The Subbies' Toolbox Podcast

This week on The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, I’m unpacking one of the most misunderstood insurance clauses in commercial construction contracts: Contract Works Insurance.

If your builder has asked you to hold this policy and you’ve nodded along without really knowing what it covers, you are definitely not alone.

In this episode, I explain what Contract Works Insurance actually is, how it interacts with “care of the works” clauses in your subcontract, and why more builders are trying to shift this risk downstream onto subcontractors.

We talk through real examples across different trades including waterproofing, electrical, formwork, cranes, ceilings and partitions, joinery and fire services, so you can start making commercial sense of whether this insurance even applies to your trade in the first place.

I also break down the difference between Contract Works Insurance and Public Liability Insurance, how builders use these clauses to avoid paying excesses under their own policies, and the contract mark-ups we use inside The Subbies Toolbox Membership to help subbies push back properly.

In this episode we cover:

• What Contract Works Insurance actually covers
• Which trades are most exposed under these clauses
• The dangerous “care of the works” wording hidden in builder contracts
• Accepted risks clauses and what should be added to them
• The difference between Contract Works and Public Liability Insurance
• How stolen materials and damaged work often trigger disputes
• Practical contract mark-ups to better protect your business

If you’ve ever signed a subcontract without properly understanding the insurance section, this episode will help you read these clauses with a completely different lens moving forward.

Join The Subbies Toolbox Membership before 30 June 2026 and save $2600 on annual membership using coupon code EOFY-2026.

Want to negotiate better contract terms? Explore Negotiation School

Get Free Checklists, Templates and guides here www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE 

Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE

Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE 

If you like what you’re hearing on The Subbies’ Toolbox Podcast, support the show by taking a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment on ApplePodcast, or Spotify Thanks!

Michelle Cirson is construction lawyer, adjudicator and former commercial builder’s CA who now works exclusively with Australian subcontractors. She helps commercial subcontractors manage their builders’ contracts and get paid on time, without losing jobs and blowing up builder relationships. Michelle is the founder of The Subbies Toolbox Membership.

If you want to understand how this system actually works and where subcontractors tend to get caught out, you’ll find more resources at www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

This week on The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, Michelle pulls back the curtain on the EOFY payment schedule tactics builders use to make their financial position look healthier than it really is.

After years working as a builder’s CA, Michelle shares the real-world strategies she saw used inside building companies to value down subcontractor claims, delay retentions, ignore variations and manufacture backcharges in the lead-up to 30 June.

This episode is a practical breakdown of the smoke signals subcontractors should be watching for in their payment schedules every single month.

Michelle explains:

• Why ignored variations are a massive red flag
• How builders strategically value down progress claims
• The difference between genuine backcharges and “money grab” deductions
• Why retentions suddenly become difficult to recover at EOFY
• How bank guarantees can become low-hanging fruit when builders are under pressure
• Why predictable accounts receivable systems protect subbies better than aggressive reactions

If you’ve ever had a builder suddenly start acting strange around payment claims in May or June, this episode will help you understand what may actually be happening behind the scenes.

Join The Subbies Toolbox Membership before 30 June 2026 and save $2600 on annual membership using coupon code EOFY-2026.

Want to negotiate better contract terms? Explore Negotiation School

Free Download - How to Claim Cost Increases Under a Fixed Price Contract

Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE 

Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE

Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE 

If you like what you’re hearing on The Subbies’ Toolbox Podcast, support the show by taking a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment on ApplePodcast, or Spotify Thanks!

Michelle Cirson is construction lawyer, adjudicator and former commercial builder’s CA who now works exclusively with Australian subcontractors. She helps commercial subcontractors manage their builders’ contracts and get paid on time, without losing jobs and blowing up builder relationships. Michelle is the founder of The Subbies Toolbox Membership.

If you want to understand how this system actually works and where subcontractors tend to get caught out, you’ll find more resources at www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

This week on The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, I’m talking about something a lot of subcontractors overlook until it goes horribly wrong: purchase order terms and conditions.

If you’ve ever paid a deposit for materials, equipment or specialist gear and crossed your fingers hoping everything turns up on time, this episode is for you.

I walk through real stories from commercial subcontractors who found themselves exposed after handing over serious money with nothing in writing. From suppliers disappearing, to third-party fabricators holding equipment ransom, to builders breathing down your neck while you wait for critical materials to arrive, these situations happen more often than you think.

We also talk about:

Most subbies focus heavily on the contracts builders give them, but not enough attention gets paid to the contracts and systems subbies use when buying things themselves.

This episode is all about tightening up that gap before it becomes an expensive lesson.

If you’re serious about protecting your business commercially, this one’s worth a listen.

Tired of builders pushing you around? Arm yourself with the Subbies' Toolbox Membership

Want to negotiate better contract terms? Explore Negotiation School

Get Free Checklists, Templates and guides here www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE 

Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE

Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE 

If you like what you’re hearing on The Subbies’ Toolbox Podcast, support the show by taking a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment on ApplePodcast, or Spotify Thanks!

