Plumbing Business Case Study
From Chaos to Control in 6 Months
This case study shows how a plumbing business with a team of five moved from feeling reactive and under pressure to having clear structure, improved cashflow, and better control of the business.
After working one-on-one with Miles Primrose for six months, the business is now more focused, more profitable, and far less reliant on the owner for day-to-day decisions.
The Business
Trade: Plumbing
Team size: 5
Location: Australia
Stage: Established, growing business
The Situation Before Working With Miles Primrose
The business was busy, but it was not operating in a structured or controlled way.
Key challenges included:
- cashflow was inconsistent and often negative
- pricing was not aligned with actual costs
- the owner did not have clear visibility over financials
- the team relied heavily on the owner for decisions
- clients were dictating terms
- the business felt reactive and unstructured
Despite having work and a growing team, the business was becoming harder to manage.
What Needed to Change
The issue was not a lack of work.
It was a lack of structure.
The focus shifted to:
- understanding the numbers
- improving pricing
- creating clearer team structure
- building control into day-to-day operations
Despite having work and a growing team, the business was becoming harder to manage.
What Was Implemented Over 6 Months
Working one-on-one with Miles Primrose, the focus was on improving how the business was structured and operated.
This included:
- gaining control and clarity over cashflow
- adjusting pricing to reflect true costs and profitability
- improving leadership and communication with the team
- defining the ideal client and type of work
- creating better structure around how the business runs week-to-week
This was not theory — it was practical changes applied directly inside the business.
The Results After 6 Months
After six months, the business is now operating with far greater control and clarity.
Key improvements:
- cashflow is now under control
- pricing has been adjusted and is working
- leadership of the team has improved significantly
- the owner is more focused and decisive
- cash on hand has improved
- the business is no longer reactive
- the owner is in control of the business
From the Business Owner
I started working with Miles about 6 months ago when my plumbing business was busy but not really under control.
I had a team of 5, but things felt reactive — cashflow was tight, I didn’t fully understand the numbers, and I was making decisions on the go.
Since working with Miles, the biggest change has been structure and clarity.
I now have a much better handle on cashflow, we’ve adjusted our pricing properly, and I’m leading the team with more confidence.
I’m clearer on the type of work we want, and overall the business feels far more in control instead of just keeping up.
What This Shows
This case study highlights a common pattern in trades businesses.
The problem is rarely a lack of work.
It is a lack of structure.
When structure improves:
- control improves
- profit improves
- pressure reduces
- the business becomes easier to run
This is exactly what Miles Primrose specialises in — improving how trades businesses are structured and operated.