Own The Build
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.
Own The Build
Why Good QSs Are Walking Away from Permanent Jobs (EP 271)
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In this episode, Paul is joined by Matthew Williams, Senior Consultant at Clear North, for a practical and timely discussion about one of the construction industry’s biggest hidden challenges:
How do contractors attract and retain commercial talent when the QS shortage is getting worse — and freelance working is rapidly evolving?
Matt works exclusively with quantity surveyors across the freelance market and brings a front-line perspective on what commercial directors, contractors and QSs need to understand about the changing landscape.
The conversation explores:
- why there are now over 42,000 QS job adverts live in the UK market;
- how the industry created a shortage of experienced Senior QSs;
- why many contractors still misunderstand IR35 and the freelance market;
- the recent tax and liability changes that could reshape contractor hiring strategies; and
- why more experienced QSs are choosing freelance work over traditional career paths.
Paul and Matt also discuss the wider implications for the industry — from burnout and retention issues to the growing tension between short-term project pressures and long-term talent development.
The episode closes with a clear message:
contractors that adapt fastest to flexible commercial resourcing will gain access to the strongest talent in the market.
A practical, honest discussion for Commercial Directors, QSs and business leaders trying to navigate the reality of construction’s commercial talent crisis in 2026.
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📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:
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.
