For contractors & subcontractors
Approved work deserves a clearer pathway to payment.
PayLocker gives contractors and subcontractors a clear view of every claim — from quote, to approval, to payment — on projects where the money stays connected to the build.
You price the job. You do the work. You submit the claim. Then, too often, the line goes quiet.
On a PayLocker project, it doesn’t. You can see your claim’s status at every step — submitted, under review, approved, awaiting payment, paid. And once your claim is approved, you’re shown a predicted payment date, so you know when payment is expected while it sits on a defined pathway to your verified PayLocker account.
No chasing. No guessing. No awkward phone calls to find out where things stand.
See how your claim moves from quote to payment
PayLocker keeps construction money connected to the project. · Australian-built, Melbourne-based.
Level 1 framing — stage complete
- Submitted
- Under review
- Approved
- Awaiting payment
- Paid
Money that stays with the build
PayLocker keeps construction money connected to the project, so approved obligations — including yours — are what drive payments out of it.
A pathway you can see
Every claim you submit has a visible status and, once approved, a predicted payment date and a defined payment pathway to your verified PayLocker account.
The problem
You’ve done the work. So why is the payment a mystery?
Payment uncertainty isn’t a character flaw in your industry. It’s a gap in how construction payments have always worked.
Most contractors know the routine. The invoice goes in. Days pass. You don’t know if it’s been looked at, approved, queued behind other payments, or lost in someone’s inbox. So you follow up. Then you follow up again. Every call costs you time you’d rather spend on the tools, and every unanswered week puts pressure on wages, materials and the next job.
The frustrating part is that nobody in that chain is necessarily doing the wrong thing. Builders juggle owner payments, lender drawdowns, supplier accounts and dozens of claims at once. The information exists — it’s just scattered across emails, spreadsheets and phone calls, invisible to the person who needs it most: you.
When work has been completed and approved, the questions “where’s my payment?” and “when will it arrive?” should have answers you can see for yourself. On most projects, they don’t. That’s the gap PayLocker was built to close.
Time lost chasing
Hours each week spent following up on claims that have already been submitted.
Repeated follow-up
The same question asked again and again, because the answer sits with a person, not a system.
Cash-flow pressure
Wages, materials and the next job all funded ahead of a payment you can’t yet see.
Industry insight
Visibility changes everything — for everyone on the project.
When every participant can see claim and payment status, uncertainty stops being the default setting of construction.
Payment problems in construction are usually information problems first. A contractor who can see that a claim is approved, sequenced and expected to be paid on a given date plans differently to one left guessing. A builder whose approvals are visible spends less time fielding where’s-my-money calls. A client who can see that project funds are flowing to approved work gains confidence in the whole job.
That’s why PayLocker approaches payment as a shared, visible process rather than a private negotiation. Project money stays connected to the project it was paid for, and every approved obligation — including yours — has a status anyone entitled to see it can check at any time.
Visibility also changes the tone on site. Asking about a payment stops being a confrontation, because the answer isn’t held by a person — it’s shown by the system. You get clarity without conflict. So does everyone else.
The process
From quote to payment, one clear path.
Here’s what working on a PayLocker project looks like from your side.
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You’re invited to the project.
The builder invites you through PayLocker. You follow the link — no cold sign-up, no sales process.
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You’re verified once.
A straightforward identity and business check (your legal and trading name, ABN, GST status, relevant licence details and your PayLocker bank account) confirms you’re entitled to be paid, and where. It protects you as much as anyone: payments can only flow to verified participants.
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Your quote is recorded against the project.
Your agreed scope and value sit on the project record, so there’s a shared reference point from day one — not a paper trail scattered across inboxes.
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You do the work and submit your claim.
Submit your invoice through the platform. You can attach photos, inspection certificates or other supporting evidence to help support your claim — it’s optional, and the builder can request evidence after submission without it holding up the process.
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You watch the claim move.
Submitted. Under review. Approved. Awaiting payment. Paid. Five statuses, visible to you the whole way. Once your claim is approved, you’ll also be shown your predicted payment date, so you know when payment is expected. If something needs attention, you know immediately — not three weeks later.
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Approved claims follow a defined payment pathway.
