Sam Ackland, owner of Build Clean, has found the quintessential level of steady growth following three years on the fast track.
“We have been analysing our operation and discovered a steady incline following a fast-paced growth period”.
Build Clean is a construction cleaning company servicing builders in Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and Melbourne.
Starting in 2018, Sam and his team of five, with no money in the bank for marketing, took a grassroots approach to establishing their new venture. They found work on digital classified services like Gumtree, Hi-Pages, and Facebook Marketplace, while letterbox dropping, door knocking, and exploring any means to gain a client.
Steadily growing to around 30 staff at the beginning of 2020, Sam attributes the business’s significant expansion to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The perfect storm of operating as a cleaning company and working with the construction industry during a period of low interest rates and the announcement of the home builder scheme, allowed us to grow when many businesses were shut down or heavily restricted.”
Now in 2023, Build Clean has expanded across three states and employs over 100 staff.
Although Sam anticipates a slowdown in the construction industry, as a backlog of delayed projects conclude, he is confident Build Clean will continue its growth trajectory. He also plans to expand further, this time into Sydney.
While many businesses are still struggling to source labour and could only dream of expansion, Build Clean is growing off the back of an unskilled workforce.
“We have benefited from the recent increase in migration from overseas, but I know so many in the industries I work with are screaming for help from skilled workers,” said Mr Ackland.
The South Australian Business Chamber’s March 2023 Quarter Survey of Business Expectations found 54.9% of businesses are still experiencing labour shortages, with 74.3% of respondents reporting a lack of suitably skilled workers as a main reason for the shortage.
Sam says interest rate increases and other inflationary pressures are starting to pinch but all signs point to continued growth for Build Clean. All being well, it will stay immune from many of the issues currently facing other businesses.
“If interest rates continue to increase, we will experience a decline in demand as people shy away from building homes and renovating.
“It would be very nice to see some stabilisation in interest rates.
“Many of our staff are on awards so we are locked into non-negotiable wage increases, which is something we have to reflect in our prices,” Sam added.
According to the South Australian Business Chamber’s recent survey, 74.2% of businesses are negatively impacted by inflation, with 52% now passing costs on to customers and 38.9% cutting expenses as a result.
With Build Clean already established in three states, and more in the near future, Sam has confidence in his home state of South Australia and looks forward to its continued growth.
“The recent increase in major events has returned our festival-state mentality. People are coming to South Australia and discovering everything we have to offer — and this will encourage more people to move here from interstate.
“I support any measure that will encourage population growth and increase liveability in South Australia.
“Recent announcements of major residential land releases will trigger more construction over the next ten years — positive for Build Clean and beneficial for every South Australian”, said Mr Ackland.
The South Australian Business Chamber’s recent survey highlights support for population growth and the increase in major events in South Australia. Visit business-sa.com/businessnow for the full report.
