The Subbies' Toolbox Podcast

Michelle Cirson
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The Subbies Toolbox Podcast is for Australian commercial subcontractors who want to understand the real rules of construction and stop being worn down by outdated systems and one-sided contracts. Hosted by Michelle Cirson, a construction lawyer, adjudicator and former builder contracts administrator, this podcast calls out industry norms that no longer make sense and explains how subcontractors can navigate them with clarity and confidence. Michelle explores topics like contract risk, power imbalances, commercial leverage and smarter ways to work within the system while pushing for better outcomes across the industry. Season 2 marks the evolution of the podcast from Tricks of Your Trade into The Subbies Toolbox, with a sharper focus on education, systems, and advocacy that help subcontractors stay out of disputes and in control of their businesses. New episodes are released weekly. www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

  1. 13h ago

    Episode 17 - The Cost of Fighting for Principles in Construction

    What happens when proving you're right ends up costing more than the dispute itself? In this episode of The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, Michelle Cirson explores the real cost of fighting "on principle" and why taking the emotion out of a dispute can often lead to better commercial outcomes. Using a high-profile legal case and a real construction dispute involving millions of dollars, Michelle explains how emotionally driven decisions can distract subcontractors from the processes that actually protect their cashflow and legal position. In this episode, you'll learn: Why fighting on principle isn't always the best commercial decision How emotion can cloud your judgement during payment disputes Why builders and subcontractors often make decisions from very different commercial positions The risks of letting frustration derail your Security of Payment strategy How an Accounts Receivable Escalation Procedure can help you make better decisions under pressure If you've ever found yourself saying, "It's the principle of it," this episode will help you take a step back, think strategically and focus on protecting your business. Resources 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 Get Your Fix on Social Media Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE  Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE  Rate and Review the Podcast 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! About the Host 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

    Episode 17 - The Cost of Fighting for Principles in Construction

  2. Jul 29

    Episode 16 - Trusting the Builder's Staffer with Your Money

    This week on The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, Michelle shares the story behind a social media post that sparked plenty of debate across the construction industry. Drawing on her years working inside builder organisations as a Contract Administrator, Michelle opens up about mistakes she made, decisions she witnessed, and the uncomfortable truth about relying on builder staff to protect your business. If you've ever believed that having a good relationship with the builder's CA, Project Manager or Commercial Manager will keep you safe, this episode challenges that thinking. Michelle explains why staff inside building companies have their own pressures, priorities and incentives, and why your business can't depend on someone else's decision-making. In this episode you'll learn: Why good relationships don't guarantee good commercial outcomes What really influences builder staff when they're making decisions The danger of underpricing work and expecting someone else to stop you How progress claims can hide serious cash flow problems What radical accountability actually looks like for subcontractors The biggest lesson is simple. No one inside a builder's office is more responsible for your profitability than you are. If you want a stronger subcontracting business, your systems, pricing and financial decisions need to stand on their own. Download our free guide: How to Claim Cost Increases Under Fixed Price Contracts https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/cost Resources 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 Get Your Fix on Social Media Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE  Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE  Rate and Review the Podcast 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! About the Host 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

    Episode 16 - Trusting the Builder's Staffer with Your Money

  3. Jul 21

    Episode 15 - Don't Use a Debt Collector Until You've Listened to This

    This week on The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, I'm talking about a topic that catches a lot of Aussie Subbies out when cashflow gets tight: debt collectors. When a builder isn't paying, bringing in a debt collector can feel like the obvious next step. But before you hand over 18% to 25% of your debt, there are a few things you need to know. In this episode, I explain how debt collectors actually operate, why they often aren't the best option for Australian Subcontractors, and how they can accidentally interfere with your ability to use Security of Payment legislation. We also unpack the difference between a letter of demand and a compliant payment claim, why so many businesses are relying on outdated debt recovery systems, and how a proper accounts receivable escalation procedure can dramatically improve your chances of getting paid. In this episode: • How debt collectors make their money • The hidden risks of debt collection agreements • Why letters of demand often achieve very little • Common mistakes subcontractors make with payment claims • How Security of Payment laws can help you recover money faster • The importance of a compliant accounts receivable escalation procedure • What Aussie Subbies should do before engaging a debt collector  Resources 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 Get Your Fix on Social Media Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE  Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE  Rate and Review the Podcast 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! About the Host 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

    Episode 15 - Don't Use a Debt Collector Until You've Listened to This

  4. Jul 15

    Episode 14 - How Builders DEED Away Their Debt

    This week on The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, I'm unpacking one of the most frustrating situations subcontractors face in commercial construction.  What happens when a builder tells you they can't pay?  More importantly, what happens when they offer you a deal instead?  After a recent conversation with excavation contractor Jimmy Starbuck, I found myself reflecting on a story that will sound familiar to many Aussie subbies. A developer convinced multiple subcontractors and suppliers to keep working despite not being paid, relying on the promise that everyone would get looked after at the end.  It raises an important question.  When a builder says they're going broke, should you believe them?  In this episode, I explain how deeds of release are commonly used to settle debts, the warning signs subcontractors should be watching for, and why relying on the insolvency system as your safety net is rarely a winning strategy.  We also talk about trade credit insurance, accounts receivable escalation procedures, and how to position yourself so you're making decisions from a place of strength instead of fear.  In this episode:  What a deed of release actually does  Why builders use debt settlement deals  The psychology behind "I'll go broke if you push me"  The dangers of waiting until the end of a project  How communication between subcontractors changes the game  Trade credit insurance pitfalls you need to know  Why every subbie needs an accounts receivable escalation procedure  Resources 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 Get Your Fix on Social Media Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE  Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE  Rate and Review the Podcast 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! About the Host 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

