Meet Johnny from Johnny’s Fix and Finish: Building dreams and making a real difference

Q: What does Johnny’s Fix and Finish do?

A: “We specialise in all sorts of renovations and decking. We also do minor repairs and alterations. We’re located in Lincoln.”

Q: How did you get into the trade and end up out on your own?

A: “I was working away doing my apprenticeship, it took me four years to finish it. And then I got to the end of that and worked for another two years as a qualified carpenter. And I just really wanted to have the flexibility outside of a full-time job. I wanted to provide a local service to my area and actually start a business. And also have the flexibility to then go away and help people with other jobs, like friends and family. That was sort of the heart behind it.”

Q: What are you getting called out for the most at the moment?

A: “Currently, especially because we’re coming into summer, [I’ve] got heaps of decking enquiries, which is awesome because my background is decking and I love it.”

Q: What do you enjoy most about running your own business?

A: “I’d definitely say the flexibility that comes with that. But my next biggest thing (…) would definitely be seeing [the clients’] dream come to life. From day one, where you go in there and they go, ‘I’d like to do this’, and you go, ‘Yeah, we can do that.’ At the end of the job it’s pretty cool walking around and seeing what you’ve created.”

Q: And where would you like to take the business?

A: “I’d love to be running Johnny’s Fix and Finish at a bigger capacity or a bigger scale. We’d still always be local and doing renovations and repairs, but definitely we want to have more staff. And especially in the future I’d love to be (…) free to help people as well. That would be a big, big win really.”

Q: What made you join originally?

A: “I’d set up my [business] Johnny’s Fix and Finish, and I just wanted a reliable source of work and a steady workflow. When I was doing my apprenticeship, I’d often listen to the radio and I’d hear about this site called Builderscrack, and I was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll give that a go.’”

Q: What role has it played in growing the business?

A: “It’s helped me have a consistent workflow — I’d probably say that is the big one. You finish a job, and you need a job to carry you through, or work to fill in the gaps. And especially now, some of the Builderscrack jobs I did at the start of my journey, I’ve actually got referrals from them and second visits coming back. So now my calendar’s full from some of those.”

Q: Do you remember your first job?

A: “It was a small GIB repair. Including the travel, it took me two and a half hours. The client was stoked because he thought it was gonna be a big, big job, and I even did the plastering while I was there. He gave me a great five star review. I just remember driving away thinking, ‘Yeah, that was really cool.’ So the jobs just got bigger from there.”

Q: What should a tradie just starting out be doing?

A: “Just be open and honest, definitely, and take the time to do the site visit. I know a lot of tradies will quote for a Builderscrack job just off the information they have, but I’ll put a lot of effort into going around and talking to the client. And then, nine times out of ten, they’ll actually go with you.”

Q: How did it go when you started out?

A: “I think to start with it was hard, especially cause I was so young going in. Some homeowners would sort of look at me and be like, ‘Hang on, I thought I was dealing with someone a bit older, a bit more experienced.’ But now, once you build that trust with the client and show them that actually you can bring their vision to life and that you can make that difference, then yeah, it’s a great thing to do.”

Q: How important are reviews in your line of work?

A: “It’s pretty huge, especially for me finding subcontractors. If I’m looking for a plumber and they’ve only got two or three stars, then straight away I’m like, ‘Hey, I need someone I can rely on.’ And as for homeowners, I’d recommend finding a builder that’s got good reviews behind them, because that’s what other people have found with them.”

Q: Where do you look when you need a plumber?

A: “Quite often, Builderscrack. I’d definitely [look for] someone that’s reliable and someone that I can count on, because especially with something like plumbing you sort of come in and out of the job a lot. Subcontractors such as plumbers — sort of come in, pre-pipe, do the drains, and then come back at the end of the job to fit off. There can be a lot of coming and going with that.”

Q: What do you do on site to build trust, outside of the reviews?

A: “I would say I spend a lot of time sort of giving the client the plan. So before the job, setting it out: ‘Yep, this is the time that I expect the job to take; this is when we can start the job. If it goes badly or we find things that we haven’t expected, it could take this long.’ We’re just trying to give them reasonable and clear expectations of how the job’s gonna go. And also when I’m on site, clear communication’s definitely key. Things like updates and regular chats on how everything’s going really.”

Q: What should homeowners look for when they’re choosing a tradie?

A: “The biggest thing is, firstly, to find someone relatable to you, someone you get on well with, because you’re gonna have to make a lot of decisions and there’s gonna be issues that come up. It’s just part of building and renovations. So, find someone you gel with well and can work together with. And someone that’s got lots of reviews behind them.”

Q: What are the steps for a homeowner who’s never done this before?

A: “It can be a little daunting because you look at the list of what needs to be done and there’s a lot of steps. But you just cross them off. The first one is finding a builder. Take that one, and from there they’ll guide you through the next steps: getting your subcontractors lined up, getting the job booked in. Don’t be scared about it. It can be sorted.”

Q: What’s the most random request you’ve had from a homeowner?

A: “A pretty random enquiry came through at one point. I got an enquiry for installing a living room pole in someone’s house, and I think I ended up turning that one down because I was worried it was gonna involve a demonstration.”

Q: What’s the hardest part that no one talks about?

A: “It definitely is the behind-the-scenes work for me. It’s one thing to rock up on site and build a deck, but it’s another to, before that, book in the materials, book in the electrician, book in all the subcontractors, and make sure everything lands in place when you come to day one of the build.”

Q: What’s been your proudest moment so far?

A: “I did a job in Lincoln, a bathroom and ensuite, but it was a consented one. I just remember getting that all wrapped up and thinking, ‘Man, what an achievement.’ If I could see myself now from when I was just a builder, to running a job that’s consented, working with the council — that’s a whole nother rigmarole in and of itself. And the client was stoked at the end of the day.”

Q: What’s the one piece of advice you’d give your younger self?

A: “Definitely get people alongside you to help out, whether that’s people on the tools or people in the office. You don’t have to be Superman; you don’t have to do it all yourself. Get a business mentor, get systems in place, and it will make your life so much easier. That’s what I’m working towards. Not there yet, but every step makes it easier for the next job.”

Q: You’ve said you want the business to free you up. What’s that about?

A: “That ties into my vision right at the very start. The idea was to run a business that could be free in and of itself. So if someone needed a new roof, they had a leaky home or something, I could go in there, not in work time, but actually just replace it for them. Working a full-time job, I just wasn’t able to. To have the skills of being a tradie and go in there and make a real difference for someone, that would just mean the world. That’s what it’s about in some ways.”

Thank you to Johnny from Johnny’s Fix and Finish for sharing your story, your time, and delivering awesome results for our community.