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A complete industry guide for plumbers and gas fitters — market size, earning capacity, licensing, tools, finance, and where the trade is heading in 2026.
Plumbing is one of the biggest and most consistently in-demand trades in Australia — and gas fitting sits right alongside it as a near-mandatory add-on skill, not a separate career.
| Metric | Data | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Market size: |
The plumbing services industry in Australia is worth $22.2 billion in 2025, spread across 28,615 businesses nationally. (IBISWorld) |
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Business numbers: |
Despite a dip in 2025, the industry has grown at 0.8% a year on average over the past five years, and remains highly fragmented — no single operator dominates, which keeps the door open for small and mid-sized contractors. (IBISWorld) |
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Outlook: |
Industry analysis points to plumbing services reaching close to $22–24 billion with annualised growth around 2% over the coming five years, underpinned by residential recovery, ongoing non-residential demand, and steady repair and maintenance work. (Master Plumbers) |
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Concentration: |
New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland account for the large majority of plumbing-related businesses nationally, tracking population density and construction activity. |
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A trade in transition: |
Plumbing is being reshaped right now by hot water electrification — state gas bans and rebate programs are pushing homeowners from gas hot water systems to heat pumps at a pace not seen before, creating a genuinely new revenue line for plumbers who get ahead of it. |
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Why this matters for tradies: Plumbing has always been close to recession-proof — pipes burst and toilets block regardless of the economy. What’s changed is that policy is now actively driving upgrade work on top of the usual repair and maintenance base, particularly around hot water systems. That’s a growth lever most trades don’t have.
| Work Type | What It Covers | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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Residential plumbing & maintenance |
leaks, blocked drains, tap and toilet repairs, hot water system installs and replacements, general fault-finding. The steady, recurring core of most plumbing businesses. |
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New build & renovation plumbing |
rough-in and fit-off for new homes, bathroom and kitchen renovations, second-storey additions. Tied more closely to the construction cycle than maintenance work. |
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Gas fitting |
connecting and servicing gas appliances (cooktops, hot water systems, heaters), gas line installation and compliance testing. In most states, this requires a separate licence class or endorsement on top of a plumbing licence. |
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Drainage & sewer |
blocked drain clearing, CCTV drain inspection, sewer relining, stormwater drainage. High-margin work, particularly with camera diagnostic equipment. |
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Roof plumbing |
guttering, downpipes, roof flashing, and stormwater systems; often licensed as a distinct category from general plumbing. |
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Commercial & industrial plumbing |
office fit-outs, retail, hospitals, schools, high-pressure gas and liquid piping for industrial applications. Larger jobs, longer lead times, better contract stability. |
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Water, sewerage & irrigation infrastructure |
non-building specialist work driven by government capital works spending; a lucrative niche for contractors set up to tender for it. |
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Hot water system upgrades & heat pump installs |
the fastest-growing category right now, driven by state electrification policy (see Section 8). Often crosses over with electrical work, since heat pump hot water systems need both plumbing and electrical connection. |
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Emergency / after-hours plumbing |
commands premium call-out and hourly rates, and is a reliable way to differentiate a small operation in a crowded market. |
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Where the margin actually is: Bathroom and kitchen renovation work and hot water system replacement (especially gas-to-heat-pump conversions) currently carry stronger margins than routine repairs, because they combine higher ticket value with growing customer demand and government rebate support.
| Role | Typical Annual Salary | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Employee plumber (SEEK average) |
$85,000–$105,000 a year nationally. (SEEK) |
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Broader market range |
Other salary data puts qualified plumbers anywhere from $65,000 to $120,000+ depending on experience, location and specialisation, with capital city rates (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane) typically sitting at the higher end. |
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Entry-level |
newly qualified plumbers typically start around $65,000–$75,000, scaling with experience and licensing. |
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Experienced / senior plumber |
$110,000–$120,000+, particularly for those with gas fitting endorsements or specialist drainage/CCTV skills. |
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Hourly rates |
qualified plumbers commonly bill $40–$75/hour depending on job type, with emergency and after-hours callouts commanding a significant premium. |
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Source: SEEK
| Structure | Typical Charge Rate |
|---|---|
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self-employed plumbers |
hourly rates well above $75/hour are common for after-hours or weekend jobs. |
Self-employed / sole trader: self-employed plumbers can charge meaningfully more than employee rates, particularly for emergency work — hourly rates well above $75/hour are common for after-hours or weekend jobs.
as with electrical, the real earning jump comes from owning the business rather than working in it. Established plumbing contractors running a small crew commonly see revenue in the hundreds of thousands, with specialist niches (commercial, water infrastructure, gas fitting) pushing well beyond that as businesses scale.
