If you’ve been in the building industry long enough, you know the ups and downs can make or break a business. Few know that better than Murphy Group, a family-led construction group with 50 years of experience under its belt and scars from every economic cycle to prove it. Local legends based here on the Sunshine Coast.

But nothing, not even the Global Financial Crisis, came close to the chaos that COVID brought.

“The GFC was nothing. COVID was the worst Leigh had seen in 50 years.” – Mark Berry, MD of Murphy Group said.

For Murphy Group, survival wasn’t luck. It was structure, culture…and a relentless focus on cash flow.

A New Era of Financial Discipline

When material costs skyrocketed, timelines blew out, and trades became scarce, the team had to rethink how to operate. The response? An operational shift to near-daily financial forecasting under the guidance of the Directors.

“We got down to forecasting every single day… and we’ve kept it. It’s helped us.” Director
Brooke Bastien said.

They introduced granular cash flow management across each of their business units, Murphy Homes, MP Build (multi-res), and Murphy Builders (commercial). From weekly projections to daily tracking, the business learned to anticipate challenges before they turned into crises.

“It was really micro-managing the accounts and forecasting out where the money was…and where it wasn’t coming from.” Ms Bastien continued.

This level of control became a non-negotiable. It’s now baked into their DNA — a playbook forged in the hardest chapter of their journey.

Managing Through Chaos

With trade loyalty evaporating and fixed-price contracts suddenly unviable, the group had to adapt fast. 

“We’ve always been exceptional payers, so we always had trade loyalty. But the loyalty was lost during COVID. We continued to pay on time, but trades were unable to stay loyal.” Brooke said.

For a team that prided itself on long-standing relationships and trust, the sudden shift was jarring. The usual rules didn’t apply. Everyone was in survival mode as expressed by Mark.

“We honoured what we could. But in most cases, we had to approach clients with contractual variations.”

This brutal honesty wasn’t easy. But it was necessary. Instead of sticking their heads in the sand, the Murphy team front-footed difficult conversations, knowing transparency was better than silence.

“Even though it was bad news, it was still better than no news.” he continued.

Leading From the Front

When the going got tough, the leadership got back on the tools. One Director even returned to Newcastle to supervise a project personally.

“I went back and supervised for a few months in Newcastle. You’ve just got to do what you’ve got to do.” Mark said.

This wasn’t just symbolic, it was strategic. Everyone in the business rallied. Senior leaders stepped in where needed. And the entire team showed up with resilience that even surprised themselves.

“Their tenacity, their dedication, their ability to show up smiling — in an industry being knocked around — was amazing.”

Lessons for Builders Everywhere

One of the biggest takeaways? Apprenticeships don’t teach cash flow. But running a successful building business demands it.

“Nobody teaches enough of that through your apprenticeship. Managing cash flow, financials, WIPs, it’s just not detailed enough” Brooke stated.

For Murphy Group staying in business wasn’t about cutting corners or blaming suppliers. It was about operational maturity, a blend of financial intelligence, communication, and leadership under pressure.

Still Standing. Still Building.

Through it all, Murphy Group emerged not only intact, but sharper, leaner, and more prepared for what comes next.

“We never wanted to be a statistic. So we had to make some hard and fast choices.” Brooke finished.

And they did.

If there’s one thing builders can learn from the Murphys, it’s this: volume is vanity, cash flow is survival, and the best builders know their numbers as well as their frames.

Congrats on 50-years. You’ve been through a lot.

Author: The Good Builder

The Good Builder is a media platform that provides news and insights for Australia’s home building industry. From exclusive stories and curated insights to bold industry perspectives, we deliver the news and updates that keep builders, suppliers, and the entire home building industry inspired and ahead of the curve.