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

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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