The Subbies' Toolbox Podcast

What if paying a fee to get your progress claim sooner is actually helping your builder pay you later?

In this episode of The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, Michelle Cirson takes a closer look at early payment platforms being used in commercial construction and the questions Australian subcontractors should be asking before signing up.

Michelle explains what she has seen through contract reviews and what Subbies Toolbox members have experienced when using these payment arrangements. She unpacks the potential risks sitting behind what can look like a handy cashflow solution, including: guarantees, payment timeframes, and the possibility of builders benefiting financially from the arrangement.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How early payment platforms can work when you're waiting for a builder to pay

What can happen if the builder goes broke before the financier gets paid

The personal risk that can sit inside Director's Guarantees

How payment terms can interact with Security of Payment timeframes

What to consider before giving up part of your progress claim to get paid sooner

How better payment terms and accounts receivable systems could help protect your cashflow

There can be a genuine commercial reason to use early payment finance. The important bit is knowing what you've signed up to, what it's costing you and who else benefits from the arrangement.

If you're an Australian subcontractor working in Commercial Construction, this episode will give you plenty to think about before you automatically click the early payment option.

Listen to Episode 19 of The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, and for more practical support managing contracts, payments and commercial risk, check out The Subbies Toolbox Membership.

Resources

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

Want to negotiate better contract terms? Explore Negotiation School

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

Get Your Fix on Social Media

Follow Michelle on Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellecirson/

Follow Michelle on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/subbiestoolbox/

Follow Michelle on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tricksofyourtrade

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

Getting paid isn’t just about sending an invoice and chasing it when it’s overdue.

In this episode of The Subbies Toolbox Podcast, Michelle Cirson breaks down what should actually go into an Accounts Receivable Escalation Procedure (AREP), and how it should work alongside the Security of Payment laws in your state or territory.

From getting your payment claim right in the first place, through to payment schedules, second opportunity notices, adjudication and suspension, Michelle explains why the timing and order of each step matters.

Michelle also shares what happened when a Subbies Toolbox Member relied on AI for advice about a Security of Payment deadline, and why these processes aren’t always as straightforward as they look. Thankfully it was picked up before the subbie got too far down the track.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What an Accounts Receivable Escalation Procedure should cover

• Why your reference date and payment claim matter from day one

• Why getting a payment schedule from your builder can work in your favour

• How Security of Payment processes differ between states and territories

• Why Michelle recommends claiming everything completed less what has actually been paid into your bank account

• Why letters of demand and debt collectors usually aren’t Michelle’s first choice for construction debts

The point of an AREP isn’t to become more contractual with your builders. It’s to have a calm, consistent process already sitting there when payment goes sideways, so you know what happens next and don’t lose valuable rights while trying to work it out under pressure.

If your business doesn’t have an Accounts Receivable Escalation Procedure yet, this episode is a good place to start.

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

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

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

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