How Big Is the Tradie World, Really?

This article is based on my own observations and experiences, so there are bound to be inaccuracies. Feedback and corrections are welcome.

Many people say "go into the trades," but they don't realize how vast this world actually is.

After all, "tradie" is not a single occupation but an umbrella term. It's like saying someone works in "IT"—within IT there are front-end, back-end, BA, QE, DevOps, product, and so on.

The tradie world has its own complex division of labor. If I were to draw a simple structural diagram, it would look something like this:

Developer

↓

Builder

↓

Tradies (various trades)

The developer is responsible for project development. The builder oversees overall construction. And the people who actually build the house brick by brick are the various tradies. Of course, many jobs don't require a builder at all—tradies are the ones truly on the front lines doing the work.

In Australia's construction and service industries, there are roughly seventy to eighty common tradie trades combined.

This article isn't just about listing occupations. More importantly, it's about understanding the coordinate system of this map together.

The Tradie World Is Actually Four Completely Different Kinds of Work

Carpenter, electrician, plumber, tiler—these are all familiar names. But if you think about it, these jobs actually belong to completely different categories.

Some are physically demanding labor-for-cash jobs, while others rely on licenses and technical skills. Some seem unremarkable but are very easy to turn into small businesses.

Roughly speaking, they can be divided into four categories.

Category 1: Physical Trades

For example:

• bricklayer
• concreter
• plasterer
• steel fixer
• scaffolder
• demolition

These jobs are straightforward: low entry barriers, high physical demands, and relatively quick money.

Many new immigrants first enter construction sites through these jobs.

These jobs are more like trading your body for cash flow. When you're young, the income is decent, but without a later transition, it gets harder as you age and your physical strength declines.

One thing must be made clear: even these trades have technical content. Many practitioners need to learn to read construction drawings and follow regulations.

Category 2: Licensed Technical Trades

These are the traditional skilled trades.

For example:

• electrician
• plumber
• gas fitter
• HVAC technician
• carpenter (framing)

These usually require an apprenticeship and a license. The entry barrier is higher, but the long-term value is more stable.

Because in many scenarios, project contractors, clients, and home insurance all require licensed individuals to issue certificates.

Many electricians and plumbers still have no shortage of work in their fifties and sixties. They're not selling physical labor; they're selling that valuable license.

Category 3: Craft and Aesthetic Trades

These are often underestimated.

For example:

• tiler
• waterproofer (I actually think this one is quite technical 😄)
• painter
• flooring installer
• cabinet maker

Many people think these trades don't require much skill. But in the real market, these are the ones that easily build word-of-mouth reputation. Because clients aren't just buying construction; they're buying results, communication, and peace of mind.

From my own experience hiring a team for cabinetry, I got quotes from two companies. One would do exactly what I asked without considering how the space would feel. The other, though slightly more expensive, had a designer who insisted on correcting some of my ideas, and the final result was much more satisfying.

Many truly profitable small teams actually emerge from this category. Another reason is that these are mostly non-standard products or projects. Even though there are regulations, every household's needs are different. For teams, this means more room for pricing and profit.

Category 4: Service Business Trades

These are closer to small businesses.

For example:

• lawn mowing
• pool maintenance
• handyman
• gutter cleaning
• pressure washing

As mentioned in the previous article, you can enter through franchise systems like Jim's Group. Of course, many teams start with one person, build a reputation, and then gradually expand.

The core of these jobs is no longer just craftsmanship; it's running a service business.

Everyone knows how hard it is to find a reliable handyman. Once you have a good reputation and some long-term clients, life can be quite comfortable.

These Four Categories: Not Better, Just Different Costs

Many people will ask: which category is best?

Actually, there's no "best"—only different costs.

The cost of physical trades is your body. You're trading your best physical years, from 20 to 35, for higher immediate income.

The cost of licensed technical trades is time. You need to endure a four-year apprenticeship with low wages (especially in the first two years), but in exchange you get a meal ticket that lasts for decades.

The cost of craft and aesthetic trades is patience. Reputation, portfolio, and repeat clients all need to be built slowly.

The cost of service business trades is worry. You're not just earning wages; you're earning money from client relationships, service experience, and operational ability.

So the question isn't which category is best. It's: which cost are you willing to pay?

Are Women Suited to Being Tradies?

There's another very practical question: are women suited to being tradies?

The answer is simple: of course they can. But they need to choose the right direction.

For traditional heavy physical trades like bricklaying, steel fixing, and concreting, the physical demands are indeed very high, and the proportion of women has always been very low.

But in the tradie world, there are actually quite a few trades where women have advantages.

Some common ones include:

Painting

This is one of the trades with the highest proportion of women. Because women are patient, meticulous, and sensitive to color and finish. Many high-end renovation projects prefer careful painting teams.

Tiling

The tiling industry has quite a few female practitioners. The reason is that while this work requires physical strength, what matters more is layout, alignment, and detail. Clients love craftsmen who do fine work.

Waterproofing

Waterproofing is actually a very interesting trade. Because much of the work is indoors, like bathrooms. And the profit margins in this industry are not small. In recent years, more and more women have been entering this field.

Cabinet Making / Kitchen Design

This category sits between tradie and design. It requires both construction experience and aesthetic ability. Many cabinetry companies have many women doing design and client communication.

Handyman / Property Maintenance

For light repairs like changing door locks, simple fixes, and furniture assembly, this type of service work is very suitable for building a small business. Especially in some communities, clients actually trust female service providers more.

