How much do tradies cost in Sydney?

$140

avg plumber/hr

↑+2.4% this qtr

Australia's largest city and, with Darwin, its most expensive trade market. Compare Sydney NSW prices across all 36 trades — prices verified August 2026 with data from 90+ Australian sources.

Population

5.4M

State

NSW

Cost vs Average

+6% vs national avg

Sydney Trade Cost Guides

Plumber $92–$230 /hr↑+2.7% → Electrician $92–$170 /hr↑+1.7% → Kitchen Renovation $9,200–$23,000 total↑+3.7% → Bathroom Renovation $11,500–$23,000 total↑+3.2% → Painter $57–$115 /hr↑+1.7% → Air Conditioning $1,375–$2,875 installed↑+3.6% → Roofing $230–$575 per visit↑+3.3% → Fencing $86–$185 /m↑+4.7% → Solar & Battery $5,750–$9,800 installed↓-1.5% → Landscaping $63–$125 /hr↑+2.3% → Pest Control $205–$520 per visit↑+1.8% → Flooring $52–$125 /sqm↑+2.1% → Tree Removal $290–$920 per tree↑+2.5% → Garage Doors $1,375–$4,025 installed↑+1.6% → Pool Maintenance $115–$345 /month↑+2.0% → Concreting $86–$170 /sqm↑+3.1% → Carpet Cleaning $29–$57 /room↑+1.9% → Removalist $115–$205 /hr↑+2.4% → Hot Water System $920–$2,875 installed↑+2.8% → Retaining Wall $230–$520 /lm↑+3.5% → Tiling $40–$105 /sqm↑+2.2% → Rendering $34–$69 /sqm↑+2.9% → Decking $205–$400 /sqm↑+3.0% → House Cleaning $40–$92 /hr↑+2.3% → Handyman $57–$160 /hr↑+1.9% → Lawn Mowing $52–$115 per visit↑+1.5% → Carpenter $63–$150 /hr↑+2.8% → Locksmith $140–$345 per job↑+1.2% → Plastering $57–$140 /hr↑+3.1% → Gutter Cleaning $115–$320 total↑+1.7% → Skip Bin Hire $230–$415 per hire↑+2.4% → Window Cleaning $46–$92 /hr↑+1.4% → Insulation $14–$40 /sqm↑+2.6% → Pressure Washing $46–$115 /hr↑+1.8% → Bricklaying $52–$115 /hr↑+3.4% → Gas Fitting $115–$230 /hr↑+2.9% →

About Sydney Trade Costs

Australia's largest city and, with Darwin, its most expensive trade market. Sydney costs run 15% above the national average, driven by high demand, congestion, and cost of living. For smaller jobs like plumbing repairs or electrical work, most Sydney tradies charge an hourly rate plus a call-out fee. For larger projects like kitchen renovations or bathroom renovations, expect a fixed-price quote.

Sydney sits at the expensive end of our city pricing model — our Sydney plumber band works out to around $140/hr. Rates on this page are our own city bands, not an industry survey. Key cost drivers: limited tradie availability in inner suburbs, paid parking factored into call-out fees, and the city's large stock of pre-1970 homes with original wiring, cast-iron pipes and sandstone foundations requiring specialist knowledge.

Outer suburbs like Parramatta, Blacktown and Liverpool are consistently 15–25% cheaper than inner-city areas. Always get multiple quotes in Sydney — the spread between the highest and lowest quote for the same job can be wide.

Licensing & Regulations in NSW

In NSW, trade licensing is regulated by NSW Fair Trading. Before hiring any tradesperson in Sydney, verify their licence at fairtrading.nsw.gov.au. All plumbing, electrical, and building work over certain thresholds must be carried out by licensed professionals. Unlicensed work can void your home insurance and leave you without legal protection if something goes wrong.

— BROWSE BY AREA