Michelle Cirson is construction lawyer, adjudicator and former commercial builder’s CA who now works exclusively with Australian subcontractors. She helps commercial subcontractors manage their builders’ contracts and get paid on time, without losing jobs and blowing up builder relationships. Michelle is the founder of The Subbies Toolbox Membership.

If you want to understand how this system actually works and where subcontractors tend to get caught out, you’ll find more resources at www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

As we roll toward the end of financial year, builders across Australia are pushing hard to lock subcontractors into contracts before June 30.

And if you’re an Aussie subbie in Commercial Construction, this is the exact window where things can go pear shaped if you’re not careful.

This week on The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, Michelle Cirson breaks down the EOFY Contract Review Runway and explains why builders suddenly become more urgent, more negotiable, and sometimes more dangerous during May and June.

Michelle shares what’s really happening behind the scenes inside builder businesses at EOFY, why contract reviews spike every year during this period, and how subcontractors can use this pressure point to negotiate better terms instead of blindly signing fixed price contracts that could sink margins later.

If you’re feeling pressure to lock work in before EOFY, this episode will help you slow down, think commercially, and protect your business properly before signing anything.

Join The Subbies Toolbox Membership as an annual member before 30 June 2026 and save $2600 using coupon code ‘EOFY-2026’.

Want to negotiate better contract terms? Explore Negotiation School

Get Free Checklists, Templates and guides here www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE 

Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE

Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE 

If you like what you’re hearing on The Subbies’ Toolbox Podcast, support the show by taking a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment on ApplePodcast, or Spotify Thanks!

Michelle Cirson is construction lawyer, adjudicator and former commercial builder’s CA who now works exclusively with Australian subcontractors. She helps commercial subcontractors manage their builders’ contracts and get paid on time, without losing jobs and blowing up builder relationships. Michelle is the founder of The Subbies Toolbox Membership.

If you want to understand how this system actually works and where subcontractors tend to get caught out, you’ll find more resources at www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

In this episode, Michelle shares three practical ways to shorten your departure schedule and make it easier for builders to actually engage with your proposed changes.

If you’ve ever had a departure schedule completely knocked back or ignored, you’ll know how frustrating it can be. The longer and more complicated it gets, the less likely it is to be properly considered and that usually means you’re stuck signing something that doesn’t protect your business.

This episode is about cutting through that. Michelle breaks down how to prioritise your departures, how to frame them in a way builders are more likely to accept, and how to avoid turning a commercial conversation into a stalemate.

If you want better outcomes without blowing up relationships, this is a good place to start.

Tired of builders pushing you around? Arm yourself with the Subbies' Toolbox Membership

Want to negotiate better contract terms? Explore Negotiation School

Get Free Checklists, Templates and guides here www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE 

Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE

Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE 

If you like what you’re hearing on The Subbies’ Toolbox Podcast, support the show by taking a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment on ApplePodcast, or Spotify Thanks!

Michelle Cirson is construction lawyer, adjudicator and former commercial builder’s CA who now works exclusively with Australian subcontractors. She helps commercial subcontractors manage their builders’ contracts and get paid on time, without losing jobs and blowing up builder relationships. Michelle is the founder of The Subbies Toolbox Membership.

If you want to understand how this system actually works and where subcontractors tend to get caught out, you’ll find more resources at www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

Material price increases are back in the construction industry and subcontractors everywhere are starting to feel that familiar knot in their stomach again.

This week on The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, Michelle Cirson dives into the reality of fixed price contracts during periods of economic instability, fuel increases and supplier price hikes.

After years of dealing with the fallout from COVID-era pricing blowouts, many Aussie Subbies thought the worst was behind them. But suppliers are once again sending out increase notices, builders are pushing for certainty, and subcontractors are being left exposed under fixed price contracts that no longer stack up commercially.

In this episode, Michelle breaks down the practical and legal realities subcontractors need to understand right now, including:

Michelle also shares practical strategies subcontractors can use during negotiations to avoid getting locked into long-term deals that could quickly become commercially dangerous.

If you’re an Aussie Subbie working in Commercial Construction, this episode is an important reminder that rushing into contracts during uncertain times can have long-term consequences for your cashflow, margins and business survival.

Tired of builders pushing you around? Arm yourself with the Subbies' Toolbox Membership 

Want to negotiate better contract terms? Explore Negotiation School

Get Free Checklists, Templates and guides here www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE 

Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE

Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE 

If you like what you’re hearing on The Subbies’ Toolbox Podcast, support the show by taking a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment on ApplePodcast, or Spotify Thanks!

Michelle Cirson is construction lawyer, adjudicator and former commercial builder’s CA who now works exclusively with Australian subcontractors. She helps commercial subcontractors manage their builders’ contracts and get paid on time, without losing jobs and blowing up builder relationships. Michelle is the founder of The Subbies Toolbox Membership.

If you want to understand how this system actually works and where subcontractors tend to get caught out, you’ll find more resources at www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

AI is starting to show up everywhere in construction, including contract reviews. For subcontractors working in commercial construction, that can sound like a huge time saver. But it also introduces risks that many people don’t realise. 

