Own The Build

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Construction is one of the most complex, fragmented and challenging industries to work in, but when you reflect on a finished project, there is always great satisfaction in the work done. Join Quantity Surveyor and Founder of C-Link (www.c-link.com), Paul Heming, each week as he interviews experts from across the construction industry to share tactics for project success and uncover technologies of the future that will take us forward. Own the Build is a show for Main Contractors, Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers or anyone interested in learning more about the construction world.

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

    4 DAYS AGO

    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 procurement now inseparable from safety strategy? 🔍 What is the role of the fire engineer — and why do QSs often overlook it? This episode breaks down myths, reframes responsibilities, and offers practical advice on how commercial teams can support safety and compliance from Day One of a project. Whether you’re a main contractor or a PQS, this is an essential 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. Send us a text Want to connect with Paul? Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at paul@c-link.com 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.

    43 min
  2. Procurement Reimagined: Building Better Supply Chain Relationships at Guildmore (EP 234)

    8 SEPT

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

    In this episode, Paul is joined by Kelvin Maye, 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 this discussion is Guildmore’s recent Meet the Buyer Day—an open and honest initiative designed to reset how main contractors engage with their supply chain. Kelvin talks candidly about: Time pressures and antiquated procurement methodsRisk management from tender stage onwardsThe cultural shift needed to treat subcontractors as partnersThe business case for investing in digital tools like C-LinkPractical steps taken to make subcontractors feel heardWhether you’re a QS, Commercial Director, or a subcontractor navigating the modern construction supply chain, this episode is packed with real talk, honest leadership, and practical advice. 🎧 Listen in to hear how Guildmore is leading by example—and why a little empathy goes a long way. 📩 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 a text Want to connect with Paul? Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at paul@c-link.com 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.

    1h 17m
  3. The QS Career Isn’t Linear — And That’s a Good Thing (EP 233)

    1 SEPT

    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 — including tech, entrepreneurship, and even writing books. The conversation also covers: PQS vs. Main Contractor career pathsMid-career pivots for chartered surveyorsThe growing demand for domain expertise in ConTechHow visibility, creativity, and content can shape your influenceWhat the industry must change to retain top talentThis is a must-listen for anyone in Quantity Surveying who is questioning their next step — whether you're climbing the ladder or building a new one. 📩 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 a text Want to connect with Paul? Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at paul@c-link.com 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.

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

    25 AUG

    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 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 a text Want to connect with Paul? Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at paul@c-link.com 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.

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

    18 AUG

    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 projects more effectively. Topics include: The inefficiencies baked into modern QS workflowsThe real problem with Excel and “invisible” audit trailsHow SMEs and subcontractors can lead the digital chargeWhy BOQs should make a comeback – and who should own themAdvice for young QSs entering a fast-evolving professionThis is a practical, no-fluff episode for any QS frustrated by inefficiencies and curious about how tech can actually make life easier. Send us a text Want to connect with Paul? Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at paul@c-link.com 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.

    50 min
  6. Can AI Empower the Subcontractor? (EP 230)

    11 AUG

    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 automation, is the path forward. You’ll also hear: Why contract scopes are the secret weapon for managing liabilityHow Gen AI tools can help (and hinder) contract reviewWhether clients and funders might embrace simpler, fairer contractsWhy Sarah believes better contracting starts with the outer edges of the supply chainThis 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 a text Want to connect with Paul? Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at paul@c-link.com 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.

    33 min
  7. Clause-Dumping and Risk Wars: Why Subbies Deserve Better (EP 229)

    4 AUG

    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 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 a text Want to connect with Paul? Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at paul@c-link.com 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.

    32 min
  8. 10 Commercial Mistakes I Made Early in My Career — And What I’d Do Differently (EP 228)

    28 JUL

    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 first final account meetings gave them a false sense of confidenceWhat they’d do differently to manage variations, stakeholders and scope changesThe power of one-to-ones, and why they’re still rare in construction firmsHow to manage difficult conversations internally and externally — before they blow upWhy learning to regulate emotion in meetings is a career superpowerIf 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: paul@c-link.com Send us a text Want to connect with Paul? Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at paul@c-link.com 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.

    30 min
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About

Construction is one of the most complex, fragmented and challenging industries to work in, but when you reflect on a finished project, there is always great satisfaction in the work done. Join Quantity Surveyor and Founder of C-Link (www.c-link.com), Paul Heming, each week as he interviews experts from across the construction industry to share tactics for project success and uncover technologies of the future that will take us forward. Own the Build is a show for Main Contractors, Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers or anyone interested in learning more about the construction world.

Information

  • Creator
    C-Link
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    242
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Own The Build
  • Show Website
    Own The Build

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