Why does your day one budget never match your final cost?

That first figure feels fixed, but it's actually just the starting point for a journey of controlled change.

We walk through every stage of cost control, from initial budgeting to final account settlement. As an architect and quantity surveyor, we explain why early builder estimates carry risk, how professional cost planning builds in allowances for design variability, and why your contingency needs to reflect genuine unknowns, not wishful thinking. We cover procurement routes, real-time cost tracking tools, and why payment certification can determine whether your contractor reaches the finish line or leaves you mid-build.

We also tackle what happens after handover. Decisions about thermal efficiency, maintenance access, and operational costs need to be made during design, not discovered when the bills arrive.

Get this wrong and you'll run out of money mid-build or overpay at every stage. Get it right and you'll navigate changes with full control.

“We're not there to limit what you can have.” – Bart Kolosowski

You’ll hear about:

• Why clients always set the budget
• Risks of early builder estimates
• Construction inflation impact since 2021
• When to engage a quantity surveyor
• Feasibility budgeting versus detailed cost planning
• Why you need realistic contingency
• Handling design changes without budget blow-out
• Controlling variations during construction
• Different procurement routes and their implications
• Real-time cost tracking tools
• Payment certification protecting your project
• Operational costs after handover

Connect with us:

Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/

Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/

Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/