In this episode, Jason and Carlos are joined by Thomas Schultz and special guest Peter Fitzpatrick, Project Commercial Director, to explore a role that's either fundamental to how construction projects work or potentially unnecessary, depending on where you stand.

The conversation examines how quantity surveyors and commercial teams operate on major projects, unpacking the significant differences between markets like the UK and Australia. The team debates specialised roles versus the generalist engineer approach, discussing what gets lost and gained when responsibilities shift between team members.

he discussion moves into the relationship dynamics between engineers and QSs, bridging technical knowledge with commercial reality, and how contract structures like NEC shape collaboration on major infrastructure projects. Peter shares insights on disputes, contract administration, and whether the burden of process actually prevents bigger problems down the line.

The episode wraps with each guest proposing one change they'd make to contract structures or delivery models to drive better outcomes.

Timestamps:

04:46 - How the QS role differs between the UK and Australia

22:25 - Do disputes cost more than prevention?

30:53 - Can contracts force collaboration, or is it all about culture?

39:59 - If you could change one thing about contracts, what would it be?

Join Jason, Carlos, and returning guest Thomas Schultz as they tackle one of construction's most fundamental yet unresolved challenges: how should master schedules actually function in project delivery?

🏗️ Core Questions Explored:

• Can one schedule serve both contract reporting and day-to-day construction coordination?
• The tension between commercial requirements and construction team autonomy
• Why detailed master schedules often conflict with on-site realities
• The trade-offs between control, flexibility, and project speed

⚖️ Key Discussion Areas:

• The gap between planning teams and construction delivery
• Resource allocation and schedule ownership across project phases
• How contract structures influence scheduling approaches
• The challenge of updating versus adapting to site conditions

🎯 Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction from South London, Clapham & Germany
05:35 – Why master schedules play multiple roles on projects
14:06 – The trust gap between planning and construction teams
28:53 – Commercial recovery vs. delivery optimization
46:06 – Should schedules be planned to Level 5 detail?
1:00:04 – Connecting everything to one schedule: promise or problem?

Check out the Off Site Newsletter: https://offsite.aphex.co/

Join Jason and Carlos for their 100th episode, joined by members of the Aphex team with construction backgrounds. Kelvin (Engineer), Thomas Schulz (Engineer/Quantity Surveyor), and Cam Rainger (Engineer).

Breaking away from polished industry success stories, the team discusses why the most valuable learning in construction comes from project failures. The conversation explores professional mistakes and their consequences, covering trust and verification on construction teams, documentation failures, commercial risk management, and the balance between proactive problem-solving and following procedures.

Key Timestamps: 00:00 - Episode 100 introduction and celebration 03:24 - Team introductions and new format explanation 08:06 - Cam's Story 16:01 - Thomas' Story 25:40 - Carlos' Story 32:38 - Kelvin's Story Check out the Off Site Newsletter: https://offsite.aphex.co/