What Australian joinery workshops actually charge for kitchens, wardrobes, vanities and custom cabinetwork.
There are two common pricing approaches in the Australian market: per-linear-metre (LM) pricing, which is common for volume builders and project homes, and detailed estimating, which is standard for custom residential and commercial joinery. Per-LM pricing is faster but carries more risk — the actual cost of each linear metre varies significantly by specification and complexity.
These are indicative market rates based on industry experience. Actual pricing varies significantly by region, material specification and business positioning.
Most Australian joinery workshops are undercharging. Not by a little.
The most common pattern we see when workshops run the Shop Rate Calculator: their calculated rate comes out A$15–30/hr higher than what they're currently quoting. The gap is almost always the same cause — the shop rate was set years ago, updated occasionally for wage increases, and never recalculated from the ground up to include super at 12%, current WorkCover premiums, real overhead recovery, and an honest utilisation figure. The number on the calculator is what you need to charge to cover your actual costs and make a margin. If your current rate is below that, you're subsidising every job you take.
Don't price from what the market will bear. Price from your actual cost, then test the market.
The most dangerous pricing advice in the industry is 'charge what the market will pay.' It leads workshops to price from competitor rates rather than their own cost structure — and since most competitors are also undercharging, you end up in a race to the bottom that nobody wins. Calculate your real loaded cost first. Then work out what margin you need. Then test whether the market will pay that. If it won't, the answer is to reduce overhead, improve utilisation, or change your target market — not to accept a margin that doesn't cover your cost.
Sydney and Melbourne metro projects typically command 10–20% premium over Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth equivalents, reflecting higher overhead costs. Regional and rural markets often see more competitive pricing due to lower overheads but also higher material freight costs.
Some workshops price by component rather than linear metre — per door, per drawer, per carcass box. This approach can be more accurate for complex jobs with significant variation in component mix. It also makes variation pricing more straightforward when the client adds or changes components mid-project.
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