The pattern: Plumbing pays solidly as a PAYG trade, but licensing breadth matters more here than in almost any other trade — a plumber who also holds a gas fitting endorsement and can pick up heat pump hot water installs is positioned to earn meaningfully more than a general plumber working repairs alone.
Plumbing and gas fitting are tightly regulated in every state, and — critically — gas fitting is treated as a separate licence class or endorsement everywhere, not an automatic extension of a plumbing licence.
| Qualification | What It Unlocks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Complete a Certificate III in Plumbing |
a four-year apprenticeship combining TAFE/RTO training with supervised on-the-job hours. |
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Add endorsements/classes for the specific work you’ll do |
water supply, sanitary, drainage, roofing, mechanical services, and gas fitting are generally licensed as separate categories. |
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Register with your state regulator |
and, in most states, complete a compliance/competency assessment. |
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Renew periodically |
(typically 1–5 years depending on state) with continuing professional development requirements. |
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| State | Regulator | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
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NSW |
NSW Fair Trading / Building Commission NSW |
Three-tier system: Tradesperson Certificate, Individual Contractor Licence, Endorsed Contractor Licence; covers plumbing, drainage, fire protection, urban irrigation, and gasfitting as separate categories; licence required regardless of job value |
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VIC |
Victorian Building Authority (VBA), via the Plumbing Industry Council for gas |
Licensed within specific classes (water supply, sanitary, drainage, gasfitting, roofing, mechanical); compliance certificate required for work over $750; Type B gasfitting (commercial appliances over 10MJ/h) needs separate authorisation |
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QLD |
Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) |
Licence required for plumbing/drainage/gasfitting work over $3,300; gasfitters also need Resources Safety and Health Queensland authorisation |
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WA |
Building and Energy WA / Plumbers Licensing Board |
Six licence categories; plumbers can only work within their specific licence scope; corporate entities cannot hold plumber licences in WA — only individuals |
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SA |
Consumer and Business Services (CBS) |
Plumbers and gas fitters must hold a contractor’s licence to offer services to the public; separate registration for gas fitting |
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Gas fitting classes: Most states distinguish between Type A (standard residential appliances) and Type B (commercial/industrial appliances over 10MJ/h — factories, commercial kitchens, hospitals) gas fitting authorisations. In WA, gas work is licensed under a Class G permit, covering installations under 500MJ/h. All gas work must comply with AS/NZS 5601 regardless of state.
Compliance certificates: All states require a certificate of compliance confirming plumbing and drainage work meets AS/NZS 3500 (the National Plumbing and Drainage Code) and the Plumbing Code of Australia. WA additionally requires a Notice of Intention before work begins and a Certificate of Compliance within five days of completion.
Penalties for unlicensed gas work are steep: individuals can face fines up to $18,000, and businesses hiring unlicensed gas fitters risk fines up to $90,000 — a strong incentive to keep every team member’s endorsements current.
| Equipment | Approx. Price |
|---|---|
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Pipe wrenches, spanners, pliers, tube cutters, hacksaws, soldering kit |
$600–$1,500 |
| Equipment | Approx. Price |
|---|---|
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Drill/driver combo, reciprocating saw, press-fit tool, angle grinder |
$1,500–$4,000 |
| Equipment | Approx. Price |
|---|---|
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Electric eel/drain snake, high-pressure water jetter |
$1,500–$8,000+ |
| Equipment | Approx. Price |
|---|---|
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CCTV drain camera, pipe locator, leak detection kit |
$2,000–$10,000 |
| Equipment | Approx. Price |
|---|---|
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Manometers, gas leak detectors, pressure test kits, analysers |
$1,000–$3,000 |
| Equipment | Approx. Price |
|---|---|
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Pressure test pumps, thermometers, tank gauges |
$500–$1,500 |
| Equipment | Approx. Price |
|---|---|
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Ladders, confined space kit, trench safety equipment |
$500–$2,500 |
| Equipment | Approx. Price |
|---|---|
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Fitted-out van or ute, racking, signage |
$40,000–$90,000+ |
| Equipment | Approx. Price |
|---|---|
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Job management/quoting (ServiceM8, Tradify, simPRO), compliance certificate software, accounting (Xero/MYOB) |
$50–$300/month |
Total starter kit for a newly licensed plumber: roughly $8,000–$15,000 in hand tools, power tools, and basic diagnostic gear before the vehicle. Add a drain camera and jetter — genuinely worth it for the call-out volume they unlock — and a fitted-out van, and a fully equipped solo operator is typically looking at $60,000–$100,000+ all-in.
