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Own The Build

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249 episodes

1 day ago

In this episode of Own the Build, Paul is joined by Mike Ashcroft (Co-Founder of EstimateOne) and Paddy Westbury (Estimating Director at Structure Tone) to explore the often misunderstood world of estimating – and its love/hate relationship with quantity surveying. They dive into Paddy’s 40-year journey from sleepy PQS firms to the intensity of fast-track fit out, his reflections on Structure Tone’s explosive growth, and how modern estimators are evolving from number-pushers to project strate...

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In this episode of Own the Build, Paul is joined by Mike Ashcroft (Co-Founder of EstimateOne) and Paddy Westbury (Estimating Director at Structure Tone) to explore the often misunderstood world of estimating – and its love/hate relationship with quantity surveying. They dive into Paddy’s 40-year journey from sleepy PQS firms to the intensity of fast-track fit out, his reflections on Structure Tone’s explosive growth, and how modern estimators are evolving from number-pushers to project strate...

Show more...

Episodes (20/249)

Own The Build

Estimating vs. Quantity Surveying – Can We All Just Get Along? (EP 242)

In this episode of Own the Build, Paul is joined by Mike Ashcroft (Co-Founder of EstimateOne) and Paddy Westbury (Estimating Director at Structure Tone) to explore the often misunderstood world of estimating – and its love/hate relationship with quantity surveying. They dive into Paddy’s 40-year journey from sleepy PQS firms to the intensity of fast-track fit out, his reflections on Structure Tone’s explosive growth, and how modern estimators are evolving from number-pushers to project strate...

1 day ago

1 hour 5 minutes

Own The Build

Curiosity, Communication, and Coaching: How to Build Better QSs (EP 241)

In this episode of Own the Build, Paul is joined by Katie Taylor, Managing Quantity Surveyor, to explore what it really takes to raise the bar for commercial professionals in construction. Katie shares how she entered the industry by chance as a receptionist, studied part-time to become a QS, and developed a deep passion for coaching and communication. Together, Paul and Katie discuss: Why coaching is critical for QSs and subcontractors alikeThe underestimated importance of soft skills and ps...

1 week ago

34 minutes

Own The Build

Question Time: Bonuses, Burnout, and the QS Brain Drain – What's Going On? (Ep 240)

!!!Get your free OTB Live Tickets here - Own The Build Live, October 23rd!!! ----------------------------------- In this episode of Own the Build, Paul is joined once again by his co-founder and sidekick, Chris Barber, for another round of Question Time. This time, the duo dives deep into one of the most shocking industry stats of 2025: the QS workforce has dropped by over 30% in just 12 months. Together, they unpack why so many quantity surveyors are leaving the industry and discuss the knoc...

2 weeks ago

37 minutes

Own The Build

Why Do We Keep Defaulting to Scaffold? (EP 239)

!!!Get your free OTB Live Tickets here - Own The Build Live, October 23rd!!! ----------------------------------- In this episode, Paul is joined by Rob Munns, Head of Sales at BFT Mast Climbing Ltd — the UK’s leading provider of mast climbers. You might think access equipment isn’t the most exciting topic in the world, but this conversation is a wake-up call for QSs, PMs, and operational teams. Paul and Rob unpack why the UK construction industry still defaults to scaffold — despite the cost,...

3 weeks ago

55 minutes

Own The Build

Trust is Earned: Building Better Leadership in Construction (EP 238)

!!!Get your free OTB Live Tickets here - Own The Build Live, October 23rd!!! ----------------------------------- This week on Own the Build, Paul is joined by Dave Stitt, a leadership team coach with 25+ years of experience working with boards and senior project teams across the UK construction industry. In this episode, Paul and Dave deep-dive into a subject that every QS, PM, and Director talks about—but few know how to actively build: Trust. Together, they unpack: 🔍 Why trust is so often m...