    Episode 14 - How Builders DEED Away Their Debt

  5. Jul 7

    Episode 13 - How to Get Paid Deposits Without Giving Bank Guarantees

    This week on The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, Michelle breaks down how subcontractors are successfully getting paid deposits for offsite goods without handing over bank guarantees. From lift subcontractors and structural steel, through to specialist imported equipment, this episode unpacks the commercial logic builders actually respond to when negotiating deposits. Michelle explains why bank guarantees often don’t solve the real problem for builders anyway, and how smart subcontractors are using deeds of ownership, PPS registrations, insurance arrangements and logic-based assurances to protect both parties while improving cashflow. If you’ve ever been told “we can only pay a deposit if you give us a bank guarantee”, this episode will help you understand the alternatives and how to pitch them properly. In this episode: Why builders ask for bank guarantees in the first place How deposits can protect projects from supply chain delays What deeds of ownership for unfixed offsite goods actually do How PPS registrations protect builders and subcontractors The smarter commercial approach to negotiating deposits Why fixed price contracts without deposits can be dangerous in volatile markets Resources 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 Free Download - How to Claim Cost Increases Under a Fixed Price Contract Get Your Fix on Social Media Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE  Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE  Rate and Review the Podcast 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! About the Host 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

    Episode 13 - How to Get Paid Deposits Without Giving Bank Guarantees

  6. Jul 1

    Episode 12 - Clauses to Watch in Schedule of Rates Contracts

    This week on The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, Michelle Cirson breaks down one of the most misunderstood contract models in Commercial Construction — schedule of rates contracts.  At face value, these contracts can look flexible and straightforward. But in reality, they can quietly lock Aussie Subbies into long-term obligations, outdated pricing, unclear project durations and impossible practical completion dates.  Michelle shares real project examples from both builder-side and subcontractor-side experience to explain how schedule of rates contracts are being used across major civil and infrastructure projects, and the hidden risks subcontractors need to watch before signing.  Inside this episode, we cover:  How schedule of rates contracts actually work in practice  The danger of unclear start and finish dates  Outdated pricing and long-term project exposure  Practical completion clauses that don’t make commercial sense  Liquidated damages risks in undefined scopes of work  Variation traps and mobilisation cost blowouts  The difference between genuine schedule of rates work and lump sum contracts disguised as one  If you’ve ever signed a schedule of rates contract assuming you were getting the whole project, this episode is worth a listen before your next negotiation.  Resources Tired of builders pushing you around? Arm yourself with the Subbies' Toolbox Membership Want to negotiate better contract terms? Explore Negotiation School Free Download - How to Claim Cost Increases Under a Fixed Price Contract Get Your Fix on Social Media Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE  Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE  Rate and Review the Podcast 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! About the Host 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

    Episode 12 - Clauses to Watch in Schedule of Rates Contracts

  7. Jun 24

    Episode 11 - Contract Works Insurance Explained for Aussie Subbies

    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. Resources 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 Get Your Fix on Social Media Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE  Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE  Rate and Review the Podcast 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! About the Host 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

    Episode 11 - Contract Works Insurance Explained for Aussie Subbies

  8. Jun 17

    Episode 10 - How Builders Use Subbie Payment Schedules to Cook Their Books at EOFY

    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. Resources 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 Get Your Fix on Social Media Follow Michelle on Linked In - HERE  Follow Michelle on Instagram - HERE Follow Michelle on Facebook - HERE  Rate and Review the Podcast 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! About the Host 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

    Episode 10 - How Builders Use Subbie Payment Schedules to Cook Their Books at EOFY
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About

The Subbies Toolbox Podcast is for Australian commercial subcontractors who want to understand the real rules of construction and stop being worn down by outdated systems and one-sided contracts. Hosted by Michelle Cirson, a construction lawyer, adjudicator and former builder contracts administrator, this podcast calls out industry norms that no longer make sense and explains how subcontractors can navigate them with clarity and confidence. Michelle explores topics like contract risk, power imbalances, commercial leverage and smarter ways to work within the system while pushing for better outcomes across the industry. Season 2 marks the evolution of the podcast from Tricks of Your Trade into The Subbies Toolbox, with a sharper focus on education, systems, and advocacy that help subcontractors stay out of disputes and in control of their businesses. New episodes are released weekly. www.subbiestoolbox.com.au

Information

  • Creator
    Michelle Cirson
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    82
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Subbies Toolbox. All rights reserved. This podcast and its content are provided for general information only and do not constitute legal advice.
  • Show Website
    The Subbies' Toolbox Podcast

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