What’s Inside
AI cannot replace licensed, physical trade work. It can, however, be considered for some of the admin around that work.
This book gives Australian tradies — sparkies, plumbers, chippies, painters, landscapers — a plain-language way to assess AI tools for common business tasks. It covers practical options, their limits, and where human review remains necessary.
Who It’s For
- Solo tradies reviewing their admin processes
- Trade business owners with staff and shared systems
- Apprentices learning how digital admin tools are configured
- Any tradie who’s curious about AI but doesn’t know where to start
What You’ll Learn
Part 1 — AI for Tradies (No BS): What AI actually is (in plain English), what it can and can’t do for trade businesses, and five areas where it may be useful.
Part 2 — Quotes and Follow-Up: AI-assisted quote drafts, consistent follow-up workflows, Google review management, and using ChatGPT to prepare wording for human review.
Part 3 — Running the Business: Scheduling and dispatch workflows, invoicing and payment reminders, inventory records, and AI-assisted compliance drafts.
Part 4 — On the Tools: Using AI for fault diagnosis, photo documentation, safety checklists, and training. Plus voice-to-text for site notes that actually get written up.
Part 5 — Marketing Without the Cringe: AI-assisted social media drafts, Google Business Profile basics, review-request workflows, and practical website content considerations.
Part 6 — Planning Ahead: Where trade AI may be heading, how to assess an investment, and skills for using new tools responsibly.
45,000 words. 18 chapters. Written for tradies, not tech bros.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be good with computers to use AI tools as a tradie?
The book starts with common app-based tools and explains the steps in plain language. Some setup and review are still required, but the examples do not assume coding knowledge.
What AI tools do you recommend for Australian tradies?
The book covers ChatGPT and Claude for drafting quote descriptions and emails, ServiceM8 and Tradify for job management, Xero for invoicing workflows, and Google’s AI features for marketing drafts. Readers should verify current features, pricing, and Australian requirements.
Will AI replace tradies?
AI cannot perform licensed, physical trade work. It may assist with bounded admin tasks such as drafting quote descriptions, organising notes, invoicing workflows, scheduling, and follow-up drafts, with a person checking the result.
How much does it cost to set up AI automation for a trade business?
Costs vary by vendor, plan, users, and integrations. Check current pricing and start with a specific admin process so you can decide whether a tool is useful before adding more software.
Is this book only for solo tradies or also for bigger operations?
Both. The book covers solo operators and trade businesses with staff, with examples labelled by workflow type and team context.
5 Areas Australian Tradies Can Assess in 2026
- Quote drafting — AI can prepare a first draft from approved job details for a person to check
- Site notes — The book describes voice-to-text and structured record templates
- Customer communication — The examples use approved templates, acknowledgements, and follow-up drafts
- Admin workflows — Connections between existing tools require field mapping, permissions, and exception rules
- Tool assessment — Each workflow is considered against its scope, data, review points, and stop conditions
