Insights
Practical notes on cost management, quantity surveying, and construction delivery, drawn from work on real projects.
Quantity Surveying
How to Read a Bill of Quantities Without a QS Background
A BoQ looks like a spreadsheet of jargon until you know what each column is actually protecting you from.
3 November 2025 · 6 min read
Cost Management
Why Kenyan Construction Projects Overrun Their Budgets
Most overruns trace back to three decisions made before the first block is laid, not bad luck on site.
14 October 2025 · 7 min read
Cost Management
Provisional Sums and Contingencies: Two Different Safety Nets
Conflating these two budget lines is one of the most common ways clients lose track of what a project actually costs.
22 September 2025 · 5 min read
Regulation & Compliance
What NCA Registration Actually Tells You About a Contractor
An NCA certificate confirms a class and category; it doesn't confirm the contractor can deliver your specific project on time.
30 August 2025 · 5 min read
Construction Practice
Retention Clauses: What They Protect and When They're Released
A retention clause is supposed to protect the client from defects after handover, but the release terms are where disputes start.
5 August 2025 · 5 min read
Quantity Surveying
The Hidden Cost of Skipping a Quantity Surveyor on a Residential Build
Homeowners often see QS fees as an avoidable cost. The pattern we see in cost overruns after the fact says otherwise.
18 July 2025 · 4 min read