Our Methodology & Sources

Trade Marketplaces & Quote Platforms

These platforms publish aggregated pricing data based on thousands of real quotes between Australian homeowners and licensed tradespeople. They represent our largest single category of pricing data.

• Australia's largest trade marketplace — We reference their published cost guides and average quote data across all service categories and capital cities.
• A leading home services platform — Publishes detailed cost guides with price ranges based on real job data. Particularly useful for city-by-city comparisons.
• A national trades directory — Provides cost estimate ranges compiled from marketplace data. Strong coverage of renovation and specialist trades.
• A major Australian task platform — Completed-task data provides useful pricing benchmarks, particularly for smaller jobs.
• A national quote aggregator — Aggregates quotes and publishes pricing guides across major trade categories.

Industry & Trade Associations

Peak industry bodies publish recommended rate ranges, award rates, and market reports that help us benchmark pricing against industry standards.

• National plumbing industry association — Industry rate guidance and market reports for plumbing services.
• The national electricians industry association — Published rate guides and industry benchmarking data for electrical services.
• Australia's peak residential building body — We reference their construction cost data, renovation surveys, and material cost indices.
• National building industry association — Construction cost data, builder rate surveys, and renovation cost benchmarks.
• The national HVAC industry body — Industry data on HVAC installation and running costs.
• The national painters industry association — Rate guidance and industry standards for painting and decorating services.

Government & Regulatory Sources

State and federal government sources provide licensing requirements, compliance costs, safety regulations, and rebate/incentive data that directly affect what homeowners pay.

• NSW building regulatory authority — Licensing requirements, home building insurance thresholds, and consumer guidance for NSW.
• Victorian building regulatory authority — Registered builder requirements, insurance thresholds, and building permit data for Victoria.
• Queensland building regulatory authority — Licensing, insurance, and compliance requirements for Queensland trades.
• Victorian energy safety regulator — Electrical and gas safety compliance costs and certificate requirements.
• The national refrigerant licensing body — Mandatory licensing data for refrigerant handling and air conditioning installation.
• Federal renewable energy bodies — Solar panel system pricing, government rebate values, and accredited installer data.
• Victorian solar rebate authority — State rebate values and eligibility for solar, battery, and hot water systems in Victoria.
• Federal industrial relations authority — Award rates and minimum pay rates for building and construction trades, used to benchmark labour cost components.

Consumer Research & Cost Aggregators

Independent consumer research platforms provide additional pricing data points and homeowner-reported costs.

• A major consumer research platform — Consumer research and cost comparison data across home services categories.
• A national insurance and research group — Published cost guides based on market research for home improvement services.
• Australia's largest property platform — Renovation cost guides and property improvement pricing data.
• A leading consumer review platform — Consumer reviews that include pricing data and value assessments for trade services.
• A dedicated construction cost estimation platform — Construction and renovation cost estimation data.

Supplier & Material Pricing

For guides that include material costs (renovations, roofing, fencing, air conditioning), we reference current retail and trade pricing from major suppliers.

• Australia's largest hardware retailer — Retail material pricing for common building materials, fixtures, and fittings.
• A major national plumbing supplier — Plumbing and bathroom fixture pricing used in renovation cost breakdowns.
• Major national lighting retailers — Electrical fixture and lighting pricing.
• Major HVAC manufacturers (leading HVAC brands, leading HVAC brands, leading HVAC brands, leading HVAC brands) — Published RRP and system specifications used in air conditioning cost guides.
• Australia's largest steel and roofing manufacturer — Roofing material pricing and product specifications.

Individual Tradesperson Websites

We survey published rate cards and pricing pages from dozens of individual trade businesses across each capital city. These provide ground-level confirmation of marketplace data and help us identify city-specific and suburb-level pricing variations. We don't name individual businesses to avoid any implication of endorsement.

Cross-Referencing

No single source tells the whole story. A trade marketplace might skew toward budget-conscious homeowners seeking the cheapest quote, while an industry body's recommended rates might reflect aspirational pricing. We cross-reference every price range against at least 3–5 independent sources before publishing. Where sources disagree significantly, we investigate why — it's usually explained by differences in job scope, inclusions, or regional factors.

City-Specific Adjustments

Trade costs vary significantly between Australian cities. A plumber in Sydney charges materially more than one in Hobart — driven by differences in wages, cost of living, demand, licensing costs, and travel distances. We maintain city-specific pricing modifiers calibrated against published marketplace data, national cost-of-living indices, and industry award rates. These modifiers are reviewed monthly.

What Our Prices Include

Unless otherwise stated, our price ranges represent the total cost to the homeowner including GST. For labour-based services (plumbing, electrical), prices include standard callout fees. For project-based work (renovations, roofing), prices include materials and labour but exclude optional upgrades, council permits, and engineering reports unless specified.

Low / Average / High Ranges

Every price range we publish includes a low, average, and high estimate. The low end represents a straightforward job with good access, standard materials, and competitive pricing. The average represents what most homeowners report paying for a typical job. The high end reflects complex jobs, premium materials, difficult access, or high-demand periods. Most homeowners should expect to pay somewhere between the low and average figures.

All cost guides are reviewed and updated monthly, with a full quarterly re-verification. Our most recent full review was completed in April 2026. Prices are checked monthly. Between reviews, we monitor for significant market shifts (material price spikes, regulatory changes, new rebate programs) and update individual guides as needed.

Pricing data is inherently imprecise — every job is different, and your actual quote will depend on factors specific to your property, location, and chosen tradesperson. Our guides are designed to give you a realistic ballpark so you can recognise a fair quote and identify outliers. We always recommend getting multiple quotes from licensed professionals before committing to any work.

What's The Damage is editorially independent. We do not accept payment from tradespeople, service marketplaces, or material suppliers in exchange for favourable pricing or recommendations. We are not affiliated with any trade marketplace, industry body, or service provider. We are a free resource for homeowners. Our cost guides are independently produced and our pricing data is not influenced by any commercial relationships.

If you believe any of our pricing data is inaccurate or outdated, we'd like to hear about it. Accurate data helps everyone — homeowners and tradespeople alike.