Trades & Construction Lawyers.
Fixed-fee legal support for tradies, builders and subcontractors — contracts that hold up, variations that get paid, and a debt recovery pathway when they don't.
Fixed fee. Senior lawyer.
Every engagement is quoted upfront and led by a senior lawyer — never a paralegal-first pipeline.
- hello@envisionlegal.com.au
- Sydney · Melbourne · National
How we help
What we handle for you.
Concrete deliverables — not a general "advice" retainer. Each item can be scoped as a one-off fixed-fee package or bundled into a monthly counsel arrangement.
01
Written trade contracts
Head contracts, subcontracts and simple client agreements calibrated to your trade — with proper payment, variation, defects and termination clauses so handshake deals stop costing you money.
02
AS 4000 / AS 4902 reviews
Practical redlines on the industry-standard heads of agreement — including special conditions, liquidated damages, EOT rights and retentions — before you sign.
03
Variations & scope creep
Variation clauses, notices and evidence trails that hold up when the principal denies the change was authorised.
04
Security of payment
Payment claims, payment schedules, adjudication applications and responses under NSW, VIC, QLD and WA SOP Acts — fast turnaround.
05
Debt recovery
Letters of demand, statutory demands, PPSR enforcement and litigation-partner referrals for unpaid invoices and retentions.
06
Disputes & defects
Defect notices, back-charge responses, insurance claims and Fair Trading / NCAT / VCAT / QCAT strategy.
07
Licensing & compliance
Home Building Act compliance, licence conditions, HBCF eligibility, insurance and director obligations for construction companies.
08
Business structuring
Company, trust and asset-protection structures that survive an insolvency in the chain above you.
Who this is for
Clients we work best with.
- Trade businesses turning over $500k–$20m
- Builders, subcontractors and specialist trades
- Principals and head contractors on mid-market projects
- Trades chasing unpaid invoices, retentions or variations
How we work
No surprises. Ever.
Fixed fees quoted upfront. Senior lawyer on every file. Clear next steps at every stage.
01 — Brief
Send a short brief or book a 15-minute call. We'll confirm scope and what you actually need — often that's less than you think.
02 — Fixed-fee quote
You get a written scope and a fixed fee before we start. No hourly billing, no scope-creep invoices.
03 — Senior lawyer, on the tools
The lawyer you scoped with is the lawyer doing the work. We turn drafts around fast and stay reachable throughout.
FAQs
Common questions.
- Do I really need a written contract for small jobs?
- Yes. In NSW any residential building work over $5,000 must be in writing under the Home Building Act, and every state has a threshold. Beyond compliance, a written contract is the only thing that lets you enforce payment, variations and scope when the client goes quiet — a text message or handshake almost always favours the party with the money.
- The principal is refusing to pay — what can I do?
- In most cases the fastest lever is a Security of Payment claim under your state's SOP Act. If served properly, the principal has a short window to issue a payment schedule or the full claimed amount becomes payable. We prepare the claim, run adjudication if needed, and refer to our litigation partners for enforcement.
- How does debt recovery work through your partners?
- For unpaid invoices, retentions or judgment debts, we brief a specialist recovery firm we work alongside. You deal with us on strategy and drafting; they handle enforcement, bankruptcy notices, statutory demands and court steps. You get one coordinated legal team without stacking multiple retainers.
- Do you work with subcontractors or only head contractors?
- Both — and we're often engaged by subcontractors precisely because most firms only act for the top of the chain. Subcontract review, back-to-back terms, retention recovery and SOP claims are core work for us.
- What states do you cover?
- Australia-wide. We regularly act on matters in NSW, VIC, QLD and WA — each has a different Security of Payment Act and licensing regime, and we structure the paperwork to match.
Talk to us
Legal built for trades & construction lawyers..
Send us a note about what you're working on. We'll respond within one business day and, if we're a fit, book a free 15-minute consultation with a senior lawyer.