What Should a Cabinetmaker Charge Per Hour in Australia?

The two numbers: award rate and charge-out rate

There are two distinct numbers here. The award rate is what you pay your employee — the minimum hourly wage set by Fair Work Australia under the Joinery and Building Trades Award 2020. The charge-out rate is what you charge your client for a labour hour — which needs to cover the award rate plus employer costs, overheads, and a return on the business.

Employer on-costs

Award rate is not your full labour cost. Add: 11.5% Superannuation (2025 rate), WorkCover/workers compensation (varies by state and trade, typically 3–8% for joinery), leave entitlements (annual leave loading, personal leave provision), and payroll tax if you're above threshold. A rough total on-cost is 25–35% above the base wage.

What workshops actually charge per hour

The charge-out rate — what you put in a quote for a labour hour — needs to cover all the above plus your overheads. Survey data from Australian joinery businesses suggests most workshops charge $75–110/hr for shop labour and $85–130/hr for on-site installation, depending on size, overhead structure and market position. Metro workshops typically charge at the higher end.

Why your charge-out rate is probably too low

The most common issue we see in AU joinery business financials is charge-out rates that haven't kept pace with wage increases, super increases, and rising overhead costs. If you set your rate three years ago and haven't updated it, run the calculation again — you may be surprised at how much ground you've lost.