There’s a moment in every cafe build that sends your blood pressure soaring.

For seasoned café owner and hospitality veteran Finn Tully, it came in the form of a bench – installed back to front, where it wasn’t supposed to be.

That installation error meant the original plan for the hot water cylinder no longer worked. 

Fixing the bench could have required days of work, bench fitters coming back on-site, new materials, and a full reset of the build schedule.

Time. Money. Stress. And potentially, thousands in lost revenue from pushing back opening day.

According to industry benchmarks, a cafe like Finn’s could lose between $1,500 and $2,500 per day if delayed. 

A week-long delay? That’s $10,000 to $17,500 gone before a single flat white has been poured.

But that worst-case scenario never happened.

Because Oceania Plumbing was on the job.

“Oceania basically came up with a plan to restructure the placement of a hot water cylinder. It was done quickly, efficiently, without a hassle. They saved us time, which is money.”

Joe and the team didn’t make a fuss. They just quietly reworked the plan and got on with the job. What could have been a week-long delay turned into a non-issue.

“Without that sort of problem-solving, we could have been a week behind. Lost revenue, later opening times… So it means a lot.”

Building trust from day one

Finn, who has spent years navigating the highs and lows of café ownership, first met Joe Currey from Oceania Plumbing in 2019 when he needed basic maintenance at Cabukee, his original cafe in Emerald Lakes. It was simple day-to-day stuff – but the experience left a big impression.

“Oceania Plumbing are very easygoing and very happy to please. They do a great job. Friendly, fast, efficient. Nothing is a problem.”

So when Finn began planning his second venue, The Flying Horse Cafe, he brought Joe in from the beginning.

And that trust was quickly reinforced.

Emergency at The Flying Horse: a burst pipe and a fast save

One day mid-service, disaster struck. A pipe burst in the ceiling of The Flying Horse Cafe. Water was leaking through the roof. Finn had no choice but to shut down service.

“I had to shut my cafe down.”

Anyone in hospitality knows what that means: lost income, wasted prep, frustrated customers, and high-stress staff. But instead of waiting hours or days for a solution, help arrived within the hour.

“Oceania were out there within an hour… and we were back open again after a couple of hours.”

That kind of response is rare. But for Finn, it was the difference between losing an entire day’s trade and getting back on track.

It’s not just emergencies where Oceania steps up. Even for routine plumbing work, Joe and his team schedule around service hours – showing up early or staying back late to avoid costly disruptions.

“They even come before or after service so we don’t have to shut the cafe down… it’s very important that we don’t have any downtime.”

Fast fixes, smart decisions, and clear communication. That’s what Oceania Plumbing brings to the table.

From slab cutting to certification

Oceania Plumbing has supported Finn through two full café builds – The Flying Horse in Molendinar and Central Brew in Bundall –  managing everything from slab cutting and drainage to council certification and final fit-off.

Unlike simple maintenance jobs, a full cafe build involves coordinating multiple moving parts: gas, drainage, certification, slab work, council approvals, and timelines that shift daily.

That’s where Joe and the Oceania team shine.

“We had to dig down into the slab, lay lines, also lay gas lines… Joe helped me with the process of certification, what needed to be done.”

“Joe took care of all the forms, pointed me in the right direction, gave me a rough plan of when he needed to be here and what needed to be done.”

What makes this even easier? Joe’s extensive licensing across plumbing, gas, and drainage.

It means he and his team can handle the full scope of work, without calling in subcontractors or waiting on multiple providers. That saves Finn time, money and coordination headaches.

“If you’re going to use Oceania Plumbing, you’re going to get reliable service – far better than most I’ve come across.”

Cool heads in chaotic builds

The reality of any commercial kitchen build is this: trades don’t always play nicely.

Schedules clash. Tempers flare. Delays happen. But not with Oceania Plumbing.

“There’s a lot of tradespeople needing to work together. They don’t always play or get along well… I felt that Oceania Plumbing really just played ball. They let things flow easier.”

When other trades created delays, pushing timelines and disrupting the schedule, Oceania Plumbing worked around the situation without drama, adjusting seamlessly to keep the build on track.

“If they couldn’t be there at that exact time, they’d just back off and come in at a more suitable time. They weren’t hassled. It just made things flow a little bit easier.”

Oceania Plumbing weren’t just skilled. They were calm. Flexible. Professional. The kind of team that keeps a job moving, not one that causes stress.

“They were very cool, calm, collected.”

And when things went wrong? They fixed it –  without causing new delays or drama.

Calm under pressure, every time

Project stress is real.

Between council requirements, tight openings, and trades who don’t communicate, it’s easy for things to spiral. But every time Finn needed Oceania, they delivered.

“Project stress levels are always right on the roof… but to know that I can call Oceania Plumbing and they’ll fix it – that’s been a great help.”

And over time, Oceania helped Finn build confidence too.

“When I have an issue here, I can think about the process. From what I’ve seen and the way it’s been explained to me, I don’t panic straight away when there’s a leak or issue.”

“I know what I need to do before I call them.”

The go-to plumbing partner for hospitality

It’s been six years since Finn first engaged Oceania Plumbing and he doesn’t hesitate to recommend them.

“They do a great job. You’ll never be disappointed with the craftsmanship. Friendly, fast, efficient. Nothing is a problem.

“They put a lot more time in my pocket.”

What could that kind of partnership do for your business?

Whether you’re renovating an existing venue or fitting out from scratch, the plumbing is make-or-break.

If you want to avoid delays, get certified fast, and open on time, work with plumbers who do more than just turn up. Work with the team who understands how hospitality runs.

Want to see what zero-stress plumbing looks like? Let’s talk.