Guides
Guides for tradies
Practical answers to the questions that come up running a trade business in Australia: pricing, quoting, invoices, getting paid, claims and safety on site.
Pricing and quoting
How to work out your charge-out rate
A Crewzy guide to a tradie charge-out rate that covers your wage, your business costs and a profit, with a worked example to redo with your numbers.
How to quote a job as a tradie
A Crewzy guide to quoting trade work: see the job, measure, price materials and labour, add margin, write the scope and exclusions, and follow up.
Quote vs estimate: what is the difference?
A Crewzy guide: a quote is a fixed price for set work, an estimate your best guess. When to give each, what to write down, and when a job changes.
Call-out fees: how to set and explain them
A Crewzy guide to call-out fees: what one covers, ways to structure it, telling customers before you arrive, and no arguments on the doorstep.
Invoices and getting paid
What must be on a tax invoice in Australia
A Crewzy guide to the ATO's tax invoice list: the extra detail at $1,000 or more, the 28-day rule, and what to do if you're not registered for GST.
How to chase unpaid invoices
A Crewzy guide to chasing an overdue invoice: check the terms, remind, call, send a letter of demand, then dispute help, debt collection or a tribunal.
How to get paid faster as a tradie
A Crewzy guide to getting paid sooner: clear terms, invoicing on the day, a pay link, reminders, staged payments and recurring invoices.
Subbies and building work
How to write a variation
A Crewzy guide to written variations: what to put in, when to get it signed, notice periods in subcontracts and the NSW rule for home building.
Progress claims and retention for subcontractors
A Crewzy guide to progress claims, payment schedules and retention for subcontractors in Australia, security of payment, and getting retention back.
Progress claims and security of payment, state by state
A Crewzy guide to progress claim rules for NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the NT, with links to each official source.
Safety on site
What is a SWMS, and when do you need one?
A plain-English Crewzy guide to SWMS: when high risk construction work needs one, the four things it must cover, and keeping it current.
What is a Take 5?
A Crewzy guide to the Take 5 safety check: the five steps, how it differs from a SWMS, and making it a habit rather than a box ticked in the ute.
How often do you need to test and tag?
A Crewzy guide to test and tag intervals: three months on construction sites, AS/NZS 3760 for other workplaces, who can test, what to record.
Running the business
Job sheets and timesheets: what to record
A Crewzy guide to what job sheets and timesheets should capture, why it matters for invoicing, disputes and payroll, and Fair Work record-keeping.
How to switch from Tradify or ServiceM8
Step by step: export customers, price list, jobs and unpaid invoices from Tradify or ServiceM8, then bring them across in one go.
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