Look, I’ve sat in enough pubs from Chermside to Coorparoo to know exactly how the conversation goes.
You’re leaning against the bar, complaining about that one client who haggled you down over fifty bucks, only to be the biggest nightmare you’ve ever dealt with. We’ve all been there.
But here’s the cold, hard truth most agencies won’t tell you: if you’re competing on price, you’re basically volunteering to go broke slowly.
I’ve seen it happen to sparkies, chippies, and plumbers all over Brisbane. They think they need to be the cheapest to get the work. They think that if they just land this one big job by undercutting the bloke next door, things will get easier.
It won’t. It gets harder.
The Myth of the 'Fair Price'
Let’s get one thing straight. There’s no such thing as a 'fair price' in the eyes of a bargain-hunter.
If you tell a client a job is $2,000, and they’ve spent the morning scrolling through Gumtree looking for a cheap fix, they’ll think you’re ripping them off. It doesn't matter if you’ve got ten years of experience, a fully kitted-out ute, and insurance that actually covers something.
To them, you’re just a number on a page.
When you compete on price, you aren't selling your skill. You're selling a commodity. You’re basically a loaf of bread at Coles. People will just pick the one that costs the least because they don’t see the difference between the fancy sourdough and the white sliced stuff.
If you want to make real money—the kind that lets you actually take a Saturday off or upgrade the fleet—you have to stop being the white sliced bread.
Why the Cheapest Clients are Always the Worst
You know the ones.
They’re the ones who call you at 7 PM on a Sunday to ask why a screw looks slightly crooked. They’re the ones who want to 'help' by hovering over your shoulder while you work. And they’re definitely the ones who take three weeks to pay a $300 invoice.
There’s a direct link between how much someone pays and how much they respect your time.
When a client pays a premium, they’re buying a result. They want the problem gone, and they want it done right. When a client pays the bare minimum, they’re looking for a way to save money. Their focus is on the cost, not the quality.
This means they’ll scrutinise every minute you’re on-site. They’ll question every material cost. They’ll make your life a misery because they feel like they’re 'losing' money by paying you.
The Math of Going Broke
Let’s look at the numbers. Most tradies I talk to don’t actually know their overheads. They know what’s in the bank, but they don’t know what it costs to keep the doors open.
By the time you factor in the ute, the fuel, the tools, the insurance, the apprentice who’s still learning which way is up, and your own time—your margins are probably thinner than you think.
If you drop your price by 10% just to win a job, you aren't just losing 10% of the total. You’re losing a massive chunk of your actual profit.
If your profit margin was 20% and you gave a 10% discount, you just gave away half of your take-home pay for that job. You have to do twice as much work just to make the same amount of money you would’ve made at full price.
Does that sound like a good business strategy to you?
How to Stop the Price War
So, how do you fix it? You can’t just double your prices tomorrow and hope for the best. You’ll just end up sitting at home watching Netflix while the phone stays silent.
You have to change how people see you before they even pick up the phone.
It starts with your online presence. If your website looks like it was built in 2005 and your only photos are blurry shots of a half-finished bathroom, you’re telling the world you’re a budget operator.
You need to show people that you’re the expert. You need to show them that you solve problems, not just provide labour.
One of the best ways to do this is by showing up where people are actually looking. A lot of guys waste thousands on flyers or radio ads that nobody listens to. Honestly? Most of that is rubbish. You’re much better off making sure Google likes this so you show up on the map when someone is in a rush and needs a pro.
People who find you on Google Maps are usually looking for a solution now. They aren't shopping around for five different quotes; they’re looking for someone who looks reliable and is close by.
Building Authority (Without Being a Tosser)
You don’t need to use big words or marketing jargon. In fact, please don’t.
Building authority is just about proving you know your stuff. It’s about having decent photos of your work. It’s about having reviews from real people in Brisbane who are happy with what you did.
When a potential customer sees thirty 5-star reviews saying you showed up on time and cleaned up after yourself, price becomes secondary. They’re willing to pay an extra few hundred bucks to avoid the stress of a dodgy contractor.
"If your website looks like a mess, people will assume your handiwork is a mess too—it’s the first thing they see before they ever trust you with their home."
— Emma Richardson, Social Media Strategist
Emma’s right. First impressions matter. If you’re driving around in a beat-up ute with peeling stickers, or if your website doesn't work on phones, you’re already losing the high-value jobs.
I’ve talked to guys who wonder why their signage isn't bringing in the big commercial contracts. Usually, it’s because it looks cheap. If you want to land high-profit jobs, you have to look the part.
The 'Busy' Trap
I hear this all the time: "I’m flat out, mate. I couldn't take on more work if I tried."
But then I ask them how much they’re actually keeping at the end of the month, and the silence is deafening.
Being 'busy' is a trap. You can be busy and still be broke.
If you’re working 60 hours a week just to cover your bills, you don’t have a business; you have a very stressful, low-paying job.
When you raise your prices, you might lose some of the bottom-feeder clients. Good. Let them go bother your competitors.
You’ll find that with fewer, better-paying jobs, you have more time to do a proper job. You can spend more time on the details. You can provide better customer service. And that leads to more referrals and even better jobs.
It’s a cycle. You just have to decide which cycle you want to be in: the race to the bottom or the climb to the top.
Stop Paying for Rubbish Leads
Another mistake I see tradies make is getting desperate and signing up for those lead-sharing sites. You know the ones—where they sell the same 'lead' to five different guys and you all have to scramble to be the first to call.
It’s a nightmare. It forces you into a price war immediately. The customer is already primed to look for the cheapest option because they’ve just put out a cattle call for quotes.
We’ve helped our clients get steady work without ever touching those sites. Why? Because when a customer finds you directly, you own the relationship. You aren't competing with four other blokes in an inbox.
What Should You Do First?
If you’re tired of being haggled, here’s my honest take on what you should do this week:
1. Audit your 'look': Look at your website on your phone. Does it look professional? Does it make it easy for someone to call you? If not, fix it. 2. Check your reviews: If you haven't asked your last five happy customers for a Google review, do it now. Send them a text. It takes two minutes. 3. Know your numbers: Sit down and figure out exactly what it costs you to run your ute for an hour. Most guys are shocked when they actually do the math. 4. Stop saying yes to everyone: If a potential client starts the conversation by asking for a discount before you’ve even seen the job, walk away. They’ll be more trouble than they’re worth.
Raising your prices is scary. I get it. You worry the phone will stop ringing.
But I’ve never seen a tradie regret getting rid of their worst, cheapest clients. They usually just regret not doing it sooner.
If you want to sort your marketing out properly and stop chasing every $50 job in Brisbane, give us a shout at Local Marketing Group. We don't do fluff, and we don't use jargon. We just help you get more of the jobs that actually make you money.
Talk soon,