Reviewed by Michael Watkins, Founder
Published 9 July 2026 · Last reviewed 11 July 2026
Across the Diggermate network, outcomes can vary significantly depending on territory demand, equipment mix, machine utilisation, owner involvement, local marketing, finance structure and operating costs.
The useful way to read the proof is by looking at regular monthly booking patterns, not just one standout month. Gympie is regularly achieving $40,000+ months in booking value and also sold to Alex for $330,172 in August 2024 as a separate historical sale example. Townsville is regularly producing around $50,000 months. Rod and Kathy’s current Sunshine Coast, Beerwah and Hervey Bay operation is regularly producing $40,000+ months as a group, while their wider journey also included Nambour, which was later sold as a separate business asset. Brock’s Ormeau and Cornubia business is regularly producing around $20,000+ months as a multi-location Gold Coast example.
Every Diggermate business is different. Some owners start lean, but the goal is not to stay tiny. The model is strongest when a location grows into a serious multi-machine operation with healthy occupancy. The figures shared here are historical booking value examples, not profit, owner income, forecasts or guaranteed results.
How Much Can a Diggermate Franchise Make?
There is no single earnings figure that applies to every Diggermate franchise.
Some franchisees may start smaller and build gradually around existing work commitments. Others launch with larger fleets, focus on business growth from day one, and expand into neighbouring territories over time. The serious business target is not one machine forever. A strong Diggermate location should be working toward a multi-machine fleet, typically around eight machines with healthy occupancy.
Across the Diggermate network, booking value patterns vary considerably depending on how the business is structured and operated.
The table below gives examples of proof stories from different stages of business growth within the Diggermate network.
| Proof Story | What It Shows | Booking Value Example* |
|---|---|---|
| Gympie | Repeat demand, regular booking value and future asset potential | Regularly achieving $40,000+ months; sold to Alex for $330,172 in August 2024 as a historical sale example |
| Townsville | A family and FIFO story becoming a serious local business | Regularly producing around $50,000 months |
| Sunshine Coast | Multi-location growth and a saleable business asset story | Current group regularly $40,000+ months, with broader historical group demand higher again |
| Brock, Ormeau and Cornubia | Multi-location Gold Coast growth | Regularly producing around $20,000+ months as a combined operation |
Revenue vs Profit: What Buyers Need to Understand
When researching franchise earnings, it is important to understand the difference between revenue and profit.
Booking value is the total amount of money generated by the business before expenses.
Profit is what remains after expenses have been paid.
Potential expenses may include:
- Franchise royalties
- Equipment finance repayments
- Insurance
- Maintenance and servicing
- Repairs
- Storage or yard costs
- Marketing
This is why two businesses generating similar revenue can produce very different financial outcomes.
A franchise recording $20,000 per month in booking value may have very different profitability compared to another recording the same amount, depending on operating costs and finance commitments.
What Affects Diggermate Franchise Earnings?
Several factors can influence both booking value and profitability.
Local Demand
One of the biggest drivers of earnings is local demand.
Areas experiencing population growth, residential development, landscaping activity, infrastructure projects or increased trade activity often create more opportunities for machinery hire.
Demand is not limited to major metropolitan areas. Regional markets can also perform strongly when franchisees understand their local customer base and actively build relationships within the community.
Owner Involvement
Diggermate is designed to be flexible, but it is still a business that benefits from active ownership.
The franchisees who achieve strong results are typically engaged in their local market, respond quickly to customer enquiries and focus on building long-term customer relationships.
Like most businesses, customer service, responsiveness and reputation matter.
Equipment Mix
The equipment available for hire can influence revenue opportunities.
Many franchisees begin with a smaller equipment base and expand into additional machinery and attachments as demand increases.
Additional equipment can create opportunities to:
- Serve a wider range of customers
- Increase average booking values
- Generate repeat business
- Improve fleet utilisation
As businesses mature, owners should be expanding their fleet to meet customer demand and move toward a proper multi-machine operation.
Machine Utilisation
Equipment only creates booking value when it is hired.
Improving utilisation is one of the most effective ways to increase booking value without necessarily increasing fixed costs.
Diggermate’s focus on tight-access machinery creates opportunities across a wide range of customer segments, including:
- Homeowners
- Landscapers
- Builders
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Concreters
- Small civil contractors
Because these customer groups often require equipment throughout the year, utilisation can be influenced by both local demand and the franchisee’s ability to build awareness within their market.
Repeat Customers
Many established Diggermate businesses generate a significant portion of their bookings from repeat customers and referrals.
As local relationships develop, franchisees often begin receiving repeat work from:
- Landscapers
- Builders
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Property maintenance businesses
- Existing DIY customers
Repeat business can improve utilisation while reducing the cost of acquiring new customers.
Finance Repayments and Operating Costs
Booking value alone does not determine earnings.
Finance repayments, insurance costs, maintenance requirements, fuel, servicing and other operating expenses all influence profitability.
Understanding your expected cost structure is just as important as understanding revenue potential.
What Growth Can Look Like Over Time
Franchisees enter the Diggermate network with different goals.
Some start while still working elsewhere, but the goal should be to build a serious business rather than stay in side-hustle mode indefinitely.