In this episode of The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, Michelle Cirson shares practical insights from reviewing hundreds of construction contracts and explains where AI can genuinely help subcontractors, and where it can quietly lead them into trouble. 

Michelle walks through some real examples of how AI can misunderstand prompts, miss important contract risks, or frame your thinking about a deal before you’ve even assessed it properly yourself. 

Most importantly, she explains how subcontractors can use AI as a tool rather than a decision-maker when reviewing builders’ contracts. 

If you’re starting to experiment with AI in your business, this episode will help you use it wisely while still protecting your commercial interests. 

This episode explores: 

Michelle also explains the hierarchy of contract risk controls and how subcontractors can use it to decide whether a clause needs negotiation, adjustment to scope, or whether the project risk is simply too high. 

Michelle Cirson is construction lawyer, adjudicator and former commercial builder’s CA who now works exclusively with Australian subcontractors. She helps commercial subcontractors manage their builders’ contracts and get paid on time, without losing jobs and blowing up builder relationships. Michelle is the founder of The Subbies Toolbox Membership.  

If you want to understand how this system actually works and where subcontractors tend to get caught out, you’ll find more resources at www.subbiestoolbox.com.au. 

This week on The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, we’re talking about unfair contract terms laws and whether the changes brought in during 2023 have actually made things better for subcontractors.

On paper, these laws look like a big win. There are serious penalties now for companies that include unfair terms in their contracts. But in practice, things aren’t always that simple.

Most subcontractors are still being handed standard form contracts on a take it or leave it basis. And the reality is, many of the clauses in those contracts still heavily favour the builder or upstream party.

So the real question isn’t whether the laws exist. It’s whether they’re actually changing behaviour on the ground.

In this episode, I walk through what’s really happening in the industry, what I’m seeing in negotiations every day, and where these laws are starting to make a difference.

We also unpack some of the more questionable contract practices that are still floating around, including early payment discounts and how they actually work behind the scenes.

If you’re signing contracts regularly, this is something you need to understand. Not from a legal theory perspective, but from a practical, commercial one.

Get the Business Risk Checklist (Free Download) 
https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/risk 

Michelle Cirson is construction lawyer, adjudicator and former commercial builder’s CA who now works exclusively with Australian subcontractors. She helps commercial subcontractors manage their builders’ contracts and get paid on time, without losing jobs and blowing up builder relationships. Michelle is the founder of The Subbies Toolbox Membership.  

If you want to understand how this system actually works and where subcontractors tend to get caught out, you’ll find more resources at www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

In this episode, Michelle explains why Inspection Test Plans (ITPs) are one of the most overlooked tools subcontractors have to protect themselves on commercial construction projects. 

Many subbies see ITPs as just paperwork. Something the builder asks for that ends up sitting in a folder no one ever looks at. But when payment disputes happen, when projects go sideways, or when builders start questioning your work, ITPs can become some of the most powerful evidence you have. 

Michelle shares real cases where subcontractors lost hundreds of thousands of dollars simply because they could not prove what had been delivered or completed on site. She also explains how a simple, systematic approach to ITPs can protect your business and help you get paid. 

This episode also looks at how poor record keeping can backfire if ITPs are completed incorrectly or treated as a box-ticking exercise. 

If you work in commercial construction, this is one of the simplest risk management systems you can implement in your business. 

Get the Business Risk Checklist (Free Download) 
https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/risk 

Michelle Cirson is construction lawyer, adjudicator and former commercial builder’s CA who now works exclusively with Australian subcontractors. She helps commercial subcontractors manage their builders’ contracts and get paid on time, without losing jobs and blowing up builder relationships. Michelle is the founder of The Subbies Toolbox Membership.  

If you want to understand how this system actually works and where subcontractors tend to get caught out, you’ll find more resources at www.subbiestoolbox.com.au. 

In this episode of The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, Michelle breaks down one of the most overlooked risk areas for commercial subcontractors: purchase order terms and conditions.

Drawing on real experiences from legal disputes in the commercial construction industry, Michelle explains how many payment disputes actually start much earlier in a project. Small gaps in documentation, supplier agreements, or purchasing processes can quickly escalate into major financial problems.

Michelle shares practical stories from subcontractors who found themselves exposed because there was nothing in writing when purchasing specialist equipment or engaging suppliers.

If you want to protect your subcontracting business, this episode explains why purchase order terms and conditions should be one of the first contracts you implement.

Get the Business Risk Checklist (Free Download)
https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/risk

Michelle Cirson is construction lawyer, adjudicator and former commercial builder’s CA who now works exclusively with Australian subcontractors. She helps commercial subcontractors manage their builders’ contracts and get paid on time, without losing jobs and blowing up builder relationships. Michelle is the founder of The Subbies Toolbox Membership.  

If you want to understand how this system actually works and where subcontractors tend to get caught out, you’ll find more resources at www.subbiestoolbox.com.au.