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Own the Build is the podcast for Quantity Surveyors and Commercial Directors who want to sharpen their commercial edge and lead with confidence.
Hosted by Paul Heming, former Commercial leader and now co-founder of C-Link, each week’s conversation dives into the realities of modern commercial management — from procurement and contracts to digital transformation and leadership in construction.
Through honest discussions with industry leaders, forensic planners, and forward-thinking QSs, Paul explores how the best commercial teams deliver profit, performance, and project certainty in a changing industry.
If you’re serious about mastering the commercial side of construction — this is where you build your advantage.
264 Episodes
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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 ...
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 h...
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...
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 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 t...
We’re launching a new monthly Leadership Series on Own the Build — spotlighting the journeys, mindsets and behaviours behind world-class Commercial Directorship in construction. For the first episode, Paul is joined by Mark Sheridan, Commercial Director of Commercial Services at BAM UK & Ireland, one of the UK’s largest Tier 1 contractors. Mark shares his 25-year journey from graduate QS to Commercial Director — not as a linear career plan, but as a series of small, deliberate steps drive...
In this episode, Paul is joined by Jordan Toman, QS recruitment specialist at ClearNorth — known by many as “the QS Insider”. Jordan sits at the centre of the UK QS market, speaking daily with quantity surveyors and commercial leaders across the country. Few people have a clearer view of what’s really happening behind the scenes. With 2026 underway, this conversation tackles some of the most pressing issues facing the profession today. In the first half of the episode, Paul and Jordan explore...
For our 250th episode, we mark a major milestone for Own the Build with a special collaboration with the RICS and the Project Flux podcast. This conversation arrives at a pivotal moment: the RICS has just published its first-ever global professional standard for the responsible use of AI in surveying, coming into effect in March 2026. To unpack what this means for QSs, valuers, project professionals, software vendors and construction leaders, Paul is joined by three people who helped shape th...
We’re kicking off 2026 with something special — a full replay of Own the Build Live, recorded in front of a packed audience in October 2025. If you were there, you’ll know the energy in the room was electric. If you weren’t, you’re in for a treat. In this live session, Paul sits down with a formidable panel: Sarah Fox (legal consultant), Mike Wharton (Complete Roofing Systems), Kelvin Maye (Group Commercial Director, Guildmore), and Chris Barber (Co-Founder, C-Link). Together they explore ...
In our final episode of 2025, we wrap up the year with a Christmas Question Time special — and as ever, Paul is joined by C-Link co-founder and former QS, Chris Barber, for an honest and entertaining look at the issues commercial teams are grappling with right now. This episode is built entirely from listener questions, including: • Have you ever received (or issued) a notice on Christmas Eve? Paul shares the story of the year he unwrapped a “festive” million-pound claim instead of a bottle ...
In this episode of Own the Build, Paul is joined by Trevor Wilkins, Managing Director of PAH Building & Construction — a contractor working deep inside one of the UK’s most complex and least-understood built environments: the defence estate. Trevor shares the unique story of PAH’s evolution from a one-client refurb contractor to a £15m business operating across the UK, including the landmark MOD housing portfolio recently brought back into government ownership. He opens up about the early...
In Episode 246, Paul is joined by Mike Rigby, Managing Director of MRA Research and architect of the Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI). With 35+ years in the industry and a mission to bring clarity to construction data, Mike pulls back the curtain on how our sector is being misrepresented — and why it matters. Together, they explore: 📉 Why you can’t always trust official statistics — and what the ONS isn’t telling you 🏗️ What the Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) is, and why...
In Episode 245 of Own the Build, Paul is joined by Faye Allen, a Chartered Quantity Surveyor, Quantum Expert Witness, and Fellow of the RICS, with over 30 years’ experience in construction. Faye is the author of Building Women — a powerful new book that examines why the industry continues to lose talented people, and what leaders can do to change that. This episode is essential listening for any QS, PM, or director who’s ever asked: Why are experienced professionals walking away from the ind...
In Episode 244, Question Time is back – and Paul is joined by recurring co-host Chris Barber to answer another round of listener questions from quantity surveyors and commercial professionals across the UK construction industry. This month, we tackle: Should I switch from Main Contractor to Subcontractor? Chris shares real insight from his own experience and a surprising comparison to his wife’s retail-to-supplier career path.When is the right time to consider adjudication for delayed payment...
In this episode, Paul is joined by George Lujans, Director at GoModular, for a masterclass on modular construction that breaks down everything you thought you knew. George’s message is clear: most developers, QSs, and even modular startups have misunderstood modular construction – and that’s why it hasn’t delivered on its promises. Together, Paul and George unpack: Why modular is a verb, not a noun – and how that changes everything.The biggest myths in modular: standardisation, site access, a...
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...
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...
!!!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...
!!!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,...
!!!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...
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