(28 March 2017) The price of hiring a tradie may have dropped 1.6 per cent in Victoria last quarter, but new data from find-a-tradie website ServiceSeeking.com.au indicates that it’s not all bad news for Victorian tradies. The study identifies several areas where trades are in short supply, revealing the rivers of gold where tradies can expect to make big bucks.
According to the data, building jobs in Geelong receive 75 per cent less competition than the national average, representing a real opportunity for local builders to increase their profit.
Carpenters in both The Grampians and Macedon Ranges are also undersupplied, allowing businesses to win more jobs than their counterparts in highly competitive areas.
“Chippies have an exciting opportunity in South West and Northern Victoria to capitalise on the lack of competition and make some real money” says ServiceSeeking.com.au CEO Jeremy Levitt. “By targeting areas with low competition, carpenters can expect to win more jobs. It’s simple supply and demand.”
North West Melbourne is the place to be for plasterers and plumbers, where there is a shortage of skilled tradies in these industries.
“Competition is always high in the CBD, so it’s beneficial for tradespeople to be looking in the right places,” says Mr Levitt. “Plasterers and plumbers need to target North West Melbourne if wanting to see their profits increase.”
“There are rivers of gold for tradies all over Victoria, they just need to know where to look. Targeting areas where there’s less competition is a great way for tradies to jump in and make serious money.”
Quotes per job are derived by analysing a sample of 52,000 quotes submitted during the FY17 Q2 through ServiceSeeking.com.au, the website for getting any job done, from tradies to professional services.
Industry & areas of lowest competition in Victoria
| Industry | Area | Region | % comparison to national average |
| Builder | Geelong & District | Melbourne | -75% |
| North East | Melbourne | -47% | |
| Carpenter | Grampians | South West VIC | -48% |
| Macedon Ranges | Northern VIC | -70% | |
| Electrician | Grampians | South West VIC | -47% |
| Great Ocean Rd / Otway Ranges | South West VIC | -70% | |
| Painter | North Eastern | Northern VIC | -87% |
| Ballarat & Western District | South West VIC | -75% | |
| Plasterer | Grampians | South West VIC | -57% |
| North West | Melbourne | -29% | |
| Plumber | Macedon Ranges | Northern VIC | -56% |
| North West | Melbourne | -25% |