Significant increase to cost of tradies

The weighted average hourly rate is $64.46, more than $5 more expensive than the previous quarter.

“Housing affordability in NSW is becoming increasingly dire and we’re seeing less and less properties on the market. It only makes sense that people are choosing to renovate rather than upsize to a new place,” ServiceSeeking CEO Jeremy Levitt said.

But not all tradies are paid the same. You can expect to pay an average of $70.46 per hour for plumbers, the highest paid of all tradies, up 5 per cent on last quarter.

The second highest paid are electricians, with an average hourly rate of $75.43, a 7.2 per cent increase on last year.

Landscapers ($70.46 per hour) and painters ($50.49 per hour) enjoyed the biggest increases. Their rates rose 14.2 per cent and 13.2 per cent respectively. 

Only one trade recorded a loss from last year. That dubious honour went to carpenters who recorded a staggering 18.5 per cent drop in hourly rates to $56.37.

Building and construction experienced a 5.6 per cent increase on last quarter, but this is still an 8.5 per cent drop from this time last year. Their current average is $64.48 per hour.

Hourly rates are ‘gross’ and include labour, business costs such insurance, tools, work vehicles and superannuation.

ServiceSeeking compiled the index by comparing a sample of 52,000 quotes submitted through the quarter to the website.