Most plumbers charge a callout fee ($70–$150) plus an hourly rate ($90–$150/hour depending on state and job complexity), or fixed-price quotes for defined jobs like bathroom rough-ins or hot water system replacements. After-hours and emergency rates typically carry a 1.5x–2x premium.
Cash flow: Plumbers with a strong maintenance and emergency callout base tend to have steadier cash flow than those relying purely on renovation and new-build work, which involves longer project timelines between deposit and final payment.
Plumbing carries meaningful upfront equipment costs once you add drain cameras, jetters, and a properly fitted-out van — here’s how tradies typically fund it.
The most common structure is a chattel mortgage
| Finance Type | Best For |
|---|---|
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Chattel Mortgage |
you own the asset from day one, the lender holds security over it, and GST-registered businesses can typically claim the GST credit on the full purchase price in the next BAS. Equipment loans generally run 2–5 years and can also refinance existing gear to release equity or reset terms. |
The $20,000 instant asset write-off lets eligible small businesses (turnover under $10 million) deduct the full cost of assets under $20,000 — CCTV drain cameras, jetters, power tools, and (for many one-tonne-plus utes) work vehicles — in the year they’re first used, rather than depreciating over several years. Following the May 2026 Federal Budget, this threshold is proposed to become permanent from 1 July 2026, though this is not yet law and should be confirmed with your accountant. The threshold applies per asset, so a drain jetter, a CCTV camera kit, and a work ute can each be written off separately in the same year if each is under $20,000.
Work vehicles are usually financed separately from tools, either as a low-doc business car loan or bundled into the same chattel mortgage. Lenders typically weigh ABN trading history and bank statement conduct more heavily than payslips — a better fit for sole traders and recently-established contractors than standard bank lending.
For bigger moves — buying an established plumbing business, hiring a crew, or funding a large commercial or government infrastructure contract before payment lands — unsecured or secured business loans and lines of credit are the usual route, assessed on turnover and trading history.
Getting a home loan as a sole trader or company director typically means low-doc or alt-doc lending — using BAS statements, an accountant’s letter, or 12 months of business bank statements instead of the two years of tax returns a PAYG applicant would provide.
(This is general information, not financial or tax advice — always confirm current thresholds and eligibility with your accountant or the ATO before making a purchase or finance decision.)
Tradie Daily connects Australian Plumbing & Gas with 50+ lenders for equipment finance, ute loans, business loans, and more. Fast approvals — built for tradies who mean business.
Answers to some of the most asked questions by our clients.
Yes, in every state. Gas fitting is licensed as a separate class or endorsement — a general plumbing licence does not automatically cover gas work. You’ll typically need a Type A (residential) or Type B (commercial/industrial) gas fitting authorisation depending on the scope of work.
Budget roughly $8,000–$15,000 for a solid starter kit of hand tools, power tools, and basic diagnostic equipment, before a vehicle. Add a CCTV drain camera and jetter plus a fitted-out van, and a fully equipped solo operator is typically looking at $60,000–$100,000 all-in.
Generally not automatically. Licensing is state-based, though mutual recognition arrangements allow you to apply for the equivalent local licence without repeating your full apprenticeship. You still need to notify or register with the destination state’s regulator before starting work — check with that state’s licensing body first.
State and territory policy. Victoria is phasing out gas hot water systems at end-of-life from March 2027, the City of Sydney has mandated all-electric hot water in new builds from January 2026, and the ACT has legislated an end to new gas connections. Combined with rebate programs and rising gas prices, this is pushing steady replacement demand toward plumbers who can quote and install heat pump systems.
Yes — the industry is large ($22.2 billion) and fragmented (no dominant operator), which leaves plenty of room for small and mid-sized contractors. Adding gas fitting, drainage/CCTV diagnostics, or hot water electrification to a general plumbing base tends to lift earning capacity well above a generalist repair-only operation.
It varies by state, typically every 1–5 years, and usually comes with continuing professional development (CPD) requirements. Check directly with your state regulator for exact renewal periods and CPD obligations.
The penalties are steep — individuals can be fined up to $18,000, and businesses that hire unlicensed gas fitters risk fines up to $90,000. It’s also a straightforward safety issue, since incorrect gas installations can be genuinely dangerous. Always confirm licence endorsements cover the specific job before starting.
Disclaimer: This guide covers plumbing, drainage, and gas fitting work across the Australian market as of 2026. Licensing requirements, thresholds, and rebate schemes change — always confirm current details with your state regulator or accountant before making licensing or purchasing decisions.