I Hear You

Can You Hear Me Now? Finding Strength in Setbacks and Clarity in Construction

Today I’m heading down to the ENT department at the hospital for my annual check-up. It’s something I’ve been doing for the past 18 years.

About eighteen years ago I was forced off the tools. Not because I wanted to, but because I started losing my hearing. At first it was small things. I’d miss pieces of conversation on site, ask clients to repeat themselves, and nod along when I hadn’t really heard what was said. Eventually I found out I had a condition called Otosclerosis. It causes the bones in your middle ear to harden so sound can’t reach your cochlea.

The only way forward was surgery. It’s a fine, delicate operation. They remove part of the ear, bore out the canal, and fit a tiny prosthetic. It’s a strange feeling lying there knowing your whole livelihood depends on someone working millimetres from your brain.

That experience changed my life. It also changed how I see building and business.

For years I believed success came from working harder and longer than everyone else. When I couldn’t do that anymore, I had to learn how to listen differently. Not just to words, but to people. My team. My clients. My family. And myself.

That was the turning point for Price A Plan. I realised most builders aren’t short on skill or drive. They’re short on time, support and clarity. They’re buried in admin, chasing quotes, and stuck in spreadsheets trying to make sense of it all. What they really need isn’t more noise. It’s structure, confidence and direction.

That’s what our building estimating services are about. We create space for builders to think clearly and plan properly. Whether it’s a quality budget estimates, a full quantity estimate or a detailed take-off, the goal is always the same, to help builders work smarter and protect their time and profit.

Challenges will always come, often when you least expect them. You might not see the way through straight away, but there’s always one there. Losing my hearing felt like the end of one chapter, but it gave me the perspective to start another.

If you’re a builder doing it tough or feeling stuck, remember that there’s always a path forward. Sometimes it starts by stopping long enough to listen.

HAYDN SIMMONS – PRICE A PLAN