GITNUXREPORT 2026

Wa Building Industry Statistics

WA's building industry is growing strongly but faces persistent skilled worker shortages.

Alexander Schmidt

Research Analyst specializing in technology and digital transformation trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

In 2021-22, WA's building industry contributed $32.4 billion to GDP, 8.2% of state total.

Statistic 2

Total building work done in WA reached $28.7 billion in 2022-23.

Statistic 3

Residential building approvals value in WA was $15.2 billion in 2022.

Statistic 4

Non-residential construction output grew 12.4% to $13.5 billion in WA 2022.

Statistic 5

Engineering construction turnover in WA hit $45.6 billion in 2022-23.

Statistic 6

WA building industry GVA increased by 7.9% to $29.1 billion in 2021-22.

Statistic 7

Contracts awarded for building work in WA totaled $22.4 billion in 2022.

Statistic 8

Inflation in WA construction costs rose 9.2% in 2022.

Statistic 9

Value of work commenced in WA buildings was $26.8 billion in 2022-23.

Statistic 10

Public sector building expenditure in WA was $4.7 billion in 2022.

Statistic 11

Private non-residential building value added $9.3 billion to WA economy in 2022.

Statistic 12

WA construction exports (services) valued $1.2 billion in 2022.

Statistic 13

Building activity chain volume measures grew 6.5% in WA 2022.

Statistic 14

Total factor productivity in WA construction improved 2.1% in 2021-22.

Statistic 15

WA builders' margins averaged 4.8% in 2022 amid rising costs.

Statistic 16

Capital expenditure on construction in WA was $18.9 billion in 2022-23.

Statistic 17

Industry revenue for WA building grew 11.3% to $41.2 billion in 2022.

Statistic 18

Profit before tax in WA construction firms averaged 5.2% in 2022.

Statistic 19

In 2022, Western Australia's building industry employed 128,400 full-time equivalent workers, marking a 4.8% increase from 2021.

Statistic 20

The average weekly earnings for construction workers in WA reached $2,150 in the June 2023 quarter, up 6.2% year-on-year.

Statistic 21

Females accounted for 12.5% of the WA construction workforce in 2022, with 16,000 women employed in the sector.

Statistic 22

Apprentices and trainees in WA's building industry numbered 8,200 in 2022, comprising 6.4% of the total workforce.

Statistic 23

The construction sector in WA had a labour productivity of $248,000 per full-time worker in 2021-22.

Statistic 24

Over 25,000 construction jobs were added in WA between 2020 and 2022 due to infrastructure booms.

Statistic 25

In 2023, 42% of WA builders reported skilled labour shortages as their primary challenge.

Statistic 26

WA construction unemployment rate stood at 3.8% in mid-2023, below the national average of 4.2%.

Statistic 27

The industry trained 4,500 new entrants via TAFE programs in WA in 2022.

Statistic 28

Indigenous employment in WA building reached 3.2% or 4,100 workers in 2022.

Statistic 29

Migrant workers made up 28% of WA's construction workforce in 2022, totaling 35,900 individuals.

Statistic 30

Average hours worked per week by WA construction employees was 39.2 in 2023.

Statistic 31

15,200 construction workers in WA were aged 25-34 in 2022, the largest age cohort at 11.8%.

Statistic 32

Wage growth in WA building industry was 5.7% annually from 2021-2023.

Statistic 33

7.1% of WA construction firms employed over 20 workers in 2022.

Statistic 34

Job vacancy rate in WA construction hit 4.5% in Q2 2023.

Statistic 35

2,800 construction managers were employed in WA in 2022.

Statistic 36

Turnover rate in WA building industry was 12.4% in 2022.

Statistic 37

18% growth in female apprentices in WA construction from 2020-2022.

Statistic 38

WA construction overtime hours averaged 4.2 per week in 2023.

Statistic 39

In 2022-23, WA road and bridge infrastructure projects totalled $7.2 billion in value.

Statistic 40

Rail infrastructure expenditure in WA reached $4.8 billion in 2022.

Statistic 41

Water supply and sewerage construction value: $2.1 billion in WA 2022.

Statistic 42

WA airports and ports upgrades: $1.9 billion committed in 2022-23.

Statistic 43

Electricity generation and transmission projects in WA: $3.4 billion in 2022.

Statistic 44

Telecommunications infrastructure build value: $850 million in WA 2022.

Statistic 45

WA heavy rail projects pipeline: 12 major works valued $10.2 billion.

