Jimmy Talks Construction

Jordan Chivers runs WL Chivers Plumbing - a 17-man Melbourne maintenance and emergency plumbing business that turns up in under an hour, 365 days a year.
From a 14-year-old operating a Takeuchi TB108 to running one of Melbourne's go-to emergency plumbing outfits, Jordan has been on the tools since before he was out of Year 9. In this episode, Jimmy sits down with him - Managing Director of WL Chivers Plumbing - to talk about the reality of running a reactive, no-BS trade business: being raised by his old-school maintenance plumber dad Wayne, talking his way into an excavator at fourteen, digging sewers before he had a driver's licence, and how a handshake operation turned into a team doing 150–200 jobs a week for the RACV Emergency Home Assist program.
It's a wide-ranging, operator-to-operator chat about the trade shortage, the fuel crisis, the PVC pipe shortage hitting the whole industry, and why the phone will always dictate the day.

What we cover:
• The trade shortage — how Melbourne went from graduating 1,000 plumbers a year to 200–300
• Why young tradies are choosing lollipop sticks on government infrastructure over apprenticeships
• The fuel crisis, the PVC shortage, and the ripple effect through construction
• Politicians, payroll tax, fuel excise and the Victorian business environment
• Compliance, the "TikTok Inspector," and the new Building Plumbing Commission
• Women in construction — pink trucks, pink excavators, and female managers
• Why neither Jimmy nor Jordan has a written business plan
• Showing up: the Australia Day call for a $1.5M job
• Why AI will never install a toilet — and why trades are the most future-proof career going

If you got something out of this one, drop a review — five stars, three thumbs up, whatever your platform lets you leave. It genuinely helps the show get in front of more tradies and operators.

Subscribe for a new episode every week.

Connect with Jordan:
🌐 Website: https://chiversplumbing.com.au/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chivers.plumbing/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plumbcast.au/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wlchiversplumbing/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-chivers-51a71395/

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/

In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, James Starbuck sits down with David “Alfie” Alford, Managing Director of DBA Haulage and one of the most experienced operators in Australia’s heavy haulage industry.

Alfie shares the raw reality of building a business from scratch, losing everything early on, and fighting back through some of the toughest lessons in construction and transport.

From running trucks at a young age to being buried under debt, dealing with liquidation, and working his way back into major heavy haulage projects — this episode dives deep into what it actually takes to survive in business.

The conversation covers:
The truth about business partnerships (and why they fail)
Losing everything and rebuilding from zero
Heavy haulage at scale (1000-ton modules, tunnel boring machines & major infrastructure)
Working with family in construction
Lessons from failure that most people never talk about
Why “luck” in business is misunderstood
Alfie also shares stories from some of Australia’s biggest projects, including work on major infrastructure jobs and extreme heavy transport operations.

If you’re in construction, transport, or running a business — this episode is packed with real, unfiltered insight.

Connect with Alfie:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dbaheavyhaulage/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dbahaulage/

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/

Episode 41 of Jimmy Talks Construction features Illan Samuel, Managing Director of Samuel Property Group, breaking down the reality of property development in today’s market.
From running multi-residential projects worth hundreds of millions to navigating rising costs, delays, and financing challenges, Illan shares what it actually takes to survive — and grow — in the development game.
This episode dives into the real pressures developers face, including interest rates, construction escalation, red tape, and why time is the biggest cost in any project.
The conversation covers:
Why development is harder now than ever
The reality of cost blowouts and delays
How developers manage risk and cash flow
The importance of hiring the right people
Why most people shouldn’t become developers
Lessons from scaling to $100M–$300M projects

If you’re in construction, property, or business, this is a raw and honest look at how large-scale developments actually get done.
Listen if you want real-world insights into: construction management, demolition, recycling, infrastructure projects, subcontractor relationships, and scaling a construction business.

Connect with Illan:
🌐 Website: https://www.samuel.com.au/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samuel.property/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/illan_samuel/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samuelproperty/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/samuel-property-pty-ltd/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/illansamuel/

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/

In Episode 40 of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Jesse Campbell, Construction Manager at City Circle — one of Australia’s largest demolition and recycling companies.
This episode dives deep into the reality of modern construction, from the shift away from traditional builders to project management-driven companies, through to the challenges of scaling large infrastructure projects across Victoria and Australia.
Jesse shares insights from over 20 years in the industry, including his transition from tier-one building into demolition, and how City Circle has scaled to process nearly 2 million tonnes of concrete annually through demolition, recycling, and material reuse.
The conversation covers:
Why the construction industry has become more transactional
The biggest mistakes in construction management today
How large-scale demolition projects are actually delivered
The pressure of major infrastructure projects and unrealistic timelines
Why businesses can grow fast but still underperform
The real role of middle management in construction companies
How collaboration between subcontractors can improve outcomes
If you’re in construction, civil, earthmoving, or running a contracting business, this episode gives a raw and honest look at what’s really happening on-site and behind the scenes.
Listen if you want real-world insights into: construction management, demolition, recycling, infrastructure projects, subcontractor relationships, and scaling a construction business.

Connect with Jesse:
🌐 Website: https://www.citycirclegroup.com.au/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/citycirclegroup/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/citycirclegroup/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-campbell-a302398a/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/city-circle-group/?originalSubdomain=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/

In Episode 39 of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Jake Gorry, founder and director of Proline Group — one of Australia’s fastest-growing cladding and façade contractors.
Jake shares his journey from starting as a young carpenter working with his dad, to building a multi-division business delivering large-scale commercial cladding projects across Melbourne.
The conversation dives deep into how Proline identified an opportunity in architectural metal cladding, mastered a niche skillset, and scaled from small residential jobs into working with Tier 1 builders on major projects.
Jake breaks down the realities of building a construction business from the ground up — from cash flow challenges and early mistakes, to hiring, culture, and managing rapid growth across multiple sites and teams.

Jimmy and Jake also discuss:
How Proline grew from small jobs into major commercial projects
The importance of cash flow and getting paid fast
Why culture is everything when scaling a construction business
The risks and rewards of backing yourself in business
Lessons from hiring, firing, and working with friends and family
Why delivering bad news quickly builds long-term trust
The transition from on-the-tools to running a large operation
How systems, training, and leadership drive sustainable growth
This episode is packed with insights for contractors, business owners, and anyone looking to scale within the construction industry.

Connect with Jake:
🌐 Website: https://www.prolinemetalcladding.com.au/
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BehindTheFacadeShow
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prolinegroupau
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prolinemetalcladding/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/proline-aus/

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/