4 weeks ago

47 minutes

Own The Build

Why Competence is Now a Procurement Risk – What Every QS Needs to Know (EP 237)

!!!Get your free OTB Live Tickets here - Own The Build Live, October 23rd!!! ----------------------------------- In this episode of Own the Build, Paul is joined by James Filus, Director at both the National Association of Shopfitters (NAS) and the Institute of Carpenters (IOC), to unpack what competence really means in the context of construction today. James shares the view from the front line of trade associations helping their members navigate the aftermath of Grenfell, the implications o...

1 month ago

50 minutes

Own The Build

Question Time Returns: The QS Career Clinic (EP 236)

In this lively episode, Chris joins Paul again to tackle YOUR questions in the return of Question Time. From the realities of AI in construction to the headaches of back-to-back contracts, we dive into the heart of what QSs are really facing on site. Highlights include: How AI is transforming tender analysis and improving subcontractor engagement.NEC vs JCT – which contract is most improperly administered?Back-to-back contracts: Are they practical or just punishment?The most misunderstood par...

1 month ago

37 minutes

Own The Build

The Building Safety Act: How QSs Need to Procure Differently (EP 235)

In this episode, Paul is joined by Andrea White, Independent Fire Engineer, Chartered Safety Professional, and one of the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Construction (2023). Andrea is also the founder of Women Talking Fire and a leading voice on fire safety strategy in a post-Grenfell landscape. Together, Paul and Andrea unpack the critical implications of the Building Safety Act for quantity surveyors and procurement professionals. 💥 What do QSs need to do differently? 💡 Why is procureme...

1 month ago

43 minutes

Own The Build

Procurement Reimagined: Building Better Supply Chain Relationships at Guildmore (EP 234)

In this episode, Paul is joined by Kelvin May, Group Commercial Director at Guildmore Ltd, a £100m+ main contractor with an impressive growth trajectory. Kelvin shares the story of his journey from graduate QS to group leadership and how Guildmore is actively reshaping its commercial and procurement strategies. They explore how Kelvin’s team is unlocking QS productivity, improving tender and contract governance, and critically, rebuilding trust in subcontractor relationships. At the heart of ...

1 month ago

1 hour 17 minutes

Own The Build

The QS Career Isn’t Linear — And That’s a Good Thing (EP 233)

In episode 233, Paul welcomes Alice Graham, a chartered Quantity Surveyor turned Solution Specialist at Procore Technologies. Together, they unpack Alice’s career journey — from studying QS at Heriot-Watt University to working in consultancy, and eventually pivoting into construction technology. Alice shares how her “skills inventory” helped her redefine her path, the case for becoming a visible role model in construction, and why QSs have more career options than they might realise — includi...

2 months ago

46 minutes

Own The Build

Question Time Returns: The QS Career Clinic – From Roy Keane to Red Flags in Procurement (EP 232)

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 P...

2 months ago

33 minutes

Own The Build

QS to Software Founder: Why Construction Needs to Work Smarter, Not Harder (EP 231)

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 p...

2 months ago

50 minutes

Own The Build

Can AI Empower the Subcontractor? (EP 230)

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 automati...

2 months ago

33 minutes

Own The Build

Clause-Dumping and Risk Wars: Why Subbies Deserve Better (EP 229)

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 con...

3 months ago

32 minutes

Own The Build

10 Commercial Mistakes I Made Early in My Career — And What I’d Do Differently (EP 228)

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 QSWhy their fi...

3 months ago

30 minutes

Own The Build

Capping Your Risk – Why Every Contractor Needs to Limit Their Liability (EP 227)

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 ...

3 months ago

31 minutes

Own The Build

When It’s Time to Walk Away: How to Terminate a Contract Without Blowing Everything Up (EP 226)

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...

3 months ago

30 minutes

Own The Build

The Habit of Excellence – What Construction Can Learn from Army Leadership (EP 225)

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 te...

4 months ago

50 minutes

Own The Build

Redefining the QS Role: Strategy, Influence, and Impact (EP 224)

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 percei...

4 months ago

31 minutes

Own The Build

Settlement Strategies: How to Resolve Construction Conflicts Before They Spiral (EP 223)

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 DubaiWhat it actually means to be a settl...

4 months ago

53 minutes