For most owners, the benchmark is building toward a full-time business, replacing employment income or creating a business asset they can potentially sell in the future. If a location is not tracking toward full-time owner involvement after about 18 months, it is usually time for a direct review of demand, fleet size, occupancy, local execution and growth plan.
Across the network, booking value growth is commonly linked to:
- Increasing machine utilisation
- Expanding equipment fleets
- Building repeat customer relationships
- Developing local trade networks
- Growing brand awareness
- Expanding into neighbouring territories where appropriate
As customer demand grows, many franchisees choose to reinvest into additional machinery, attachments and equipment categories, creating further opportunities for growth.
If you’d like to explore how different franchisees have approached business ownership, you can learn more from stories across the network:
- Gympie: regularly achieving $40,000+ months and sold to Alex for $330,172 in August 2024 as a business asset
- Townsville: around $50,000 months and a family/FIFO growth story
- Sunshine Coast: multi-location growth and saleable business asset proof
- Brock: Ormeau and Cornubia multi-location Gold Coast growth
- Aaron: expansion from Lara into Werribee
- Bendigo and Ballarat: consistent demand plus location growth after the right operators took over
- Dean: multi-territory growth and profitable exits
How to Model Your Own Territory
Rather than focusing solely on someone else’s booking value figures, prospective franchisees should evaluate their own territory and objectives.
Questions worth asking include:
- What level of construction activity exists locally?
- How many landscapers, plumbers, electricians and builders operate in the area?
- What population growth is occurring?
- What competition already exists?
- What fleet size am I planning to start with?
- What utilisation rates would I need to achieve my goals?
- What finance commitments will I have?
The answers to these questions often provide a more realistic picture of earnings potential than any individual example.
What Should You Review Before Buying?
Before investing in any franchise opportunity, consider reviewing:
- Franchise disclosure documents
- Franchise agreements
- Territory information
- Equipment requirements
- Startup costs
- Finance options
- Operating costs
- Existing franchisee experiences
- Your personal financial goals
You should also seek independent legal, accounting and financial advice before making a decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some established Diggermate operators are now producing regular monthly booking value well above the older public case studies. Examples include Gympie regularly achieving $40,000+ months, Townsville producing around $50,000 months, and other mature operators building multi-location businesses over time. These are historical booking value examples, not profit, owner income or guaranteed results.
No. Booking value is the value of bookings before expenses. Profit depends on finance repayments, maintenance, insurance, fuel, marketing, royalties, registration, repairs, tax, wages if used, and how the business is run.
The biggest drivers are territory demand, machine utilisation, equipment mix, fast enquiry response, repeat trade customers, Google reviews, local relationships, pricing discipline, owner effort, and how well the franchisee follows the system.
No, not as the long-term plan. One machine can help someone get started, but a serious Diggermate location should be building toward a multi-machine fleet. As a practical benchmark, locations should aim for at least around eight machines with good occupancy rates to get the business to a decent size. If a franchisee has not gone full-time or is not clearly tracking toward full-time ownership after about 18 months, it is time to review the plan, demand, fleet size, utilisation and local execution.
Some owners start while still working elsewhere, but Diggermate is not a passive side hustle. Enquiries need fast replies, equipment needs to be ready, handovers need coverage, reviews need to be requested, and local trade relationships need consistent attention. The goal should be to build toward a serious full-time business, not stay small forever.
Start with local demand, likely customer mix, machine utilisation, target fleet size, equipment costs, finance repayments, insurance, maintenance, marketing, royalties, working capital and seasonality. Diggermate can walk you through territory assumptions, but you should also review the numbers with an accountant or adviser.
No. The figures are historical booking value, sale price and franchisee story examples. They are not forecasts, profit claims, owner-income promises or guaranteed results. Actual performance depends on territory, demand, equipment, seasonality, costs, response speed, service quality and owner execution.
Review the disclosure documents, franchise agreement, setup costs, finance structure, working capital, local market, equipment plan, support model, owner responsibilities and assumptions behind any forecast. Get independent legal, accounting and finance advice before deciding.
Recent Western Australian Booking-Value Examples
The WA owner stories provide current examples of how gross booking value is discussed and verified. See Pierre’s Fremantle operations story, Corey’s Mandurah lifestyle story and Lochlan’s Cockburn FIFO-to-full-time story.
Each article labels the figures as historical gross booking value, explains how they were checked and separates booking value from profit, owner income or guaranteed results.
Download the Wealth Creation Roadmap
If you’re exploring franchise ownership and want to understand how Diggermate franchisees have built and grown their businesses over time, download the Wealth Creation Roadmap.
The roadmap explains the business model, growth pathways and the strategies franchisees have used to build valuable business assets.
Important Disclaimer: The booking value figures and franchisee examples referenced in this article are provided for general information only. They are examples, not guarantees, forecasts or promises of future earnings. Actual Diggermate franchise earnings, income, profit and return on investment will vary depending on territory, local demand, equipment mix, machine utilisation, owner involvement, finance structure, operating costs, competition and other factors. Prospective franchisees should review the current franchise disclosure material and seek independent legal, accounting and financial advice before making a decision.
