About
Good contractors shouldn't lose margin because their commercial systems haven't kept up with their growth.
The Commercial Control Method™ was created to give growing contractors access to the commercial discipline and expertise they need before they’re ready to build a full commercial department.
Professional standards
We pledge 1% of our annual turnover to the Lighthouse Charity. Helping support the people and families behind the construction industry.
Why
There's a gap between spreadsheets and a commercial department.
Growing contractors often find themselves stuck between two worlds.
They’ve become too large and complex to manage every project through spreadsheets, memory and owner involvement.
But they’re not yet large enough to justify employing the commercial infrastructure found in bigger contractors.
We believe there’s a better middle ground.
Expertise
Chartered expertise. Practical application.
The Method is developed and delivered with experienced RICS Chartered Quantity Surveyors who understand construction commercially—not just theoretically.
Our job isn’t to bury you in QS terminology.
It’s to help you answer the questions that matter:
- What is every job expected to make?
- What’s changed since our last review?
- What are we owed?
- What cash do we need?
- What needs action now?
Philosophy
Build the capability, not the dependency.
Our objective isn’t to make your business permanently dependent on an external consultant.
We want to put better commercial controls into the business, train your people to use them and provide experienced support for as long as it makes sense.
As you grow, your commercial capability should grow with you.
Our Commercial Experts
The people behind the Method.
Sam Boyd MRICS
Commercial Expert
Sam has worked in construction since 2008, across both main contractor and subcontractor environments. A Chartered Quantity Surveyor with a BSc in Quantity Surveying, he has progressed through QS, Project QS, Commercial Manager and Commercial Director roles, working on projects ranging from £50k to more than £12m.
At one specialist subcontracting business, Sam played a key role in supporting growth from just over £7m to £30m turnover, helping put in place the people, commercial controls and management disciplines needed to support that growth.
Throughout his career, he has seen the same challenge repeatedly: contractors are often excellent at winning and delivering work, but as they grow, commercial information becomes spread across spreadsheets, systems and people’s heads. Margin becomes harder to see, variations become harder to control, and cash becomes more reactive.
Sam created The Commercial Control Method™ to address that gap — a practical commercial management system that helps growing contractors gain clearer visibility over job profitability, variations and cash, using controls their own team can understand and run.
It is designed to create lasting commercial capability inside the business, rather than another report, spreadsheet or process that gets forgotten.
Phil Burr MCIOB
Commercial Expert
Phil brings more than 30 years of experience managing complex construction and infrastructure projects, with individual project values of up to £250 million.
A Quantity Surveyor by background, he has held senior roles with major contracting businesses including Mitie Group, building extensive experience across commercial management, project delivery and large-scale asset programmes.
His strength is combining commercial discipline with practical delivery experience — understanding not just the numbers behind a project, but the operational decisions required to keep complex programmes moving.
Within The Commercial Control Method™, Phil brings deep experience in construction and commercial management and supports the rollout of systems and assets designed to improve visibility, consistency and commercial control across growing contracting businesses.
Jake Suthers MRICS
Commercial Expert
Jake is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with extensive experience across residential and commercial developments in both the UK and Middle East, working on projects ranging in value from £1 million to more than £400 million.
He has delivered core quantity surveying, commercial management and contract administration services across a wide range of complex developments, working with prestigious clients including U+I, Native Land, Sellar Property Group, Majid Al Futtaim and Macintyre Asset Management.
His experience spans both major development environments and live project delivery, giving him a strong understanding of cost control, contract administration, commercial risk and the disciplines required to keep projects commercially on track.
Within The Commercial Control Method™, Jake brings senior Chartered QS expertise and practical commercial insight to help contractors strengthen the way they manage margin, variations, cash and commercial decision-making.
Martin Grace FRICS
Commercial Expert
Martin is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors with extensive international experience across public and private residential, commercial and civil projects ranging in value from £1 million to £5 billion.
His career spans the UK, Europe, Canada, the USA and New Zealand, working with leading construction consultancies and contractors including F. Parkinson Limited, Helyar & Associates (now Altus Group), RLB Rider Levett Bucknall and Linesight.
Martin has delivered quantity surveying and broader commercial services for a wide range of major developers, clients and funders, including British Gas, Lancashire Constabulary, MGM, Las Vegas Sands Corporation, The City of Phoenix, Tauranga Crossing Limited, Winstone Wallboards, Tainui Group Holdings, ANZ Bank and ASB Bank.
He brings deep experience in cost management, commercial strategy, procurement and the delivery of complex projects at scale. Within The Commercial Control Method™, Martin provides senior commercial expertise and helps ensure the Method is grounded in robust, internationally tested commercial management principles.
Professional recommendation
“Attention to detail, transparency about the process, fees and costs and delivering the outcome on time and within budget.”
Tamas Rigo, Co-founder and Director, Recast Property
Excerpt from a LinkedIn recommendation of Jake Suthers
Jake and his team bring a practical and detailed approach to ensuring that the correct systems, structure and process are applied to driving value and predictability into the procurement and construction process.
Mark Stokes
Chairman, Founder of Sustainomics Capital
Jake’s commercial acumen and ability were recognised by the team… I would have no hesitation in recommending Jake to commercially lead your project.
Steven Batchelor FRICS
Managing Director
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jake Suthers on multiple projects, and he’s proven to be an outstanding Chartered Quantity Surveyor. His expertise in cost management, contract administration, and procurement ensures projects are delivered efficiently and within budget.
Jonathan Baron BEng(Hons) MCIBSE MIET
Technical Associate, Kingswood BSE
Jake is proactive, takes charge of the scope he and his team must deliver, and always brings a collaborative approach to work with us as clients and our experts. Attention to detail, transparency about the process, fees and costs and delivering the outcome on time and within budget.
Tamas Rigo
Co-founder and Director, Recast Property
I worked with Martin on several prestigious projects in Las Vegas whilst Martin was managing the Las Vegas office for Rider Levett Bucknall. It was a pleasure to work on his team; he was always organised and has a thorough understanding of the construction process and the client’s requirements.
Roy B.
Estimating & Project Services Professional
I worked alongside Martin at Helyar & Associates for four years. I found him to be an extremely hard-working, knowledgeable QS and, as importantly, he was good fun to work with!
Jon Ashman MRICS
Commercial Manager, Equans Data Centers
Contact
Speak to a Chartered QS.
For contractors with an immediate commercial need, or who want to talk through Guided Implementation, Bespoke Implementation or Fractional Commercial Support.
GET IN TOUCH
Tell us what you need help with.
Complete the short form below and one of our team will get back to you.
Not ready to talk yet? Scorecard first.
Your Commercial Control Plan. A focused commercial planning session with one of our Commercial Experts to review your Commercial Control Score, identify the priority commercial gaps and map the practical next steps for your business.
Our industry commitment
Supporting the people behind construction.
We pledge 1% of our annual turnover to the Lighthouse Charity.
Helping support the emotional, physical and financial wellbeing of people and families across the construction industry.