Talking with Mark O'Mahony, about Quantity Surveying, Costs and Escalations, the role of the QS and the Construction market

Got a question about the show? Click here & Send us a text!Welcome back to The Building Talks Podcast. This one gets right into one of the biggest pressure points in construction right now, cost certainty.In this episode, I sit down with Mark O'Mahony, quantity surveyor and Co-founder of Cohaven, and all-round top bloke! We first recorded this chat around Mark’s career journey, his move from Ireland to Melbourne, and what it takes to build a QS consultancy in the local market. But with construction costs shifting so quickly, we jumped back on to record an updated section on what’s happening in the market right now.We get into rising construction costs, global supply chain pressure, procurement shifts, and what’s actually increasing versus what the market is absorbing. Mark also shares his take on how quantity surveying has evolved, what good cost advice looks like, and why managing risk, value and certainty has never been more important.Takeaways:✅ What’s really driving construction cost movement✅ How global events are flowing into local projects✅ The evolving role of quantity surveyors✅ Why procurement models have shifted over time✅ Managing cost, risk and value in a changing market✅ What good QS advice actually looks like       Chapters:04:24  The Pathway of Quantity Surveying in Ireland10:41  Transitioning to Australia: Mark’s Journey16:26  Shifts in Procurement Models in Construction23:17  Founding A2M Consulting: The Journey Begins29:06  The Importance of Personal Branding in Business35:17  Project Aspirations and Business Growth Strategies41:42  Key Functions and Responsibilities of a Quantity Surveyor47:45  The Importance of Early Involvement in Design52:46  The Ripple Effect of COVID on Construction Costs1:06:17  Keeping Up with Market Changes and Cost Data1:11:14  Rebranding as 'Cohaven' for Future GrowthTune in for a timely, practical chat on construction costs, market pressure, and how to make better project decisions in uncertain conditions.Hope you enjoy the podcast!#QuantitySurveying #ConstructionCosts #BuildingTalksPodcast #CostManagement #CommercialConstruction #Procurement #Cohaven #BuiltEnvironment #ConstructionLeadership #ProjectDelivery #ConstructionMarket #RiskManagementThe Building Talks Podcast is brought to you by Building Environs Recruitment - providing recruitment solutions to the property, construction, and related industries, here in Melbourne and Southeast Queensland.  For an overview of our service, visit:www.buildingenvirons.com.auProud to partner with Housing All Australians (HAA) and The Building and Construction Foundation. Check out their websites and join the movement!www.housingallaustralians.org.auhttps://www.buildingandconstructionfoundation.org.au/ The views and information shared in this podcast are for general purposes only and do not constitute legal or professional advice. Neither the host nor guests are providing specific guidance. Please seek professional advice before taking any action based on the content of this podcast.Contact The Building Talks PodcastFollow us on Linkedin, Facebook, and InstagramVisit us on our websiteEmail us at [email protected]