Women's advantages in the tradie industry are not physical strength, but communication skills, attention to detail, aesthetic sense, and client experience—and these are becoming increasingly important in more and more renovation and service projects.

So the question isn't: can women be tradies? It's: which part of the tradie world do you want to enter?

Why Tradie Incomes Vary So Much

Many people are shocked when they first see tradie incomes. For example, electricians $120k–$200k, carpenters $100k–$160k.

The income gap in reality is huge because the industry's income structure is pyramid-shaped.

At the bottom are laborers or casual contractors. They're paid by the hour, and their weekly hours depend on the employer's arrangements—often less than full-time. The current market rate is around $30 AUD/hour.

The next level up is company employees. Their income is stable but has a clear ceiling. This level typically earns $60k–$100k.

The next level is sole traders who can work full-time. They still work on projects for builders or subcontractors, but because they have more experience, their hourly rate is higher. Usually starting at $40 AUD/hour. In some trades, you can work six days a week, eight hours a day, earning a considerable income.

But don't forget to calculate costs. Fuel + vehicle depreciation is about $20/day, tool depreciation another $20/day, accounting $1000/year (some people do their own taxes and save this cost).

Contractors don't have paid leave. Out of 52 weeks a year, you might only be able to work about 45 weeks.

So compared to an employee, the real difference might only be around $20k.

Item	Employee	Sole Trader
Nominal hourly rate	$40	$60
Weekly income	$1600	$2880
Annual income	$83k	$129k
Tool depreciation	None	-$5000
Insurance	None	-$2000
Accounting	None	-$1000
Unpaid leave	None	-$15000
Actual comparable income	$83k + super	About $103k (pay own super)

The next level up is sub-contractors (jokingly called "foremen"). They take on projects themselves and charge by the project. The "high tradie incomes" many people see are actually at this level. Income is usually $120k–$200k. Some sole traders do work similar to sub-contractors, so there's some overlap.

A sub-contractor is already a small company and needs to bear additional costs.

A Subcontractor's Real Ledger

Suppose you're a framing carpenter subcontractor.

You usually quote builders based on the floor area of the house, and the numbers look impressive.

But the real ledger looks like this.

Framing requires at least a team of four.

Assume: boss (you) $70/hour, experienced worker $45/hour, plus two laborers at $30/hour. Eight hours a day of wage costs: (70 + 45 + 30 + 30) × 8 = $1400.

Then there's insurance. In Victoria, you must have WorkCover, Public Liability, and many people also insure their tools. Because nowadays thieves love stealing power tools that are expensive, light, and easy to sell (don't ask how I know 😭).

Company accounting fees are about $2000/year. You also need to file taxes with the ATO every quarter.

And the real energy drain is outside the work itself: communicating with builders, reading drawings, calculating materials, quoting, signing contracts, chasing payments. You also need to keep projects coming, or the team will fall apart.

To put it bluntly, it's like being a senior engineer in IT leading three juniors. When payday comes, you worry about unpaid invoices, and every three months when you pay GST and taxes to the ATO, it hurts.

The Career Lifecycle of a Tradie

Many white-collar workers considering a career change ask: what about after 40? (My carpenter only switched careers at 40 😁 so this isn't an issue for him.)

There's a real example.

Lao Zhang came to Australia at 28 and became a bricklayer. When the property market was hot, he could lay 1,500 bricks a day. At $0.85 per brick, that's $1,275 in daily revenue.

As he approached 40, he clearly felt his body couldn't keep up. So he began to transition. Step one: become a small subcontractor for builders. Step two: partner with friends to do high-end landscape walls. Step three: after building a reputation in the industry, he tried to only take projects with high profit margins and high difficulty.

If a tradie wants to go further, they ultimately need to learn:

Earn money from experience, not from physical strength.

Buying a Business: A Fast Track In

Besides apprenticeships, laboring, and franchising, there's another path: buying a business.

Many tradie businesses are priced between $50k and $200k. The key question is: are you buying a business or a job?

The first three things to look at are:

1. Look at the income structure: does it serve long-term clients or one-off clients?
2. Look at the owner's role: is the owner a manager or must they do the work themselves?
3. Look at client ownership: do clients recognize the owner or the brand?

By the way, I once heard a tip for buying a business: look for tradie businesses being sold because the owner is getting old and their children don't want to take over. These businesses usually have fewer pitfalls.

A Simple Decision Compass

After reading all this, you might still feel a bit dizzy.

Then look at three real profiles.

A, 28 years old, new immigrant, no money. Starts as a laborer, and six months later discovers waterproofing is an opportunity.

B, 35-year-old white-collar worker with $80k in savings, buys a mowing round. Works it himself the first year, hires someone the second year.

C, 22-year-old local graduate, electrician apprentice, gets his license after four years.

They correspond to three choices:

• A chose cash flow
• B chose leverage
• C chose long-term value

There's no right or wrong. Only what fits.

Finally

This map of the tradie industry is just a beginning.

The really interesting thing is: after working in this industry for a few years, as experience accumulates, many people find that they are no longer just a worker, but start taking on projects, organizing teams, and even moving further up the industry chain.

Many people think being a tradie is a career path of physical labor.

But in reality, it's often also an entrepreneurial path.

In the next article, we'll specifically talk about that upgrade route many people aspire to:

From tradie to builder, and then to developer.