For Dylan of DJ Plumbing Projects, building a successful plumbing business has come down to doing good work, staying organised and looking after customers properly. After years in the plumbing industry, he decided to work for himself and gradually built the business through word of mouth, repeat customers, builders, and online platforms such as ServiceSeeking.
Today, DJ Plumbing Projects takes on a range of plumbing work, with Dylan focused on delivering reliable service and quality workmanship. He has also found that the right systems make it easier to manage the demands of running a growing business.
Dylan started DJ Plumbing Projects after spending years in the industry. He had always enjoyed the practical side of the trade and the problem-solving that comes with plumbing.
“Always liked hands-on work and problem-solving. Plumbing is different every day, and there’s good satisfaction in fixing issues for people.”
In the early days, building a client base meant relying heavily on reputation and recommendations. Word of mouth, builders and repeat customers became important sources of work, alongside online platforms such as ServiceSeeking.
For Dylan, the approach to attracting and retaining customers has remained straightforward.
“Being reliable, turning up when I say I will, good communication and doing clean, quality work.”
ServiceSeeking has become another way for DJ Plumbing Projects to connect with people looking for plumbing services in the area.
“Helped bring in steady work and connect with new customers around the area.”
Dylan says the platform has also helped create opportunities that continued beyond the initial job.
“Picked up a small job through ServiceSeeking that turned into ongoing work and repeat customers through referrals.”
For a growing trade business, that kind of work can make a difference. A single job can introduce a business to a new customer, while good service can lead to further work and recommendations.
Dylan also values the platform's straightforward nature.
“Easy to use and gives good exposure to people looking for trades straight away.”
Running a plumbing business involves more than the work carried out on site. Quoting, invoicing, customer communication and managing jobs all need to be kept on top of, particularly as the workload grows.
Dylan uses quoting software, invoicing apps, CCTV drain camera equipment and communication tools to help manage the business and its day-to-day work.
Organisation has become particularly important after early challenges balancing workload and paperwork.
“Balancing workload and paperwork at the start was tough. Got better systems in place and became more organised.”
The experience also reinforced the value of keeping business records in order. Paperwork and chasing payments remain among the less enjoyable parts of running the business, but Dylan’s approach is to stay organised and document everything.
One lesson Dylan wishes he had known when he first started is the importance of charging appropriately for his time.
“Charge properly for your time and don’t underquote just to win jobs.”
This lesson can be easy to overlook when starting a new business, especially when winning those first jobs is a priority. For Dylan, experience has reinforced the need to account properly for the time involved in running the business and completing the work.
He has also learned to treat setbacks as part of the learning process.
“Every mistake teaches you something. Learn from it and move on.”
DJ Plumbing Projects is still growing, with Dylan’s sights set on building a solid team and taking on bigger projects over the next five years.
“Keep growing, build a solid team and take on bigger projects.”
He sees continued demand for reliable trades as a positive sign for the future.
“Positive. There’s always demand for good, reliable trades.”
For Dylan, growth is tied to the same things that helped establish the business in the first place: consistency, customer service, quality work and reputation.
“Consistency, good customer service, quality work and reputation.”
He measures the business's progress through happy customers, repeat work, and steady year-on-year growth.
One customer experience that has stayed with Dylan involved a client dealing with ongoing drainage problems that nobody had been able to resolve.
“Had a customer with ongoing drainage issues nobody could solve. We found the problem, fixed it properly, and they were stoked to finally have it sorted.”
It was the kind of job that suited Dylan’s practical approach to plumbing: investigate the problem, work out what was causing it and find a solution.
For DJ Plumbing Projects, that approach continues to shape the business as it grows. Dylan’s focus remains on doing quality work, communicating well with customers and building the reputation needed to support the next stage of the business.