Welcome to the Construction Secrets podcast where we talk about signing better construction contracts, getting better project cash flow and making more profit per project, and the many mistakes and failures we have learned along the way. Powered by Quantum Contracts.
Why 82% of Contract Changes Get Approved (If You Ask) [#ThrowbackThursday] | Ep. 439
Join the Subcontractors Boardroom - Here (https://cianbrennan.com/boardroom)
Need help with your contracts? - Here (https://quantumcontracts.com/vsl2026-yto)
Get The Subcontractor's Edge Book - Here (https://quantumcs.co/4uEY9Cs)
This episode is a re-run. It was originally published in June 2023.
We've done over 2,800 contract reviews.
Here's what we've learned: 82% of what we ask to change gets agreed.
Read that again. Most of the risky clauses subcontractors sign up to? They'd have been removed. Just by asking.
That's the game. They hand you their contract, stacked in their favour. You push back, clause by clause, with a reason each time. And more often than not, they go "yeah, fair enough."
If you don't ask, you don't get.
One tip though: keep the tone semi-submissive. Not "take this out." More "we can't get our insurer to sign up to this, can we suggest removing it?" You'll get far better results.
Timestamps:
(6:34) - The returns are in the terms and the margin is in the post-award
(7:20) - If you look at the termination clauses, a lot of times it will lay out all the ways that they can terminate you and it won't say anything about how you can terminate them
(14:04) - Where most of the money comes down to is the contract
(14:28) - Learn how to understand what the contract means
(16:13) - If you sign up to loss of profit for your client, if your client's loss of profit is bigger than your company, that's gonzo. That's it, game over
24 Sept 2026
Stop Being the Easy Subcontractor [#ThrowbackThursday] | Ep. 438
Join the Subcontractors Boardroom - Here (https://cianbrennan.com/boardroom)
Need help with your contracts? - Here (https://quantumcontracts.com/vsl2026-yto)
Get The Subcontractor's Edge Book - Here (https://quantumcs.co/4uEY9Cs)
This episode is a re-run. It was originally published in June 2023.
Nobody wants to be the "difficult" subcontractor.
So here's my challenge: think of the biggest player in your sector. Are they commercial and contractual?
100% they are.
Most people stay easy. Agree to everything, submit nothing. Then a problem hits, they suddenly get contractual, and the relationship breaks.
Do it from day one, and it lands differently. Submit your notices. Log your variations. Just like the big guys.
They don't think you're difficult. They think you're professional.
Timestamps:
(5:41) - The thing about disputes is it's a race to see who loses the least amount of money
(8:33) - When you get into a dispute, even if you're fully in the right, you're still going to lose money
(9:06) - Think of the biggest guy in your sector, is that person commercial or contractual?
(10:45) - The cold, hard fact about it is at the moment relationships aren't as important as they used to be
(12:05) - If you are on top of your contractual paperwork, more often than not, there won't be a dispute in the first place
(13:32) - It is better to submit a bad document on time than wait for a perfect document and submit it late
17 Sept 2026
Why You Lose Construction Disputes Even When You Win [#ThrowbackThursday] | Ep. 437
Join the Subcontractors Boardroom - Here (https://cianbrennan.com/boardroom)
Need help with your contracts? - Here (https://quantumcontracts.com/vsl2026-yto)
Get The Subcontractor's Edge Book - Here (https://quantumcs.co/4uEY9Cs)
This episode is a re-run. It was originally published in June 2023.
Picture this: you're stopped at a red light. Someone rear-ends you. They get out and say, "100% my fault, I'll pay for everything."
Sounds like a win, right?
You've still got to get quotes. Chase the repair. Sort a rental. Lose the hours. And your car's now worth less because it's been crashed.
Even when you win, you lose.
That's construction disputes. And more often than not, you won't even win.
After thousands of these, here's my advice: negotiate. Give up a percentage. It'll save you money, time, and your attention.
Timestamps:
(6:33) - AI is here. It's like when the Internet arrives
(9:43) - AI now has been created and it's very cheap and it's very quick and it's very powerful
(13:26) - The returns are in the terms
(13:28) - If you're a contractor, the margin is in the post-award phase
(13:33) - Avoiding a dispute is far cheaper than getting into a dispute
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
553,461
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
7 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
51 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 93 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
100
Social presence
94
YouTube
86
Engagement
85
Contact Construction Secrets w/ Cian Brennan
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Construction Secrets w/ Cian Brennan
Who hosts Construction Secrets w/ Cian Brennan?
Cian Brennan host the show. Published by Cian Brennan.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Construction Secrets w/ Cian Brennan take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Host of Construction Secrets w/ Cian Brennan?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