Once your claim is approved, it joins the payment pathway funded by the project money the client has deposited, and payment is made directly to your verified PayLocker account in the approved sequence. Records and receipts are there to download whenever your bookkeeping needs them.
Want the full picture, including how projects are funded and approved? See How It Works.
Claim status transparency
Five statuses. No mysteries.
Every claim you submit shows you exactly where it sits, when it’s expected to be paid, and what happens next.
- SubmittedMon 09:14
- Under reviewTue 11:02
- ApprovedThu 08:47
- Awaiting paymentPredicted 18 Aug 2026
- PaidReceipt available
Evidence requested — visible against your claim, not a silent hold-up
On a PayLocker project, your claim is never in limbo. It’s always in exactly one of five states, and you can check which one without asking anyone:
- Submitted
- — your claim is in and on the record.
- Under review
- — it’s being assessed against the agreed scope.
- Approved
- — the work has been signed off, your claim has joined the payment pathway, and your predicted payment date is shown.
- Awaiting payment
- — approved and sequenced; payment is being processed as project funds and payment order allow, with your predicted payment date visible against the claim.
- Paid
- — done, with a receipt you can download for your records.
Your predicted payment date isn’t a sixth status. It’s information shown alongside your claim from the moment it’s approved — the platform’s best view of when payment is expected, based on the approved sequence and the project’s payment schedule. If it moves, you see it move.
That’s the whole system. No status hidden from you, no side channel you’re not part of. If a builder requests supporting evidence after you’ve submitted, you’ll see that too — as a request attached to your claim, not a silent hold-up.
The result is a different working week. Less time on the phone chasing answers. Fewer awkward conversations. And when you’re planning wages and materials for the next fortnight, you’re planning from information, not hope.
Payment pathway
Approved means on the pathway — not on a promise.
Once your claim is approved, it isn’t waiting on goodwill. It’s sequenced on a structured payment pathway from project funds the client has deposited, straight to your verified PayLocker account.
1. The client deposits project funds
The money for the build is deposited by the client and stays connected to the project it was paid for.
2. Your approved claim joins the payment pathway
Verified claims are sequenced in the approved order — yours among them — and you’re shown your predicted payment date.
3. Payment goes straight to you
Payment is made directly from those project funds to your verified PayLocker account.
On a traditional job, an approved invoice still depends on the general cash position of the business paying you — and on everything else competing for that cash. On a PayLocker project, the money the client deposits for the project stays connected to the project, and approved obligations are what drive payments out of it. You aren’t left to work out where the money comes from, or where it goes.
Here’s what that means for you in practice:
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Direct payment.
Approved claims are paid directly to your verified PayLocker account — a clean, auditable line from the client’s project funds to you.
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A predicted payment date.
From the moment your claim is approved, you’re shown when payment is expected — so “soon” stops being the only answer available, and you can plan wages and materials around a date rather than a hope.
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A visible sequence.
Payments are processed in the approved order. You can see where your claim sits in that order at any time.
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Honest part payments.
If available project funds don’t yet cover every approved claim, payments follow the approved sequence and part payments are recorded transparently — you can see what’s been paid and exactly what remains outstanding, rather than discovering a shortfall by surprise.
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Records that work for you.
Every payment produces a downloadable record and receipt, making reconciliation, BAS and tax time quicker and easier.
None of this overrides your contract or your rights under Security of Payment legislation. It sits alongside them — a clearer operational pathway on top of the legal protections you already have.
Confidentiality & trust
You see your business. Only your business.
PayLocker shows every participant what they’re entitled to see — and nothing more.
Transparency on a PayLocker project is permissioned, not public. You see your agreed quote, your claims, your payment status, your predicted payment dates and your records. You do not see the builder’s margins, the client’s stage amounts, or what any other trade is being paid — and none of them see yours. Your commercial position stays yours.
It’s also worth being straight about what PayLocker is, and what it isn’t.
PayLocker is
- A construction payment integrity platform.
- A way of keeping project money connected to the project.
- A structured, visible pathway to payment for approved obligations.
PayLocker is not
- Not a bank.
- Not an escrow service.
- Not a guarantee that every project succeeds.
