Australian Tradie Cost Guide for 2018

Contributed by Jeremy Levitt, Joint CEO at ServiceSeeking.com.au

Many Australians will need a tradie to complete a job around the house, potentially several times a year. However, how can you be sure if you are being quoted a fair price?

ServiceSeeking.com.au sampled 15,000 jobs posted in FY18 across Australia to reveal the average prices tradies quote for jobs.

So, what should you expect to pay when hiring your next tradie?

The answer to this question varies from state to state and over time. The greatest change in prices over the last 12 months was with carpentry and house painting prices, increasing by 23% and 20% respectively. Conversely, prices for electricians and plumbers have remained relatively stagnant over the past year.

Source: ServiceSeeking.com.au

Research shows Australia is in its worst tradie shortage for many years, and that means getting one can be expensive. @ChloeAmandaB #7News pic.twitter.com/tyIKU2Hf7Q

— 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) November 20, 2017

Painters

Prices for house painters are particularly impacted by levels of supply and demand. The greater the supply of painters, the lower the price rises. For example, Western Australian painter prices were the main driver of overall tradie price growth, accounting for 26.3% of the yearly change, compared to NSW, which grew by only 2%. As NSW has a much greater supply of painters, this offsets upward pricing pressures. This is also highlighted in price comparisons to other professions. As this trade is highly contested with a saturated market, rates are 40.2% cheaper compared to other hourly trade rates. This industry also has lower barriers for entry, as it requires minimal tools and no licences. You can compare house painting prices using ServiceSeeking.com.au’s House Painting Cost Estimator.

Most expensive states

Compared to the average rate of $51 per hour:

• NSW residents pay 15.28% more than average
• South Australia residents pay 13.36% more
• Queensland pay 5.63% more

Cheapest states

• WA residents pay much less for a painter, with prices 14.17% cheaper than the Australian average.
• ACT residents pay 7.86% less

Electricians

Electricians tend to charge relatively high hourly rates. This industry requires licencing, unique skills and a variety of costly tools which make barriers for entry significant. Due to these factors it is no surprise hourly rates are 16% more expensive than the national average.

Most expensive states

Compared to the average rate of $79 per hour:

• WA residents pay 16.4% more for licensed electricians
• NSW residents pay 2.29% more
• Victoria residents pay 0.33% more

Cheapest states

• South Australian residents pay much less for an electrician, with prices 3.53% cheaper than the Australian average.
• ACT residents pay 1.66% less
• Queensland residents pay 1.54% less

Average cost for electricians around Australia

Source: ServiceSeeking.com.au

Plumbers

Most expensive states

Compared to the average rate of $85 per hour:

• ACT residents pay the most, with prices 7.88% higher
• Victoria residents pay 2.68% more
• WA residents pay 2.57% more

Cheapest states

• NSW residents pay the least, with prices 5.14% cheaper than the Australian average
• South Australia residents pay 4.71% less
• Queensland residents pay 3.29% less

The complexity of the tasks will affect the total cost of hiring a plumber, but plumbing prices range from $69/hr to $88/hr on average. Simple jobs like fixing a leaky tap costs much less than something complicated like fixing a blocked drainage or sewer.

Carpenters

The average cost of carpentry in Australia stands at $50/hr, but prices can still change depending on factors such as the size and complexity of the job as well as the cost of materials. In general, prices range from as low as $45/hr to as high as $60/hr.

Looking at costs per square metre, carpentry costs on average $186.

Most expensive states

Compared to the average rate of $186 per metre squared:

• Queensland residents pay 13.67% more
• Victoria residents pay 2.63% more
• NSW residents pay 2.51% more

The cheapest state

• Compared to the Australian average, WA residents pay 18.81% less per metre squared for a carpenter

A full breakdown of carpentry costs can be found here.

Typical quoted prices for carpenters

Source: ServiceSeeking.com.au

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