About Michelle
Michelle is a construction contracts guru with actual site experience and she knows how to build.
“We provide contract management advice to subcontractors to help them get better outcomes without ruining their relationships with their builders.
We believe in common sense project solutions with no legal jargon.
Our context to industry knowledge sets us apart from lawyers or accountants, who don’t offer practical administrative solutions to commercial disputes.
We’ve got the tools you need to get the job done in a systematic and compliant approach.” Michelle Cirson
I started Tricks of Your Trade because I was sick and tired of working in the subbie flogging culture that has been so rife in the construction industry.
I do not believe the current take-it-or-leave-it dialogue coming from far too many builders is conducive to better margins and it definitely does not build us better buildings!
It is obvious to me that someone needs to cross the picket line and teach the subbies how to stick up for themselves and fight for their money.
So here I am. I’ve got qualifications in building and law and I’m a trained dispute resolution professional with actual site experience. I help subcontractors achieve good commercial outcomes that everyone can live with, without going legal.
What I do does not involve waging war on the builder – after all, subbies are far too smart for those energy-wasting antics.
I’m all about common sense project solutions and raising an issue with the builder in the gentlemen’s way.
Tried and true, five years in I’ve helped countless subbies harness their commercial leverage to achieve common sense outcomes without breaching their subcontract.
