Own The Build

• The Softer Side of Contract Management: Lessons from the Real World (EP 215)

  Today, Paul’s guest is Jamie Mills, Managing Director at Signature Build, to explore the often overlooked but crucial human side of contract management in construction.With a career that began in IT before transitioning into infrastructure project management and construction leadership, Jamie brings a unique perspective on how emotional intelligence, relationship management, and communication shape successful outcomes—both contractually and commercially.🔹 The Reality of Goodwill in Construction: Jamie discusses the "bank of goodwill" myth and why assuming favours will be returned can be risky in contractual relationships.🔹 Balancing Relationships and Contracts: How to strike the right balance between being contractually correct and maintaining positive, long-term client relationships.🔹 Red Flags and Emotional Intelligence: Jamie explains how recognising early warning signs, managing stress, and adapting communication styles can defuse conflicts before they escalate.🔹 Practical Strategies: From setting expectations early to managing final accounts with empathy, Jamie shares actionable tactics to help contractors, QSs, and PMs build trust and safeguard their businesses.🔹 Post-Project Relationships: Jamie reflects on the importance of maintaining reputation and relationships long after the final payment is made.🎙️ Don’t miss this insightful conversation that blends practical experience with emotional intelligence—essential listening for anyone working with clients, contracts, and construction teams.📩 Have a question for Paul? Email [email protected] to have it answered in an upcoming episode!🎁 Exclusive Giveaway: Download your free eBooks:Mastering Your Career in Quantity SurveyingThe AI Revolution in Quantity SurveyingDownload them here - Free eBook Downloads.Send us a textWant 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. Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here. C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Main Contractors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

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• Mastering FIDIC: How to Handle Claims, Payments & Disputes Like a Pro (EP 214)

  Today, Paul’s guest is Frans Taljaard, FIDIC Contracts Manager at Gleeds in Lisbon and founder of Clause 20, a consultancy focused on FIDIC training and contract management. Frans has extensive experience managing FIDIC contracts across Europe and the Middle East, supporting contractors in claims, payments, and disputes.🔹 Understanding FIDIC Contracts: Learn where FIDIC is most commonly used and how it differs from JCT & NEC contracts.🔹 Avoiding Common Pitfalls: Discover the biggest mistakes contractors make under FIDIC and how to protect your interests in tender negotiations.🔹 Managing Claims & Payments: Get expert advice on handling claims, variations, and payment mechanisms under FIDIC.🔹 Dispute Resolution in FIDIC: Explore how the Dispute Avoidance and Adjudication Board (DAAB) works compared to UK adjudication.📩 Have a question for Paul? Email [email protected] to have it answered in an upcoming episode!🎁 Exclusive Giveaway: Download your free eBooks:Mastering Your Career in Quantity SurveyingThe AI Revolution in Quantity SurveyingDownload them here - Free eBook Downloads.Send us a textWant 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. Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here. C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Main Contractors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

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• What to Do When a Client Refuses Practical Completion (EP 213)

  Practical Completion (PC) is one of the most critical and contentious milestones in any construction project. But what happens when a client refuses to grant it? In this episode, Bill Barton, Director at Barton Legal, joins Paul to discuss real-world disputes over PC and how contractors can protect themselves.🔹 Understanding Practical Completion: How is PC defined, and why does ambiguity create major issues?🔹 When Clients Withhold PC: What are the commercial and legal implications for contractors?🔹 The Opposite Problem – Partial Possession: What happens when a client wants to occupy a building early, but the contract doesn’t allow it?🔹 Strategies for Contractors: Key contract negotiation tactics, documentation best practices, and lessons from case law to avoid PC disputes.🎙️ Don’t miss this expert discussion on navigating one of construction’s most frustrating challenges.📩 Have a question for Paul? Email [email protected] to have it answered in an upcoming episode!🎁 Exclusive Giveaway: Download your free eBooks:Mastering Your Career in Quantity SurveyingThe AI Revolution in Quantity SurveyingDownload them here - Free eBook Downloads.Send us a textWant 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. Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here. C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Main Contractors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

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• Question Time 4: Subcontracting Pressure, QS Career Advice, Design Management (EP 212.1)

  🎙️ Welcome to Episode 212.1 of Own the Build — our fourth Question Time Special, where Paul and Chris answer listener-submitted questions on commercial, contractual, and career-related issues in the construction industry.These episodes drop once a month on a Thursday — and as ever, if you've got a question, email [email protected] or message Paul on LinkedIn and it could feature in the next one.In this month’s Q&A, Paul tackles these brilliant listener questions, including real-world dilemmas and technical challenges faced by Quantity Surveyors and construction professionals:🧠 1. Subcontracting Pressure & Risky Contracts: What should small subcontractors do when they’re pressured to sign unfair contracts with no room for negotiation?💼 2. How to Earn More as a QS: One QS asks whether getting chartered, shifting sectors, or building pre-contract experience is the right way forward. Paul gives honest, strategic advice.🔀 3. Struggling to Find Your QS Path – Contract or Cost? If you lean more toward contract management and less toward number crunching, which route is right for you? Consultancy vs Contractor explored.🧱 4. Scope Gaps and Interface Risks: What are the common scope gaps in trades like brickwork, plastering, and architectural features? And how do you avoid getting caught out?📐 5. Design Comments vs Design Change – Where’s the Line? We break down Schedule 1, Clause 2 of JCT D&B — and explain how to respond when architects request design changes that aren’t really contractually justified.🔥 Whether you're new to QS or 20 years deep, this is a value-packed episode full of practical insights you can use straight away.📩 Want your question answered next month? Email [email protected] or message on LinkedIn!🎁 Exclusive Giveaway: Download your free eBooks:Mastering Your Career in Quantity SurveyingThe AI Revolution in Quantity SurveyingDownload them here - Free eBook Downloads.Send us a textWant 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. Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here. C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Main Contractors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

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• Mastering Contract Audits: The 3-Page Hack Every QS and Project Team Needs (EP 212)

  🎙️ Today’s guest is Chris Barber, a returning favourite on the show and someone who needs no introduction for many of our listeners. Chris is a former top-level QS with a sharp eye for practical improvements in construction project delivery and contract management.Contract Audits Made Simple: Paul and Chris dive into a tool that’s been quietly circulating among the Own the Build community—Paul’s Contract Audit Document. Designed to distil a 1,000-page contract into 3–4 actionable pages, this episode is all about how to make contract documents accessible and usable for your entire team.Key Talking Points:The Power of the Contract Audit: Learn how simplifying your contract into a 3-page operational guide could prevent major site-level issues.Real-World Lessons: Chris and Paul share stories from major projects like Battersea and Putney, reflecting on the cost of poor contract understanding.Boosting Commercial Awareness: How to build commercially-minded site teams and embed contract knowledge across your project team.EOTs, Payments & Scope: Deep-dive into the most common causes of contractual disputes—and how to get them right from day one.💡 Whether you’re a QS, PM, or delivery manager, this episode gives you practical tactics to upskill your team and avoid costly contract pitfalls.📩 Want the free Contract Audit Document? Email [email protected] or message him on LinkedIn and he’ll send it over!🎁 Exclusive Giveaway: Download your free eBooks:Mastering Your Career in Quantity SurveyingThe AI Revolution in Quantity SurveyingDownload them here - Free eBook Downloads.Send us a textWant 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. Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here. C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Main Contractors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.

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