The Power Shift on Site: Why Trade Contractors Must Stop Calling Themselves Subcontractors
Over the past 12 months, I’ve spoken to hundreds of people working in commercial construction. Head Contractroes, waterproofers, tilers, plumbers, carpenters. The people actually doing the work.
And one thing I’m convinced of: the term subcontractor has to go.
If you're working in commercial construction — in Class 2 to 9 buildings — and you’re still referring to yourself as a subcontractor, it’s time to stop.
Because you're not working under the head contractor. You're working alongside them. You're a trade contractor. You’re bringing specialist expertise to a project — and by contract, the head contractor bears responsibility for your work as if they did it themselves.
So, what does that make you?
A partner. An equal. Not someone who should be dictated to or backed into a corner when it comes to how you operate.
Let’s talk about how this plays out in reality.
Builders are asking trade contractors to use their digital systems. We all know the ones — clunky CMS platforms built for reporting, not for doing.
And so the trade contractor, out of fear of losing the job, accepts it. They’re now spending 50 to 200 hours per project uploading photos and documents into a system that doesn’t work on site, isn’t built for them, and isn’t helping them protect their business. Those hours aren’t paid. That effort isn’t recoverable.
It’s coming straight out of your margin.
And when something goes wrong? That same system — the one you fed all your information into — is now controlled by someone else. They have the power to decide whether your documentation is “good enough.” They get to own the narrative.
That’s not collaboration. That’s control.
But here’s what most trade contractors don’t realise…
Head contractors are desperate for reliable trade contractors. I’ve sat in the rooms. I’ve heard it straight from tier 1 and tier 2 builders.
They’re struggling to find crews who understand codes, follow standards, and document their work properly — especially in critical areas like waterproofing, tiling, carpentry, and plumbing.
They’re nervous. Because when it comes to QA, a lot of the systems in place aren’t working — and it’s costing them.
What we’ve seen at Complibuild is that when trade contractors take the lead and say:
“We’re not using your system — we’re using ours, because it works,”
the result isn’t resistance.
It’s relief.
Builders are seeing better, clearer, more consistent documentation than they ever got through their own platforms. They’re getting visibility into who did what, when, and how it tied back to the standards. They’re getting this without chasing anyone, without last-minute demands, and without the confusion that comes with buried WhatsApp messages or jumbled file names.
The relationship changes. Trust builds. And yes — trade contractors are winning jobs because of their process, not just their price.
And here’s the unexpected upside…
Project managers and site supervisors are learning, too.
When they start reviewing accurate, structured evidence week after week, they begin to recognise what “right” looks like. They’re seeing how checklists are built. How sequences should flow. What compliant waterproofing actually looks like.
They’re learning from the trade contractors — often without even realising it.
That’s how change happens.
This industry is too valuable to keep running on fear and friction.
We don’t need more tools for control. We need tools for clarity. And we need to treat trade contractors like what they are — skilled businesses partnering to deliver the work.
We’re seeing the shift already. Smart trade contractors are reclaiming ownership of their QA, and getting paid faster. Builders are trusting them more, not less.
It’s not a pipe dream. It’s just what happens when the documentation is solid, the standards are clear, and everyone’s held to the same process.
If you’re still calling yourself a subcontractor, stop.
You’re not working beneath anyone. You’re working beside them. And when you control your process — when you deliver evidence that’s structured, bulletproof, and aligned to the code — you shift the dynamic.
And the work gets better because of it.
Building & Waterproofing Consultant
1moI believe I understand the thinking here but in reality the sub contractor to the builder is exactly that a sub contractor and that does not mean they are lesser individuals it’s just that they are doing a part of the build and as such reporting and communication are required. Over the years and still today communication is an item that requires real work on in order to achieve the project outcomes required. It is up to the builder or project management team to ensure this happens. Most contractors working on site are really only interested in getting there works completed as such if there is no reporting or communication between parties this can result in a myriad of problems as we all know. I’m not against reporting and communication systems although they can all differ from each other but we do need reporting and communication. To say that the subcontractors is spending lost money on reporting is really not the builders fault but perhaps the subbies fault firstly for not including the process of reporting and communication into its costing and work schedule but secondly due to an inability to understand because trade schools no longer teach communication skills.
Director at Tall House Building Systems
1moWhat about if the builder has engaged a waterproofing quality inspection company? Normally the reports are shared with all stakeholders. The builder owns the report. But in a lot of cases they do share the report with the Waterproofer for transparency and trust.