Running subcontractors without the chaos

01Onboard before the first job

• ABN and whether they're registered for GST.
• Trade licence where your state requires one (in Queensland, check the QBCC licence register).
• Public liability insurance — certificate of currency, with expiry date.
• Workers compensation, or evidence they're a sole trader who's covered appropriately.
• Bank details, confirmed by a call — never by email alone.
• A signed subcontractor agreement and your site safety expectations.

02Brief properly

A job brief should stand on its own: address and access, scope with inclusions and exclusions, photos, product and colour, timing, site contact, and how they'll be paid. If a subbie has to call to ask, the brief wasn't finished.

03No purchase order, no start

Every awarded job gets a written purchase order before work starts — issued by your legal entity, with the agreed price, scope, variations process and payment terms. For builder work, mirror the head contract terms back-to-back so the risk sits where it belongs.

Variations are agreed in writing before the extra work is done, never after.

04During the job

• —Agree the milestones up front and ask for a photo at each one.
• —Keep one channel for the job — not a mix of personal texts and group chats.
• —Log defects with photos, send them to the subbie, and ask for proof photos when fixed.
• —Sign off only when you or the client has seen it.

05Check the invoice before you pay

• —Does it match the PO amount plus approved variations — nothing more?
• —Is GST charged only if they're registered?
• —Are the ABN and bank details the same as on file? A changed bank account on an invoice is a fraud red flag — call to confirm.
• —Are milestones and defects closed?
• —Enter it once, into your accounts, with the job reference.