Please help :)

**Marley&Me** · March 15th, 2015, 01:05 PM

Oh ok. Do we need to specify pay? There was no pay rate discussed as yet. I have looked on the internet for an invoice template, but there are sooooooo many. I'm unsure which one because they all need a pay rate/money bit to be filled in.

**vic261** · March 15th, 2015, 02:13 PM

The invoice should have how many hours he worked x his hourly rate. Must subbies have their own rate that they work for and its usually discussed before they start the job. If it has not been discussed then just put down what he charges per hour.

**Marley&Me** · March 15th, 2015, 03:54 PM

Thanks Vic. No pay rates discussed at all. It's no surprise it didn't work out!

**Livinthedream** · March 15th, 2015, 07:53 PM

Does your Dh have an ABN?
If the boss asked your Dh to work as a subbie (sub contractor) then he would have assumed your dh would have an ABN and that you would give him an invoice (bill) for the amount per hour that your dh was charging to do the work. For example work 7 till 3 with a 15 minute smoko and a 1/2 hr lunch = 7.25 hrs @ $25 per hour = $181.25 x how ever many days he worked. Until you supply the boss with this invoice WITH AN ABN he won't pay you, as he will be unable to claim your Dh pay as a work expense.
You need to google how do I get an ABN? Apply for one online and get an invoice book form a newsagent.
A hand written invoice will suffice.
Your husband will be trading under his own name as a sole trader.
It should be pretty straightforward.

**Marley&Me** · March 16th, 2015, 09:00 PM

Does your Dh have an ABN?
If the boss asked your Dh to work as a subbie (sub contractor) then he would have assumed your dh would have an ABN and that you would give him an invoice (bill) for the amount per hour that your dh was charging to do the work. For example work 7 till 3 with a 15 minute smoko and a 1/2 hr lunch = 7.25 hrs @ $25 per hour = $181.25 x how ever many days he worked. Until you supply the boss with this invoice WITH AN ABN he won't pay you, as he will be unable to claim your Dh pay as a work expense.
You need to google how do I get an ABN? Apply for one online and get an invoice book form a newsagent.
A hand written invoice will suffice.
Your husband will be trading under his own name as a sole trader.
It should be pretty straightforward.

Yes he has just activated his ABN (it was inactive) We used a template from the internet for the invoice and DH had to ask what the pay rate was (which should have been discussed and agreed upon in the first place IMO). Apparently it was $22 per hour. Dh was not very happy. And then the guy told him that $18.75 was actually the minimum he could have paid him, so it was like he was doing him a favor.
I was under the assumption that when working with your own ABN you are paid more because you need to take out your own tax, super, annual etc. Think this guy is a bit dodgy. DH isn't going to do anymore work with him.

**Rivlas** · March 17th, 2015, 02:37 PM

If you google the rates for bricklayers in Vic you will find he wasn't being completely honest. The going rate is between $21 - $31 per hour regardless of years experience.
I don't think that rate takes into conderation sub contracting.
I wonder if he is paying his workers the correct wage?.

**little_O** · March 17th, 2015, 03:44 PM

Not sure in vic, but in SA there is an award rate as a brickies labourer. Definitely a different amount to a bricklayer who has completed a 4 year apprenticeship.you should be able to look up the award rate. Technically as a subcontractor you can charge what you like, but normally you would have an agreed amount prior to starting. As in a bricklayer might like to be payed $2 a brick, but really he will only get work if he charges $1 per brick because that's the agreed rate.

Does that make sense? It's been a looooonnnngggg day!

**Livinthedream** · March 17th, 2015, 07:58 PM

If you google the rates for bricklayers in Vic you will find he wasn't being completely honest. The going rate is between $21 - $31 per hour regardless of years experience.
I don't think that rate takes into conderation sub contracting.
I wonder if he is paying his workers the correct wage?.

A qualified bricklayer and a Labourer are two very different things.
I know plenty of labourers who are lucky to take home much more than $15 per hour.
Tashas quote of $18 odd per hour before tax sounds about right for an inexperienced Labourer.

**Livinthedream** · March 17th, 2015, 07:53 PM

Yes he has just activated his ABN (it was inactive) We used a template from the internet for the invoice and DH had to ask what the pay rate was (which should have been discussed and agreed upon in the first place IMO). Apparently it was $22 per hour. Dh was not very happy. And then the guy told him that $18.75 was actually the minimum he could have paid him, so it was like he was doing him a favor.
I was under the assumption that when working with your own ABN you are paid more because you need to take out your own tax, super, annual etc. Think this guy is a bit dodgy. DH isn't going to do anymore work with him.

As a subbie, yes, you do need to pay your own tax, holidays, super, sick pay etc.
So depending on your skill level/qualifications/experience you sometimes do charge more.
But if your DH was just labouring, and has not had any experience in the trade, you won't neccesarily be able to charge $30 per hour to ensure you take home $22.
Skill and experience are what determine what you charge.
The upside of being a subbie is that you can claim much more in the way of tax deductions than an employee. Your fuel, vehicle expenses (servicing, rego, repayments) are all claim able if you use your car to go to work, as is your mobile bill, a portion of your home internet, stationary.... Really anything that relates to you getting to work or finding work will be deductIble.
So make sure you save your receipts. They all add up.