with Martin Roby, Head of Planning at Volker Fitzpatrick and Volker Stevan. Martin brings decades of experience from major UK contractors, including Balfour Beatty and BAM, and has earned deep respect across the industry.

The conversation takes an unexpectedly philosophical turn as Martin challenges some fundamental assumptions about how construction projects actually work. Using everything from sat-nav analogies to stories about Friday nights in the pub 30 years ago, he unpacks why the industry might be making things harder for itself than necessary. 

There's a fascinating discussion about what's changed in construction culture over the past few decades and what that means for how teams operate today. Martin also shares some provocative thoughts about where the real problems lie, and they're probably not where you think.

If you've ever wondered why construction projects sometimes feel more complicated than they need to be, this conversation might just reframe how you think about delivery.

Timestamps:

01:40 - Establishing the core challenge

04:09 - Understanding project navigation through analogy

18:45 - Cultural shifts in construction over three decades

34:19 - The natural tendency to react rather than prepare

Will Thompson and Mitch Corrigan traded the predictability of Australia's tier-one contractors for something most people said was impossible: helping build a rail business from scratch in the United States.

In this episode, they pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to compete in one of the world's toughest construction markets and why the approach that's working might surprise you. 

We explore the uncomfortable truths about why talented people leave construction, what happens when you strip away the layers of approval processes, and the counterintuitive hiring strategy that's attracting people from completely unexpected backgrounds.

If you've ever wondered why some companies feel completely different to work for, or what it really takes to break into a new market as an international contractor, this conversation will give you answers you won't hear anywhere else. 

Topics covered: Breaking into the US market, building culture that retains top talent, unconventional hiring approaches, fast-moving project delivery, and what makes some contractors fundamentally different from others.

In this episode, Jason and Carlos are joined by Thomas Schultz and special guest Peter Fitzpatrick, Project Commercial Director, to explore a role that's either fundamental to how construction projects work or potentially unnecessary, depending on where you stand. 

The conversation examines how quantity surveyors and commercial teams operate on major projects, unpacking the significant differences between markets like the UK and Australia. The team debates specialised roles versus the generalist engineer approach, discussing what gets lost and gained when responsibilities shift between team members.  

he discussion moves into the relationship dynamics between engineers and QSs, bridging technical knowledge with commercial reality, and how contract structures like NEC shape collaboration on major infrastructure projects. Peter shares insights on disputes, contract administration, and whether the burden of process actually prevents bigger problems down the line.

The episode wraps with each guest proposing one change they'd make to contract structures or delivery models to drive better outcomes.

Timestamps:

04:46 - How the QS role differs between the UK and Australia

22:25 - Do disputes cost more than prevention?

30:53 - Can contracts force collaboration, or is it all about culture?

39:59 - If you could change one thing about contracts, what would it be?

Join Jason, Carlos, and returning guest Thomas Schultz as they tackle one of construction's most fundamental yet unresolved challenges: how should master schedules actually function in project delivery?

🏗️ Core Questions Explored:

• Can one schedule serve both contract reporting and day-to-day construction coordination?
• The tension between commercial requirements and construction team autonomy
• Why detailed master schedules often conflict with on-site realities
• The trade-offs between control, flexibility, and project speed

⚖️ Key Discussion Areas:

• The gap between planning teams and construction delivery
• Resource allocation and schedule ownership across project phases
• How contract structures influence scheduling approaches
• The challenge of updating versus adapting to site conditions

🎯 Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction from South London, Clapham & Germany
05:35 – Why master schedules play multiple roles on projects
14:06 – The trust gap between planning and construction teams
28:53 – Commercial recovery vs. delivery optimization
46:06 – Should schedules be planned to Level 5 detail?
1:00:04 – Connecting everything to one schedule: promise or problem?

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Join Jason and Carlos for their 100th episode, joined by members of the Aphex team with construction backgrounds. Kelvin (Engineer), Thomas Schulz (Engineer/Quantity Surveyor), and Cam Rainger (Engineer).

Breaking away from polished industry success stories, the team discusses why the most valuable learning in construction comes from project failures. The conversation explores professional mistakes and their consequences, covering trust and verification on construction teams, documentation failures, commercial risk management, and the balance between proactive problem-solving and following procedures. 

Key Timestamps: 00:00 - Episode 100 introduction and celebration 03:24 - Team introductions and new format explanation 08:06 - Cam's Story 16:01 - Thomas' Story 25:40 - Carlos' Story 32:38 - Kelvin's Story  Check out the Off Site Newsletter: https://offsite.aphex.co/

Join Jason, Carlos, and special guest Sam Hanisch as they dive into three developments shaping the global construction landscape:

🏗️ Southeast Asia's Construction Giants: Explore the $500 billion Southeast Asian construction market growing at 6% annually. Discover major players from state-owned Indonesian contractors to international specialists, plus massive projects like the $40 billion Trans-Sumatra Highway.

🤖 Trunk Tools' $40M AI Revolution: Analyse the construction AI startup's massive Series B funding and their RAG platform connecting construction documents, drawings, and schedules. Examine what this means for AI in construction versus existing solutions.

⚡ The Future of Planning Professionals: Discuss a controversial post claiming expensive planners earning $200-400K are becoming obsolete. Evaluate whether technology will replace traditional planning roles or transform them.

Key Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

02:26 - Southeast Asian construction market analysis

12:40 - Trunk Tools funding and technology breakdown

34:29 - The obsolete planner debate

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Join Jason and Carlos as they tackle three construction industry topics:

🏗️ China's Mega Dam Project: Exploring the $140 billion Yarlung Zangbo Dam - three times larger than Three Gorges Dam and requiring 12.5 miles of tunnels through Tibet's deepest canyon.

📊 Mega Project Success Framework: Analyzing MACE's 10 pillars for successful delivery of large-scale infrastructure projects and what separates winners from costly failures.

🤝 ConTech Sales Strategy: Examining whether construction technology companies should sell directly or through reseller partnerships - and what this means for customers. Key Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

03:05 - China's Yarlung Zangbo Dam

09:46 - MACE's Project Delivery Report

24:16 - Construction Tech Go-to-Market Strategy

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Join Jason and Carlos as they explore three major developments in construction and technology:

🏗️ Mega Projects Surge: Analysis of Mace's new report showing 11,000+ live megaprojects worth $15 trillion globally - a 4x increase since 2010. Why are projects getting bigger, and what's driving this trend?

🌐 AI Browser Revolution: The emerging battle between Perplexity, OpenAI, and Google for AI-enabled browsers that could automate construction workflows from form-filling to document control.

💰 UK Infrastructure Wave: Major project approvals including Sizewell C nuclear, A66 highway expansion, and the Midlands Rail Hub connecting 50 stations.

Key Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

02:32 - Mace’s Mega Project Report

19:00 - AI Browser Revolution

32:23 - UK Infrastructure Wave

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