Builders price guide

How much does a builder cost?

Builders mostly price by the project, not the hour. As a 2026 guide, a new home costs around $1,800–$4,000 per m² to build, a single-storey extension $2,500–$4,500 per m², and a mid-range bathroom renovation $15,000–$35,000. For small jobs and variations, builders typically charge $85–$150 an hour.

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New home build, per m² $1,800–$4,000 Build cost only. Project homes on flat blocks sit at the low end; custom designs and sloping sites cost more.

Builder's hourly rate $85–$150 For small jobs and variations. Bigger work is quoted as a fixed price under a written contract.

What common builder jobs cost

Job	Typical price	Notes
Single-storey extension	$2,500–$4,500	Per m², finished. Adding a bathroom or kitchen costs more
Second-storey addition	$3,500–$6,000	Per m². Structure, scaffolding and roof work add cost
Bathroom renovation	$15,000–$35,000	Mid-range, standard size. Budget refreshes from about $8,000
Kitchen renovation	$20,000–$45,000	Mid-range, same layout. Moving plumbing or walls costs more
Remove a load-bearing wall	$5,000–$15,000	Engineer, beam and making good; varies with the span
Build a granny flat	$130,000–$230,000	Around 60 m², two bedrooms. Site works and connections vary
Build a 20 m² timber deck	$6,000–$12,000	Ground level. Roofed or raised decks cost more

Indicative prices for typical Australian homes, including GST. A guide, not a quote. Last reviewed 3 October 2026.

What drives building costs

Two projects with the same floor area can end up tens of thousands of dollars apart. These are the usual reasons.

The site. Slope, rock, reactive clay, a bushfire rating, flood levels and tight access all add cost before the frame goes up. Excavation, retaining walls, piers and deeper footings are where budgets most often blow out, so ask for site costs to be priced as their own line.

Wet areas and kitchens. Bathrooms, laundries and kitchens pack plumbing, waterproofing, tiling, cabinetry and electrical work into a small space. An extension with a new bathroom costs a lot more per square metre than one that only adds a living room.

Finishes. The jump from a builder’s standard range to premium tapware, stone benchtops and large-format tiles can be the biggest single change to a quote. Settle on the level of finish early so every builder prices the same thing.

Approvals and insurance. Drawings, engineering, surveys, council or certifier fees and, on bigger jobs, home warranty insurance all sit on top of the build. In NSW, for example, residential jobs over $20,000 need home building compensation cover.

Getting a fair building quote

For anything beyond a small job, you want a fixed price in a written contract, with progress payments tied to stages. Read the allowances closely. Provisional sums and prime cost items are placeholders for work or fittings not yet chosen or priced, and if they’re set low the final bill climbs. Ask what each one covers and what happens if the real cost comes in higher.

Check the builder’s licence covers the type and value of the work, and that home warranty insurance is in place where your state requires it. Our licence checks page lists every state’s lookup, and the guide to deposits, contracts and your rights explains deposit caps and variations.

You don’t need to chase five builders to know whether a price is reasonable. needatradie can match you with one vetted local builder; compare their quote with the ranges on this page and ask about anything that looks light.

Builder or a single trade?

You don’t always need a builder. If the job sits with one trade, like a deck, new doors or retiling, going straight to that trade is usually cheaper; see our carpenter and tiler price guides. Once a job touches the structure, needs several trades, or goes over your state’s licence threshold, a licensed builder is the right call.

Builders prices by city

City	What to expect
Sydney	Among the highest building costs in the country, pushed up by labour rates, tight sites and sloping blocks that need excavation and retaining.
Melbourne	A little under Sydney for comparable work. Reactive clay soils in many suburbs mean footings and slabs need proper engineering.
Brisbane	Mid-range. Raising a Queenslander and building in underneath is a common project, with restumping and stairs priced on top.
Perth	Double brick on a concrete slab is the standard build, so extensions are usually quoted in brick to match the existing house.
Adelaide	Often a little cheaper than the eastern capitals. Reactive clay across much of the metro area makes footings and engineering a real line item.
Gold Coast	Similar to Brisbane, with extra costs on canal, beachside and hillside blocks where piling, wind ratings or retaining walls come into play.
Newcastle	Usually under Sydney prices. Parts of the region sit over old coal mine workings, where Subsidence Advisory NSW may need to approve the design.
Canberra	Toward the top of the national range, much like Sydney. Homes from the 1960s and 1970s often need asbestos checks before any demolition or wall removal.

Builders costs: common questions

How much do builders charge per hour?

Builders who take on small jobs usually charge around $85 to $150 an hour, often with a minimum charge. For anything bigger, expect a fixed price under a written contract rather than an hourly rate, with payments tied to stages of the work. In NSW, for example, any residential building job over $5,000 needs a written contract.

How much does it cost per m² to build a house in Australia?

As a rough 2026 guide, around $1,800 to $4,000 per square metre for the build itself. Volume builders' project homes on a flat block sit at the bottom of that range. Custom designs, premium finishes, two storeys and sloping or reactive sites push it up. Land, site works, driveways, fencing and landscaping are usually extra.

Is $400,000 enough to build a house?

It can be, depending on size and site. At around $2,000 per square metre, $400,000 covers roughly 200 square metres of a straightforward project home. That doesn't include the land, and a sloping block, a bushfire rating or long service connections can eat into it quickly. Ask each builder to price site costs separately so you can compare.

How much deposit can a builder ask for?

Several states cap it. NSW limits the deposit on residential building work to 10% of the contract price. Victoria and Queensland cap it at 5% on jobs of $20,000 or more, and 10% on most jobs below that. After the deposit, payments should follow completed stages of the work, never run ahead of it.

Can you renovate a bathroom for $10,000?

Sometimes. A cosmetic refresh of a small bathroom that keeps the existing layout, with budget tiles and fittings, can come in around $8,000 to $15,000. Once you move plumbing, redo the waterproofing or choose mid-range fittings, most bathrooms land between $15,000 and $35,000. Asbestos or water damage found during demolition adds to that.

What is the most expensive part of building a house?

The structure and the fit-out are usually the biggest items: slab, frame and roof, then the kitchen, bathrooms and finishes. On a difficult site, the ground itself can be the surprise. Excavation, rock, retaining walls and deeper footings on reactive clay can add tens of thousands of dollars before anything goes up.

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