Running a trade, by the numbers
Rates, quotes, crew hours and getting paid. Written from running a real crew, not from a marketing desk.
How to work out your charge-out rate as a tradie
The four numbers that set your hourly rate, a worked example for a three person crew, and the mistake that leaves most tradies $15 to $25 an hour short.
What should a tradie charge per hour in Australia?
Why the going rate is the wrong place to start, what a $38 an hour worker really costs you, and how to find the hourly rate your own business needs.
What to look for in a job management app for tradies
Six questions to ask before you pay for job management software, from pricing per worker to whether it shows you which jobs made money.
Job costing for tradies: find out which jobs made money
How to back-cost a finished job against the quote, line by line, so you know which rates were right, which ones lost money and what to change next time.
How to charge for variations and extras without the argument
Most extras get done and never charged. How to catch them on site, get them agreed before the work, and put them on the invoice without a fight.
Progress claims for subcontractors: getting paid on time
How progress claims work for trade subcontractors in Australia, what to put in a payment claim, and the habits that get you paid on time instead of chasing.
How to quote a painting job from plans
A step by step way to take off a painting job from plans: what to measure, how to turn areas into hours and dollars, and the checks that stop costly misses.
How to price painting per square metre from your own hours
Turn your charge-out rate and your crew's real production into a square metre rate that pays, with a worked example for two coats on walls.
Crew timesheets without chasing anyone
How to get your crew's hours in every day, against the right job, without the Friday afternoon chase, and what to ask for at sign off.