Nearly every tradie we work with is undercharging. They set their rates in 2019, haven’t adjusted for inflation, and compete on price against newer operators charging even less.
Here’s what Australian tradies are actually charging in 2026, by trade and major city. Use it as a benchmark — if you’re 20% below these numbers, you’re leaving real money on the table every week.
Note: these are averages gathered from our client base and publicly available rate data. Your specific pricing depends on your experience, location within a metro area, and the type of work you specialise in.
Plumbers
Hourly rate (Sydney): $130–$180/hr + GST
Hourly rate (Melbourne/Brisbane): $110–$160/hr
Hourly rate (regional): $95–$130/hr
Common fixed-price jobs:
- Blocked drain cleared: $195–$390
- Hot water system replacement (gas, 170L): $1,400–$2,200 supplied and installed
- Tap replacement: $180–$290
- Toilet replacement: $550–$980
- Emergency callout (after hours): $180–$280 just to turn up
If you’re charging less than $130/hr in Sydney as a licensed plumber, you’re below market. Put your rates up $10/hr every 6 months until your enquiry rate drops noticeably. That’s your real market price.
Electricians
Hourly rate (Sydney): $120–$170/hr + GST
Hourly rate (Melbourne/Brisbane): $100–$150/hr
Hourly rate (regional): $85–$130/hr
Common fixed-price jobs:
- Powerpoint install: $145–$220 each (discounted for multiples)
- Light fixture swap: $110–$190 each
- Ceiling fan install: $220–$420
- Switchboard upgrade: $1,400–$2,800
- Smoke alarm install (hardwired): $220–$340
- Emergency callout: $140–$240
Cleaners (commercial + residential)
Hourly rate (residential, per cleaner): $45–$65/hr
Hourly rate (commercial): $55–$85/hr
Bond clean (3-bedroom): $380–$690 flat
Residential cleaning is price-sensitive — customers compare quotes. Commercial cleaning is relationship-based with much better margins. If you can swing it, pivot toward commercial contracts (offices, gyms, retail).
Landscapers
Hourly rate: $75–$120/hr per person
Lawn mowing (typical suburban yard): $55–$95
Full garden makeover (small): $3,500–$8,000
Turf installation: $18–$28 per m² supplied and laid
Quoting by the hour kills margin in landscaping. Fixed-price quotes win. Build in a 20% contingency for the unexpected (rocks, dead roots, irrigation damage).
Painters
Per room (interior): $450–$850 including paint
Per room (prep-heavy, feature walls, Dulux premium): $750–$1,200
Exterior (full 3-bed house): $6,500–$14,000
Painters who itemise quotes (“prep: $X, undercoat: $Y, topcoat: $Z”) close jobs 30-40% more often than painters who just give a total. Customers want to see the reasoning.
Pest Control
General pest spray (3-bed house): $280–$420
Termite inspection: $340–$580
Termite treatment (chemical barrier): $2,400–$5,200
Cockroach treatment (commercial kitchen): $390–$690 per visit
Annual maintenance contracts are the gold — lock customers into a 12-month plan with 2 visits a year at 20% off the one-off rate.
How to stop undercharging
Four rules most tradies break:
- Charge for callouts — your time in the van is worth money. $80-120 callout fee, credited to the job if they book. Filters out tyre-kickers.
- Don’t give free quotes on complex jobs — anyone can get a quote. Charge $89 for a detailed quote, refundable against the job. Weeds out competition shoppers.
- Put up rates every 12 months — minimum 5-8% to keep up with CPI + your actual costs rising. Tell customers in advance.
- Stop discounting for mates’ mates — it trains your referral network to send you people who expect 20% off. Charge full price, give genuine value, keep the margin.
The real test
If you’re booked out 3+ weeks in advance, your prices are too low. Put them up 10%, see what happens. If you’re quiet for weeks, your prices might be fine — it’s your marketing that needs work.
Website and Google Business Profile drive enquiries. Pricing converts those enquiries into profit. Both matter. We handle the first bit — flat $199 to start a modern website, $99/month to keep it running.
Capital city adjustments
The hourly rates above use Sydney as the baseline. Rough adjustments for other Australian capitals:
- Melbourne: 85-95% of Sydney rates — slightly softer market, more competition in the inner suburbs
- Brisbane: 80-90% of Sydney rates — steady demand, fewer operators at the top end
- Perth: 95-105% of Sydney rates — high demand, especially for FIFO-adjacent trades
- Adelaide: 75-85% of Sydney rates — smaller market, price-sensitive customers
- Canberra: 95-110% of Sydney rates — high-income catchment, government contracts pay well
- Hobart: 70-80% of Sydney rates — but lower overheads too
- Darwin: 110-125% of Sydney rates — remote premium, fewer licensed trades
Regional towns vary wildly — a plumber in Orange or Mildura can often charge near-capital rates because there’s simply no one else available on a Saturday.
How to actually put your rates up without losing clients
Most tradies are scared to raise rates because they think existing customers will leave. Usually they won’t — but the delivery matters. Three rules that work:
- Give notice. Email or text your regulars 30 days before a rate change. *”From March 1st our call-out fee moves from $85 to $110. Just wanted to give you a heads-up.”* Customers respect this. They almost never complain.
- Raise on new customers first. Test a 10% increase on the next 10 new enquiries. If they all book anyway, the market has absorbed it. If 4 out of 10 say no, you’ve gone too far — dial back 5%.
- Don’t apologise in the announcement. “Due to rising costs we’re having to put our rates up…” sounds weak. Just state the new price as a fact. *”Our 2026 rates are below.”* Confidence earns respect.
Seasonality to plan around
Most trades have 2-3 strong months and 1-2 quiet ones. Price up during peaks, not down in troughs. Common patterns:
- Plumbers: Peak in winter (hot water failures, burst pipes). Quiet in late spring.
- Electricians: Peak in summer (air-con installs) and November-December (Christmas lights, pre-holiday work).
- Cleaners: Peak in January-February (bond cleans after moves), pre-Christmas deep cleans.
- Landscapers: Peak in spring (September-November). Dead in July.
- Pest control: Peak in summer (cockroaches, ants). Steady termite work year-round.
Most tradies charge the same rate regardless of season. A 10% peak premium during your busy months is easy money that customers accept because urgency is high and competitors are booked out too.
Get the pricing right, then get the website right
Pricing sets your margin. Marketing fills your calendar. Neither works without the other.
If your prices are benchmarked correctly but you’re still quiet, the problem is upstream — not enough people finding you. That’s where a modern website, a fully-optimised Google Business Profile, and a steady flow of reviews come in.
Answer 5 quick questions and we’ll come back with a plan specific to your trade and area. $199 to start.