How to find a tradie in your area: hipages, ServiceSeeking, Airtasker, Google and word of mouth compared

There’s no shortage of ways to find a tradie. The hard part is finding one who turns up, does the job properly and charges what they quoted. Every channel has a catch, and none of them replaces checking the tradie yourself.

This guide compares the main ways Australians find a tradie: hipages, ServiceSeeking, Airtasker, Google Maps and asking around. It covers how each works, what it costs you, and where it falls short. Platform details are from each company’s own pages, checked in October 2026. Then it walks through the checks to do before you hire, whichever route you take. We’re not a directory, and we don’t rank tradies.

The options at a glance

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hipages

hipages says posting a job and getting quotes is free for households, and you’ll usually hear from up to three local businesses. If a business charges to prepare a quote, hipages says they’ll tell you up front.

The tradies pay. hipages lists memberships for businesses from $139 a month plus GST, with credits used to accept leads, and says it doesn’t take commission on jobs. That model suits established tradies who budget for leads, but it also means you’re seeing businesses that pay for access, not every tradie in your area.

• Good for: common jobs in metro areas, where you want a few quotes quickly.
• Watch for: only a handful of quotes per job, and reviews are from hipages jobs only.

Post a job on hipages → Affiliate link. Opens the merchant site in a new tab.

ServiceSeeking

ServiceSeeking is a general services marketplace covering trades, cleaning, removals and more. Posting a job is free for customers. Businesses pay a membership to contact customers, which ServiceSeeking’s help centre listed as starting from $75 a month (in an article last updated in 2022), and it says it doesn’t charge commission.

CHOICE reported that there’s no set limit on the number of quotes you can receive, with a button to stop quotes once you have enough.

• Good for: smaller jobs and outer-metro or regional areas, and comparing several quotes.
• Watch for: a flood of quotes on popular jobs, and mixed experience across categories.

Post a job on ServiceSeeking → Affiliate link. Opens the merchant site in a new tab.

Airtasker

Airtasker is built for tasks of all kinds, from flat-pack assembly to small repairs. You post a task with a budget, Taskers make offers, and you assign one. Airtasker’s Australian help page (updated 13 October 2026) says customers pay a one-time connection fee when they assign a Tasker:

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The fee is waived for Airtasker customer members. Payment is held by Airtasker and released when you’re happy the task is done. Airtasker also describes liability insurance for Taskers through Chubb, with exclusions, so read what it covers rather than assuming.

Airtasker suits handyperson jobs. For licensed work such as electrical, gas and most plumbing, the licence check below matters even more.

• Good for: odd jobs, assembly, small repairs, and jobs where held payment gives you comfort.
• Watch for: the connection fee on bigger jobs, and licensed work posted as a “task”.

Post a task on Airtasker → Affiliate link. Opens the merchant site in a new tab.

Google Maps and local search

Searching “plumber near me” on Google Maps costs nothing and shows local businesses with reviews, photos and opening hours. You deal with the tradie directly, with no platform in the middle.

The catch is that a Google listing doesn’t tell you whether a tradie is licensed or insured, and the businesses at the top aren’t necessarily the best. Ads appear among the results too, marked as sponsored. Read the reviews, then do the checks below.

Word of mouth

A recommendation from someone who’s had the same kind of job done recently is still one of the best leads you can get. Ask neighbours, friends, your local community group or a builder you trust. Ask what the job was, whether it came in on budget, and how the tradie handled any problems.

Personal recommendations still need checking. A good plumber for a dripping tap may not be the right person for a bathroom renovation.

How to check a tradie before you hire

Do these checks however you found them. It takes about ten minutes.

1. Check the licence on the state register. Use the tradie’s full name or licence number, and make sure the licence class covers your job.
   • VIC: Building and Plumbing Commission for builders and plumbers, Energy Safe Victoria for electricians
   • NSW: Service NSW licence check
   • QLD: QBCC licence search
   • SA: Consumer and Business Services
   • WA: Building and Energy licence search
   • TAS, ACT and NT: see our guide to checking a tradie
2. Look up the ABN on ABN Lookup. Check it’s active, the name matches the quote, and whether it’s registered for GST if they’re charging GST.
3. Ask for a certificate of currency for their public liability insurance, and check the business name and expiry date. For bigger building jobs in Victoria, domestic building insurance is also required over $16,000.
4. Read reviews with care. Look for detail, jobs like yours and recent dates. Note how the business responds to criticism.
5. Get a written quote with the scope, inclusions, price including GST and payment terms. Our guide to reading a builder’s quote shows what to look for.
6. Don’t pay too much up front. In Victoria, deposits on domestic building work are capped at 10% under $20,000 and 5% from $20,000.

What should it cost?

Knowing the going rate helps you spot a quote that’s too high or suspiciously low. See our Melbourne guides to electrician costs, plumber costs and carpenter and builder rates.

Quick decision guide

• Small odd job, want it sorted fast: Airtasker, then check the person.
• Licensed trade job, want three quotes: hipages or ServiceSeeking, then check the licence.
• You want to deal directly: Google Maps and word of mouth.
• Big renovation: recommendations from people who’ve built recently, then a detailed written quote and contract.

Next step: pick two channels, get at least two written quotes, and run every tradie through the licence, ABN and insurance checks before you say yes.