Statistic 46

Road resurfacing and maintenance contracts: $1.5 billion annually in WA.

Statistic 47

Flood mitigation infrastructure in WA: $650 million in 2022 projects.

Statistic 48

WA desalination plant expansions: $2.2 billion over 2022-25.

Statistic 49

Pipeline construction for resources sector: $1.8 billion in WA 2022.

Statistic 50

Public transport interchanges built: 8 new in WA 2022 costing $420 million.

Statistic 51

WA renewable energy infrastructure: 15 projects worth $5.6 billion in 2022.

Statistic 52

Total engineering construction work done in WA: $48.3 billion in 2022-23.

Statistic 53

Bridge construction and replacement: 45 projects valued $900 million in WA 2022.

Statistic 54

In 2022, WA non-residential building approvals totalled 1,250 projects valued at $6.8 billion.

Statistic 55

Office building work done in WA reached $1.9 billion in 2022.

Statistic 56

Retail and wholesale non-residential approvals value: $2.1 billion in WA 2022.

Statistic 57

Factory and warehouse construction in WA: 320 approvals worth $1.4 billion in 2022.

Statistic 58

Health and aged care facilities building value in WA: $1.2 billion in 2022.

Statistic 59

Education building projects in WA totalled $900 million in approvals 2022.

Statistic 60

Hospitality non-residential work commenced: $650 million in WA 2022.

Statistic 61

Public order and safety buildings value: $1.1 billion in WA 2022.

Statistic 62

Culture and recreation non-residential approvals: $850 million in 2022 WA.

Statistic 63

WA non-residential floor area approved: 1.2 million sqm in 2022.

Statistic 64

Alterations and additions to non-residential: $2.3 billion in WA 2022.

Statistic 65

Perth CBD office developments: 5 major projects valued $1.5 billion in 2022.

Statistic 66

Industrial building costs per sqm in WA: $1,850 in 2023.

Statistic 67

14% growth in WA non-residential work done in 2022.

Statistic 68

Religious and other non-residential approvals: $250 million in WA 2022.

Statistic 69

WA non-residential under construction value: $12.4 billion in 2022.

Statistic 70

In 2022, WA approved 18,450 new dwellings, a 15% rise from 2021.

Statistic 71

Detached house approvals in WA totaled 12,200 units valued at $8.9 billion in 2022.

Statistic 72

Multi-residential dwellings approved in Perth metro area: 4,850 units in 2022.

Statistic 73

Average value of new WA homes approved was $512,000 in 2022.

Statistic 74

Housing starts in WA increased 22% to 14,300 in 2022-23.

Statistic 75

WA residential completions reached 16,800 dwellings in 2022.

Statistic 76

Detached housing accounted for 68% of WA residential approvals in 2022.

Statistic 77

Median time to build a house in WA was 9.2 months in 2022.

Statistic 78

42,500 new homes were needed annually in WA to meet demand in 2023.

Statistic 79

Residential renovation work in WA valued $3.4 billion in 2022.

Statistic 80

Perth saw 11,200 residential building approvals in 2022, 62% of state total.

Statistic 81

WA social housing completions: 1,200 units in 2022.

Statistic 82

Average floor area of new WA detached homes: 245 sqm in 2022.

Statistic 83

Residential building costs per sqm in WA rose to $2,450 in 2023.

Statistic 84

7.8% increase in WA house builds under construction in 2022.

Statistic 85

WA regional residential approvals: 5,600 in 2022.

Statistic 86

Owner-builder residential permits issued in WA: 2,100 in 2022.

Statistic 87

Modular/prefab homes approvals in WA grew 18% to 850 units in 2022.

Statistic 88

WA lost time injury frequency rate in construction was 1.2 per million hours in 2022.

Statistic 89

28 fatalities recorded in WA building and construction in 2022.

Statistic 90

92% of WA construction firms reported safety training compliance in 2023 survey.

Statistic 91

High-risk work licences issued in WA construction: 12,500 in 2022.

Statistic 92

WA construction incident notification rate: 4.8 per 100 workers in 2022.

Statistic 93

Fall from height incidents accounted for 35% of serious injuries in WA construction 2022.

Statistic 94

76% adoption rate of digital safety tech in WA large builders in 2023.

Statistic 95

WA construction mental health claims: 450 cases in 2022.

Statistic 96

Safety audits conducted: 4,200 on WA sites in 2022.

Statistic 97

Musculoskeletal disorders: 42% of WA construction claims in 2022.

Statistic 98

WA builders' sustainability reporting: 68% complied in 2022.

