Brisbane Plumbing Companies Hard Hit by Trade Shortages

Queensland is gearing up to host the Olympics, and as the trades in the area place competing bids for construction projects, it’s exposing just how short-handed we are on the trades front. COVID uncovered a host of labour and materials supply shortages, and while there has been a lot of recovery, trade shortages remain an issue. 

Brisbane’s Major Projects

Brisbane is home to many of the largest projects, including the Gabba Stadium removal that is set to undergo major redevelopment in time for the Olympics, the new National Aquatic Centre, and Brisbane Live Arena. In addition to this, Victoria Park is set to be the site of the new stadium and will include a new train station. 

There’s also a host of commercial and residential developments, including the billion-dollar investments in the showgrounds, waterfront and wharf. The major infrastructure projects include the Brisbane Metro, airport expansion, Green Bridges Program, and the Cross River Rail. 

The Trade Shortage

If you’ve looked for a reliable tradesperson in your area and come up short, it might be down to how hard the trades shortages are hitting Brisbane’s plumbing companies. While the trade battle to beat supply shortages has eased, the labour shortage continues to be a problem. 

While plumbers generally earn anywhere between $90-$100,000, it dipped to $84,000 last year, forcing companies to compete harder for the big projects. Many plumbing companies can’t afford to take on smaller residential jobs, leaving residential homeowners frustrated at the lack of availability. Though wages are on the rebound this year, tradies haven’t seen the benefit yet. With an 8.6% growth rate in demand predicted, tradespeople need more skilled workers to get the jobs done.

Commercial plumbers focus on large projects and demand higher wages than strictly residential plumbers. FIFO plumbers are also in high demand and come with a wage to handsomely remunerate them for their time. Though some commercial outfits are happy to cater to residential customers, the key is tracking down the type of plumber who does the work you need. 

Training a New Wave of Plumbers

Once you find reliable Brisbane Plumbers, keep that number on speed dial. For plumbers hoping to ride the coming storm without the help they need, the time to take on fresh apprentices is now. Financial support is available from the government to ease the cost of training apprentices. Ultimately, plumbers can’t keep up with demand, and unless we train a new generation of plumbers, we’re going to be facing this shortage for many years to come.