Episode Details

In this episode of Jimmy Talks Construction, Jimmy sits down with Ben Graham, Director of Civil Contracting Solutions QLD, for a brutally honest conversation about building a civil construction business in Queensland.

Ben shares his journey from working on tier one basement projects in Brisbane to being told he couldn’t work in the city for 12 months — and what it actually took to start again from scratch with a 5.5-tonne excavator and tipper combo while raising young kids.

This episode gets into the realities most contractors only talk about off camera:

– Walking away from tier one work and starting over

– Finding work with no following (door knocking, noticeboards, and flyers)

– The expensive lessons that come with bad finance decisions

– Why rates in QLD can destroy margins if you’re highly leveraged

– Wet weather planning, build pads, and selling solutions instead of just machines

– The difference between being busy and actually making money

If you’re in civil construction, earthmoving, excavation, plant hire, subdivisions, or thinking about going from PAYG to running your own gear, this episode is packed with real-world lessons you can actually apply.

If you enjoyed the episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share the podcast - it helps bring bigger guests and better conversations to the channel.

Connect with Ben:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/civilcontractingsolutionsqld/?hl=en

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Civil-Contracting-Solutions-QLD-PTY-LTD-100086025881406/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-graham-2a11347b/?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/

Buy CONEXPO 2026 tickets now and don’t miss the small business workshop.

https://www.conexpoconagg.com/attend-the-show/registration-and-pricing

Use code STARBUCK20 to save 20% at checkout (valid through to March 2).