- Not a replacement for your contract, your Security of Payment rights, or the professional relationships that make projects work.
We’d rather you know exactly what you’re standing on. Confidence built on clear limits lasts longer than confidence built on big promises.
Read more about how PayLocker approaches security and compliance →
Benefits for contractors
What changes when your projects run on PayLocker
Less chasing. Fewer unknowns. A payment process you can actually see.
A defined pathway for approved work.
Approved claims aren’t hopeful invoices — they’re sequenced obligations with a visible route from the client’s project funds to you.
Claim status at a glance.
Submitted, under review, approved, awaiting payment, paid. You always know where things stand, without making a single phone call.
A predicted payment date once approved.
As soon as your claim is approved, you’re shown when payment is expected — so you can plan the fortnight ahead with a date, not a guess.
Direct payment to your verified PayLocker account.
When your claim is paid, it’s paid straight to you — cleanly, with a record attached.
Less reliance on anyone’s general cash flow.
Project money stays connected to the project, so your payment depends on the project’s funds and approvals — not on everything else happening in someone’s business.
Evidence on your terms.
Attach photos or certificates to support your claim; respond to requests when they come. Optional, and never a silent blocker.
Cleaner books, calmer BAS time.
Downloadable records and receipts for every payment make reconciliation, BAS and tax time quicker and easier.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to fair questions
How do I get onto a PayLocker project?
You’ll be invited by the builder or head contractor running the project. Follow the link in your invitation, complete a one-time verification of your business details and your PayLocker bank account, and you’re set for that project and future ones.
Why should I sign up now?
Because being prepared costs nothing. Signing up is free, and you can complete your verification, set up your PayLocker bank account details and get familiar with how claims, statuses and predicted payment dates work before any of it matters. Watch the demonstration videos, click through the platform in your own time, and ask us anything you’re unsure about. Then, when your first project invitation arrives, you’re ready to submit your first claim straight away rather than starting from scratch on someone else’s timeline.
Does it cost me anything to be paid through PayLocker?
PayLocker operates on a simple, disclosed fee model — capped at 1.0% including GST, charged on successful payment. There are no subscriptions and no charges on unpaid claims. Full details are set out in the platform’s disclosure documents, which we’d encourage you to read before your first project.
Is my payment guaranteed once my claim is approved?
No platform can honestly promise that, and we won’t. What an approved claim has on PayLocker is a defined, visible payment pathway: it’s sequenced against the project funds the client has deposited and paid directly to your verified PayLocker account in the approved order. What changes is your visibility and the discipline of the process — you’ll always know where your claim sits, your predicted payment date, and what remains outstanding.
When will I actually be paid?
Once your claim is approved, PayLocker shows you a predicted payment date based on the approved payment sequence and the project’s payment schedule. It’s the platform’s best view of when payment is expected rather than a guarantee, and if it changes you’ll see the change against your claim — not find out afterwards.
What happens if the project account can’t cover every approved claim?
Payments follow the approved sequence, and part payments are recorded transparently. You’ll see exactly what has been paid and what’s outstanding — information you can act on early, rather than a surprise at the end.
Do I have to upload photos or certificates with every claim?
No. Evidence is optional when you submit, though it does help support your claim. A builder can also request supporting evidence after submission, and you’ll see that request against your claim — it’s part of the process, not a silent hold-up.
Will the builder or client see my rates and margins?
No. You see your agreed quote, claims and payment status. Builders and clients see what they’re entitled to see about the project — which doesn’t include your commercial position, just as you don’t see theirs.
Does PayLocker replace my Security of Payment rights?
No. Your statutory rights under your state’s Security of Payment legislation are unaffected. PayLocker works alongside them — many contractors find that clearer claim records and payment histories make every payment conversation easier, formal or informal.
Know where every claim stands.
See how a claim moves from quote to approval to payment — with a predicted payment date once it’s approved — on a project where the money stays connected to the build.
You’ll spend your working life doing approved work. It deserves a payment process you can see.
See how your claim moves from quote to payment
Been invited to a PayLocker project? Follow the link in your invitation to get verified. Not yet invited? Signing up and getting verified early is free.