Jimmy Talks Construction

Are Australian building standards slipping? And are building inspectors actually helping the industry, or just creating more problems for tradies?In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Anthony from Top Tier Building Inspections to discuss the reality of building inspections, construction defects and the challenges facing Australia's residential building industry.Anthony's journey is anything but conventional. After serving over eight years in the Australian Army as a combat engineer and carpenter, he transitioned into building certification before launching his own independent inspection business in Queensland.From discovering 12 defective bathrooms across four newly built homes to witnessing a certifier spend just seven minutes inspecting a house frame, Anthony shares some of the most concerning things he's seen on building sites.But Jimmy isn't letting building inspectors off the hook either.The two debate whether inspectors are going too far with social media, publicly shaming hardworking tradies over minor defects and creating unnecessary delays on construction projects.Whether you're a builder, tradie, subcontractor, business owner or someone building their first home, this episode offers a different perspective on the Australian construction industry.Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for real conversations with the people building Australia's construction industry.Like, comment and subscribe if you enjoyed the episode.Connect with Anthony:🌐 Website: https://toptierbuildinginspections.com.au/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toptierbuildinginspections/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Top-Tier-Building-Inspections/61575870033354/📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TopTierBuildingInspections 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: [email protected] in Business Problems: [email protected]

At just 23 years old, William Schepis started Cubic Concrete Solutions with a ute, a few tools, and a plan to make 100 cold calls every day.Two years later, he was running commercial concrete projects across Victoria and Queensland. But when approximately $310,000 in payments became caught up in a dispute, everything changed.In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy Starbuck sits down with William Schepis, founder of Cubic Concrete Solutions, to discuss the brutal reality of building a construction business from the ground up.From making 400 cold calls to land his first two clients, to taking on a massive 14,000m² commercial project with barely any equipment or staff, William shares how he built his business through hard work, relationships, and taking opportunities when they appeared.But success came at a cost.Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for real conversations with the people building Australia's construction industry.Like, comment and subscribe if you enjoyed the episode.Connect with Will & Cubic Concrete Solutions:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cubicconcretesolutions/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Cubic-concrete-solutions-100090119095184/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: [email protected] in Business Problems: [email protected]

From operating dump trucks and dozers in Australia's mines to helping deliver a US$400 MILLION equipment agreement with Fortescue, Jason Keays has seen the mining industry from both sides.This week on Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Jason Keays, Deputy General Manager of XCMG Mining, to discuss the rise of Chinese heavy equipment, the future of battery-electric mining machinery, and what it takes to compete with the world's biggest manufacturers.If you enjoy the episode, make sure to like, subscribe and share it with someone in the construction or mining industry!Connect with Jason & XCMG:💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-keays-2bb183190/🌐XCMG Australia: https://xcmg.net.au/💼 XCMG LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/xcmg-australiaConnect 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: [email protected] in Business Problems: [email protected] 00:00 Inside China's Mining Industry00:57 Meet Jason Keays — From Concreting to Mining08:53 Life in Australia's Biggest Coal Mines12:46 Roy Hill, FIFO Rosters & Mining Culture20:18 Leaving Mining to Be With Family25:20 Joining XCMG & Discovering Chinese Manufacturing29:24 Inside China's Massive Equipment Factories36:12 Why Chinese Equipment Has Struggled in Australia40:36 The $400 Million Fortescue Deal51:00 The Future of Electric Mining Trucks & XCMG

What does it really take to build a successful construction business in Australia? And at what point does the cost of success become too high?This week on Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Luke Said, Managing Director of Impact Build, a custom home building company specialising in bespoke homes, extensions and renovations across Victoria's Macedon Ranges.From starting out as an apprentice carpenter to running his own building company, Luke shares the lessons, mistakes and sacrifices that have shaped his career.Jimmy and Luke get into the realities of running a construction business, Australia's struggling housing market, the next generation of tradespeople, AI and automation, and the challenge of growing a company without sacrificing family life.They cover:The hard lessons of starting and growing a building businessWhy Australia's housing and construction industry is under pressureApprentices, work ethic and accountabilityAI, automation and the future of constructionBuilding a team you can actually trustThe sacrifices behind business growthWhy some of the best opportunities come during difficult timesAn honest, unfiltered conversation about construction, business, leadership and finding a balance between making a living and actually living.Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for weekly conversations with the people building Australia's construction industry.Connect with Luke:🌐 Website: https://www.impactbd.com.au/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactbuild/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/impactbuilt/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: [email protected] in Business Problems: [email protected]

From a burnt-out D6 dozer to a civil construction business operating up to 50 machines and employing 70 people, Asha Russell built Sage Civil Australia through determination, relationships and years of hard work.But after years of building her business, mounting financial pressures, missed contracts, difficult weather conditions and rising operating costs brought her to one of the toughest decisions of her career.In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Asha Russell, Managing Director of Sage Civil Australia, for an honest conversation about the realities of running a construction business in Australia.She also opens up about selling personal assets to support the business, entering a small business restructure, and eventually deciding to significantly downsize her operations.They discuss:Building a civil construction business from the ground upGrowing to 50 machines and 70 employeesLosing major contracts and managing financial riskThe impact of rising costs, wet weather and cash-flow pressureWhy construction businesses are struggling in AustraliaMentoring women in the civil construction industryThe personal sacrifices behind running a businessWhy Asha ultimately decided to step away from day-to-day operationsThis isn't just a story about construction equipment and big projects. It's a conversation about resilience, knowing when to change direction, and what success really means when the business you've built becomes your identity.Subscribe to Jimmy Talks Construction for honest conversations with the people building, running and shaping Australia's construction industry.Connect with Asha:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sagecivil/💼 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/sage-civil-australia💼 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/asha-russell-41790170🌐 Website: https://sagecivil.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: [email protected] in Business Problems: [email protected]