Jimmy Talks Construction

In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, James sits down with Michelle Cirson, founder of Subcontractor Legal and The Subbies’ Toolbox, to unpack the contractual and commercial traps costing Australian subcontractors millions.
Michelle explains why retentions are often used to support builder cash flow, how Security of Payment legislation works, why being the “good bloke” can leave subcontractors exposed and when suspending work may be the only way to bring a builder to the negotiating table.

They also discuss:
• A formworker pressured into taking on three high-rise projects with one builder
• How payment claims can be deliberately delayed or reduced
• Why subcontractors need an accounts receivable escalation procedure
• Protecting machinery and equipment through PPSR registrations
• An excavator being withheld after a subcontractor entered liquidation
• Directors’ guarantees, secured creditors and preference payments
• Fixed-price contracts and rapidly increasing fuel costs
• Variations, acceleration claims, delay costs and contractual time bars
• Why relationships alone will not protect your construction business

This is essential listening for subcontractors, civil contractors, trades, plant hire companies, commercial managers, contracts administrators and construction business owners.
This podcast contains general information and discussion only and should not be treated as legal advice.

How to Claim Costs Increases Under Fixed Price Contracts:
https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/cost

Connect with Michelle:
🌐 Website: https://www.subcontractorlegal.com.au/
🌐 Website: https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/
🎙️Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/68whpTaxxcmIDhWXNdXIu5
🎙️Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/the-subbies-toolbox-podcast/id1663062832
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellecirson/

Connect with Jimmy:
🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/

Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: louis@lj-media.com

Send in Business Problems: jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com

Max Eagles, owner of X1 Plumbing, joins Jimmy Talks Construction to share how his first plumbing business failed—and what he changed before starting again.
In this episode, Max and James discuss:
The difference between being a good plumber and running a profitable plumbing business
Quoting a $40,000 job when the next price was approximately $70,000
The apprentice mistake that flooded an entire basement
Why verbal warnings were not enough during a Fair Work claim
The risks of operating as a sole trader
Calculating charge-out rates, overheads, efficiency and profit margins
Whether taking lower-priced work is better than leaving employees at home
Losing money on a job to protect an important client relationship
Moving from residential maintenance into larger commercial plumbing work
Rebuilding after failure and launching X1 Plumbing
Hiring, leadership and maintaining company culture while growing
Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for honest conversations with the people building Australia’s construction industry.

Connect with Max:
🌐 Website: https://www.x1plumb.com.au/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/x1plumb/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/X1-Plumb-61568419870480/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/x1-plumb-pty-ltd/?originalSubdomain=au
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-eagles-5248822a8/

Connect with Jimmy:
🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/

Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: louis@lj-media.com

Send in Business Problems: jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com

In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Paul Tzimas for a wide-ranging conversation about construction culture, leadership, EBAs, unions, safety, productivity and the changing landscape of the industry.
Paul shares his journey from starting out as a carpenter during the GFC, to working on major commercial projects, becoming involved in the union movement, and now working with businesses through safety, industrial relations and consulting.
This episode explores the construction industry from multiple perspectives — workers, subcontractors, builders, unions and business owners. Jimmy and Paul discuss the importance of communication, hard conversations, respect on site, mental health, productivity, RDOs, project pressures and what it takes to build better working relationships across the industry.
Rather than looking at one side of the conversation, this episode focuses on the complexity of the industry and the need for more honest, practical and respectful discussions between everyone involved.
Whether you’re a builder, subcontractor, operator, apprentice, project manager or business owner, this conversation offers valuable insight into how construction is changing and what the industry can do better.

Connect with Paul:
🌐 Website: https://lteconstructiongroup.com.au/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lteconstructiongroup/?hl=en
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-tzimas-03a41717b/

Connect with Jimmy:
🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/

Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: louis@lj-media.com

Send in Business Problems: jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com

In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Andrew Deveson, co-founder and director of Kapitol Group, for one of the biggest conversations we’ve had on the podcast.
Andrew shares the full story behind Kapitol Group’s rise — from starting with zero employees, zero revenue, and putting everything on the line, to building one of Australia’s most talked-about construction companies with 550 full-time staff and a projected $1.5 billion in turnover.
This conversation goes deep into what actually separates high-performing construction businesses from the rest: customer obsession, losing tenders the right way, managing variations, fixing productivity, dealing with COVID and inflation, controlling waste, building better systems, using data properly, and why AI could completely change the future of construction.
Andrew also breaks down the early days of Kapitol, their first $160,000 job, the discipline required to survive during the construction inflation period, why training became mandatory across the business, and why productivity may be the biggest challenge facing the entire industry.
This is a must-watch for builders, subcontractors, construction business owners, project managers, engineers, developers, and anyone interested in how a construction company can scale fast without losing sight of quality, culture and execution.

Connect with Andrew:
🌐 Website: https://www.kapitol.com/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kapitolconstruction/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kapitol-groupau/posts/?feedView=all
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-deveson-a76995147/
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUJjjId5sDGMdo-h3jceq8g

Connect with Jimmy:
🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/

Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: louis@lj-media.com

Send in Business Problems: jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com

In Episode 52 of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Rhys Cooper, Managing Director of Cooper Civil, a southeast Queensland civil excavation business known for GPS excavation, Cat Next Gen gear, late-model machines and high-quality operators.
Rhys shares his story from growing up in New Zealand, working in forestry, travelling across Australia operating machinery, spending years in the mines, and eventually starting Cooper Civil with almost nothing behind him. From buying his first excavator to growing into a fleet of machines, Rhys opens up about the highs, lows, pressure and reality of building a civil construction business.
This episode gets into the real side of excavation and plant hire: wet hire versus contract work, GPS systems, tilt rotators, Cat gear, pricing pressure, operator quality, tough markets, the Queensland pipeline, and why growing bigger does not always mean making more money.
Jimmy and Rhys also talk honestly about success, reputation, mental health, vulnerability in construction, working with good clients, and what young operators need to understand if they want to build a proper career in the industry.
If you are in civil construction, excavation, plant hire, GPS machine control, earthmoving, or you are trying to grow a construction business, this episode is packed with real-world lessons.

Connect with Rhys:
🌐 Website: https://www.coopercivil.com.au/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coopercivil/?hl=en
💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rhys-cooper-688430164?originalSubdomain=au
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coopercivil.com.au/

Connect with Jimmy:
🌐 Website: https://starbuckgroup.com.au
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyTalksConstruction
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbuckexcavation
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starbuckexcavation
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-starbuck-13336546/

Sponsorships + Guest Enquiries: louis@lj-media.com

Send in Business Problems: jimmytalksconstruction@gmail.com