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This podcast is available on 9 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.

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The Tricks of Your Trade Podcast

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by Michelle Cirson

77 episodes

Updated Weekly

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Podcast Overview

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Australian commercial subcontractors who want to understand the real rules of construction and stop being worn down by outdated systems and one-sided contracts.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

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Publishing Since

1/1/2021

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Recent Episodes

July 1, 2026

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 But in reality, they can quietly lock Aussie Subbies into long-term obligations, outdated pricing, unclear project durations and impossible practical completion dates.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:  <ul> <li> How schedule of rates contracts actually work in practice </li> <li>The danger of unclear start and finish dates </li> <li>Outdated pricing and long-term project exposure </li> <li>Practical completion clauses that don’t make commercial sense </li> <li>Liquidated damages risks in undefined scopes of work </li> <li>Variation traps and mobilisation cost blowouts </li> <li>The difference between genuine schedule of rates work and lump sum contracts disguised as one </li> </ul> 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.  <h3>Resources</h3> Tired of builders pushing you around? Arm yourself with the <a href="https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/toolbox" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Subbies' Toolbox Membership">Subbies' Toolbox Membership</a> Want to negotiate better contract terms? Explore <a href="https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/negotiationschool" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Negotiation School</a> Free Download - <a href="https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">How to Claim Cost Increases Under a Fixed Price Contract</a> <h3>Get Your Fix on Social Media</h3> Follow Michelle on Linked In - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellecirson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HERE</a>  Follow Michelle on Instagram - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/subbiestoolbox/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HERE</a> Follow Michelle on Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tricksofyourtrade" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HERE</a>  <h3>Rate and Review the Podcast</h3> 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 <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-subbies-toolbox-podcast/id1663062832" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ApplePodcast,</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/68whpTaxxcmIDhWXNdXIu5?si=21f20b41932b4b07&nd=1&dlsi=d0a6684df6164ccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Spotify </a>Thanks! <h3>About the Host</h3> 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

June 24, 2026

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. <h3>Resources</h3> Join <a href="https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/toolbox" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Subbies Toolbox Membership</a> before 30 June 2026 and save $2600 on annual membership using coupon code EOFY-2026. Want to negotiate better contract terms? Explore <a href="https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/negotiationschool" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Negotiation School</a> Get Free Checklists, Templates and guides here <a href="https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.subbiestoolbox.com.au</a> <h3>Get Your Fix on Social Media</h3> Follow Michelle on Linked In - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellecirson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HERE</a>  Follow Michelle on Instagram - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/subbiestoolbox/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HERE</a> Follow Michelle on Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tricksofyourtrade" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HERE</a>  <h3>Rate and Review the Podcast</h3> 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 <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-subbies-toolbox-podcast/id1663062832" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ApplePodcast,</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/68whpTaxxcmIDhWXNdXIu5?si=21f20b41932b4b07&nd=1&dlsi=d0a6684df6164ccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Spotify </a>Thanks! <h3>About the Host</h3> 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

June 17, 2026

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. <h3>Resources</h3> Join <a href="https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/toolbox" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Subbies Toolbox Membership</a> before 30 June 2026 and save $2600 on annual membership using coupon code EOFY-2026. Want to negotiate better contract terms? Explore <a href="https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/negotiationschool" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Negotiation School</a> Free Download - <a href="https://www.subbiestoolbox.com.au/cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">How to Claim Cost Increases Under a Fixed Price Contract</a> <h3>Get Your Fix on Social Media</h3> Follow Michelle on Linked In - <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellecirson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HERE</a>  Follow Michelle on Instagram - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/subbiestoolbox/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HERE</a> Follow Michelle on Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tricksofyourtrade" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HERE</a>  <h3>Rate and Review the Podcast</h3> 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 <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-subbies-toolbox-podcast/id1663062832" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ApplePodcast,</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/68whpTaxxcmIDhWXNdXIu5?si=21f20b41932b4b07&nd=1&dlsi=d0a6684df6164ccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Spotify </a>Thanks! <h3>About the Host</h3> 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

77 total episodes available

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Frequently asked questions

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What is The Tricks of Your Trade Podcast?: 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
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates weekly.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 9 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

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