Episode Details

James Drever started as a chippy on the coast. Today he is CEO of QA Build, the fastest growing builder in Queensland, running more than 15 live projects across Australia with thousands of builds underneath them.

In this episode, James joins Az to unpack how they did it.

The philosophy is simple. See a roadblock, remove the roadblock, take control of the roadblock. When suppliers could not deliver, QA Build bought them. Their solar, electrical, air conditioning and cabinetry businesses now all sit in house, including a cabinetry operation that grew from 15 staff to more than 55, producing 60 to 70 kitchens a month with robotics on the floor.

James and Az cover:

- The journey from the tools to CEO, via national building manager at Gem Life
- Why QA Build partnered with CSQ to launch its own trade college, and what the industry loses in 30 years if nobody captures the knowledge walking out the door
- The family philosophy behind the QA name: if it is not good enough for our own, it is not good enough for our clients
- Holding the quality bar above the industry standard while building at scale
- Why they are putting on a race day for their trades, and what most builders get wrong about subbie relationships
- James's answer to the signature question: what makes a good builder?

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