# Before You Build: The Advice That Could Save You Thousands > How do you know if you’re paying the right price for your building project? In Episode 9 of The Healthy House Podcast, Aaron is joined by Fiona Hall from Construction Q to explore how quantity surveying can help homeowners and contractors manage costs, avoid disputes and… *Source: https://www.thehealthyhousepodcast.co.uk/episodes/before-you-build-the-advice-that-could-save-you-thousands* [Open in Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/episode/5r4W5F9048ztQnlHVRkBAN)[Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRPf743qGEs)[Listen in any app](https://pod.link/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xMTUxNGZmNDQvcG9kY2FzdC9yc3M/episode/ZDk3MmY5NDAtNGIwYS00YTFiLTljY2ItNzUyNmRlNDBlMmY1) ## The short version - A quantity surveyor helps homeowners and contractors manage the cost of a building project, avoid disputes and understand exactly what they are paying for, so the best time to involve one is before work begins rather than once a disagreement has started. - The cheapest quote is not always the best value: a low price can simply mean the scope is unclear or something has been left out, and that is how homeowners end up facing unexpected bills later. - To compare builders' quotes fairly, you need to know what each one includes, and provisional sums deserve particular attention because they are placeholders rather than firm prices. - Getting the scope and the contract right before work begins matters more than almost anything you can do once the build is under way. - Clear contracts and agreed payment terms are among the best protections against costly disputes, because they settle in advance what is being built, for how much and when it is paid for. - Changes made during a build affect the budget, so it pays to understand the cost of a change before you agree to it, not after the invoice arrives. - Practical experience still counts in construction: the episode discusses AI in the industry alongside the continuing value of people who have seen how projects go right and wrong on real sites. ## What this episode covers Most homeowners only find out what a quantity surveyor does when something has already gone wrong: a quote that turned out to be a fraction of the real cost, a payment dispute, a variation nobody priced. In episode nine of The Healthy House Podcast, host Aaron Worrall talks to Fiona Hall of Construction Q, a quantity surveying and project management practice, about how cost advice at the start of a project can help homeowners and contractors keep control of the budget, avoid disputes and understand exactly what they are paying for. It is a long conversation, about an hour and twenty minutes, and it moves between practical advice for anyone about to hire a builder and Fiona’s own story of building a business. ## Why the cheapest quote isn’t always the best value Fiona explains why the lowest price on the table is not automatically the best deal. When costs are unclear, or work has been left out of a quote, the gap tends to show up later as an unexpected bill. The episode talks through how to compare builders’ quotes like for like, and how to understand provisional sums, the allowances that stand in for work whose cost is not yet known. Treat a quote with lots of them as a starting point rather than a fixed price. ## Scope, contracts and payment terms A running theme is that the groundwork before work begins matters more than anything you can do once the build is under way. Getting the scope clear, putting a contract in place and agreeing payment terms in advance is presented as the best protection against the costly disputes that can follow. The conversation also covers how changes during a build affect the budget, and why it is worth understanding what a change will cost before you agree to it. ## AI, experience and the future of the industry Aaron and Fiona also discuss artificial intelligence in construction, alongside the continuing value of practical experience. The conversation then turns to apprenticeships, women in construction and the routes into the industry, including Fiona’s enthusiasm for encouraging young people to consider a career in it. ## Fiona’s story and giving back Fiona describes how she started her business with £500 in her spare bedroom and went on to build what the show describes as an award-winning practice. The episode closes on her charity work and on bringing the industry together through Cash for Kids. ## Who should listen If you are planning a renovation or extension and about to compare quotes, this episode will help you ask better questions before you sign anything. It is equally useful for small contractors who want to understand the cost and contract side of a project, and for anyone thinking about a career in construction. ## Questions this episode answers ### What does a quantity surveyor do, and when should I hire one? A quantity surveyor helps manage the cost of a building project, from understanding what the work should cost to keeping contracts and payments in order. Episode 9 makes the case for involving one before work begins, when scope and contract can still be shaped, rather than after a dispute has started. ### Is the cheapest builder's quote the best one? Not necessarily. Episode 9 explains that the cheapest quote is not always the best value, because unclear costs or missing items can leave you facing unexpected bills later. Compare what each quote actually includes, not just the bottom-line figure. ### What is a provisional sum in a builder's quote? A provisional sum is a placeholder allowance for work whose cost is not yet known, so it is not a firm price and the final figure can go up or down. Episode 9 covers comparing quotes and understanding provisional sums, so check how many a quote contains before treating it as a fixed price. ### How do I avoid disputes with my builder? Get the scope and the contract right before work begins, and agree payment terms clearly in writing. Episode 9 stresses that this groundwork is what protects you from costly disputes, because everyone knows what has been agreed and when payment is due. ### How do changes during a build affect my budget? Changes made once work is under way can affect your budget, sometimes by more than you expect. Episode 9 recommends understanding the cost implications of a change before agreeing to it, which is much easier when the original scope and contract were clear. ### What should I check before signing a contract for building work? Check that the scope of work is clearly described, that the price and any provisional sums are understood, and that the payment terms are agreed. Episode 9 discusses contracts and payment terms as a core part of getting a project right before the first day on site. ## Go deeper [Building Costs and Contracts](https://www.thehealthyhousepodcast.co.uk/topics/building-costs-and-contracts) ## Share this episode [Share on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthyhousepodcast.co.uk%2Fepisodes%2Fbefore-you-build-the-advice-that-could-save-you-thousands)[Share on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=Before%20You%20Build%3A%20The%20Advice%20That%20Could%20Save%20You%20Thousands%20%E2%80%94%20The%20Healthy%20House%20Podcast%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthyhousepodcast.co.uk%2Fepisodes%2Fbefore-you-build-the-advice-that-could-save-you-thousands)[Email a link](mailto:?subject=Before%20You%20Build%3A%20The%20Advice%20That%20Could%20Save%20You%20Thousands%20%E2%80%94%20The%20Healthy%20House%20Podcast&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthyhousepodcast.co.uk%2Fepisodes%2Fbefore-you-build-the-advice-that-could-save-you-thousands) ### Follow the show - - - - - -