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FREE LABOUR RATE CALCULATOR
Most trades business owners know their hourly rate - but not the real number. Super, WorkCover, leave, non-chargeable days, productivity… it all adds up. Calculate the true cost per person and the rate you need to charge to actually make a margin.
Free · Instant · Downloadable PDF report
Based on 38hrs/wk · 85% productivity · NSW 2026
Built for trades & construction
Includes super, WorkCover & leave
Add your full team & download a PDF
Your wage bill is just the starting point. By the time you add super, WorkCover, public holidays, sick days, annual leave, rain days, and the hours your team spends on-site but not actually billing — the real cost of that person is significantly higher than what hits their payslip.
And if your charge-out rate was built on wages alone? You're likely working hard and still falling short.
"The gap between what you pay someone and what they actually cost you is where most trades businesses quietly bleed margin."
What's hiding in your labour cost?
What vs The reality
Base wages Just the beginning
Superannuation +12% on top
Workers Compensation +3–5% depending on trade
Annual Leave 20 days you still pay for
Sick Leave 10 days per year, NES
Public Holidays 11 days in NSW
Non-chargeable days Rain, travel, training…
Productivity rate Only ~85% is billable
The result? You need to know your real number
Here's how to find it →
The calculator gives you the number. But knowing your charge-out rate is only half the job. The other half is making sure your books, your invoicing, and your reporting are actually set up to protect that margin — every single job, every single month.
That's exactly what we do at The Accounts Department. We work with trades and construction businesses across Sydney to get their numbers clean, their reporting clear, and their cash flow under control — so the business actually works as hard as they do.
No pressure. Just a straight conversation about your numbers.