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 Ireland 10:41  Transitioning to Australia: Mark’s Journey 16:26  Shifts in Procurement Models in Construction 23:17  Founding A2M Consulting: The Journey Begins 29:06  The Importance of Personal Branding in Business 35:17  Project Aspirations and Business Growth Strategies 41:42  Key Functions and Responsibilities of a Quantity Surveyor 47:45  The Importance of Early Involvement in Design 52:46  The Ripple Effect of COVID on Construction Costs 1:06:17  Keeping Up with Market Changes and Cost Data 1:11:14  Rebranding as 'Cohaven' for Future Growth Tune 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 #RiskManagement The 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.au Proud to partner with Housing All Australians (HAA) and The Building and Construction Foundation. Check out their websites and join the movement! www.housingallaustralians.org.au https://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 Podcast** - Follow us on Linkedin, Facebook, and Instagram - Visit us on our website - Email us at info@buildingenvirons.com.au