Where Construction Projects Go Wrong And Why - Damien Clifford - EP31

Damien Clifford is the founder of Ethos EQ and a specialist in early-stage cost consultancy, operating across RIBA Stages 0 to project completion. With experience managing large-scale developments as a surveyor, Damien has seen first-hand how projects succeed or fail long before anyone steps on site. That early exposure to cost, procurement, and decision-making has shaped a very honest view of why so many construction projects struggle financially. In this episode, Damien breaks down where things commonly go wrong between clients, consultants, and contractors and how better alignment at the front end can prevent cost overruns, disputes, and commercial breakdowns later on. We explore: • How managing global portfolios has shaped Damien’s approach to cost control • Why margins are so thin in construction and how alternative procurement routes could improve them • How costs and budgets spiral out of control on projects, often earlier than people realise • What contractors get wrong when engaging with surveyors and project managers — and how to improve their chances of securing work • Why turnover is often chased at the expense of profitability, and whether ego plays a role • How final accounts can be manoeuvred within contracts, leading to disputes and non-payment This is a practical, straight-talking conversation about money, risk, and behaviour in construction and how the industry can do better with clearer thinking, stronger procurement, and more honest engagement at the early stages. A must-listen for contractors, surveyors, project managers, and anyone involved in controlling cost and risk on projects.