Statistic 99

Digital twins used in 22% of WA major projects for safety in 2023.

Statistic 100

WA construction carbon emissions: 12.4 MtCO2e in 2021-22.

Statistic 101

Recycling rate of construction waste in WA: 78% in 2022.

Statistic 102

Prefab/modular adoption reduced site accidents by 25% in WA pilots 2022.

Statistic 103

WA building code compliance rate: 94.5% in 2022 inspections.

Statistic 104

Heat stress incidents in WA construction: 180 reported in summer 2022-23.

Statistic 105

85% of WA sites had mental health first aid trained staff in 2023.

1/105

Sources

Trusted by 500+ publications

+497

Behind the soaring cranes and bustling worksites, Western Australia's building industry isn't just shaping the state's skyline—it's powering its economy with record employment, wages, and a transformative $48.3 billion in engineering projects that highlight both its massive contributions and the pressing challenges of skilled labour shortages and safety.

Key Takeaways

In 2022, Western Australia's building industry employed 128,400 full-time equivalent workers, marking a 4.8% increase from 2021.
The average weekly earnings for construction workers in WA reached $2,150 in the June 2023 quarter, up 6.2% year-on-year.
Females accounted for 12.5% of the WA construction workforce in 2022, with 16,000 women employed in the sector.
In 2021-22, WA's building industry contributed $32.4 billion to GDP, 8.2% of state total.
Total building work done in WA reached $28.7 billion in 2022-23.
Residential building approvals value in WA was $15.2 billion in 2022.
In 2022, WA approved 18,450 new dwellings, a 15% rise from 2021.
Detached house approvals in WA totaled 12,200 units valued at $8.9 billion in 2022.
Multi-residential dwellings approved in Perth metro area: 4,850 units in 2022.
In 2022, WA non-residential building approvals totalled 1,250 projects valued at $6.8 billion.
Office building work done in WA reached $1.9 billion in 2022.
Retail and wholesale non-residential approvals value: $2.1 billion in WA 2022.
In 2022-23, WA road and bridge infrastructure projects totalled $7.2 billion in value.
Rail infrastructure expenditure in WA reached $4.8 billion in 2022.
Water supply and sewerage construction value: $2.1 billion in WA 2022.

WA's building industry is growing strongly but faces persistent skilled worker shortages.

Construction Value and Output

In 2021-22, WA's building industry contributed $32.4 billion to GDP, 8.2% of state total.
Total building work done in WA reached $28.7 billion in 2022-23.
Residential building approvals value in WA was $15.2 billion in 2022.
Non-residential construction output grew 12.4% to $13.5 billion in WA 2022.
Engineering construction turnover in WA hit $45.6 billion in 2022-23.
WA building industry GVA increased by 7.9% to $29.1 billion in 2021-22.
Contracts awarded for building work in WA totaled $22.4 billion in 2022.
Inflation in WA construction costs rose 9.2% in 2022.
Value of work commenced in WA buildings was $26.8 billion in 2022-23.
Public sector building expenditure in WA was $4.7 billion in 2022.
Private non-residential building value added $9.3 billion to WA economy in 2022.
WA construction exports (services) valued $1.2 billion in 2022.
Building activity chain volume measures grew 6.5% in WA 2022.
Total factor productivity in WA construction improved 2.1% in 2021-22.
WA builders' margins averaged 4.8% in 2022 amid rising costs.
Capital expenditure on construction in WA was $18.9 billion in 2022-23.
Industry revenue for WA building grew 11.3% to $41.2 billion in 2022.
Profit before tax in WA construction firms averaged 5.2% in 2022.

Construction Value and Output Interpretation

While wrestling with a painful 9.2% cost inflation, WA's construction sector still managed to be the state's economic engine room, hammering out over $45 billion in engineering work and adding nearly $30 billion in value, all while builder's margins were squeezed to a wafer-thin 4.8%.

Employment and Labour

In 2022, Western Australia's building industry employed 128,400 full-time equivalent workers, marking a 4.8% increase from 2021.
The average weekly earnings for construction workers in WA reached $2,150 in the June 2023 quarter, up 6.2% year-on-year.
Females accounted for 12.5% of the WA construction workforce in 2022, with 16,000 women employed in the sector.
Apprentices and trainees in WA's building industry numbered 8,200 in 2022, comprising 6.4% of the total workforce.
The construction sector in WA had a labour productivity of $248,000 per full-time worker in 2021-22.
Over 25,000 construction jobs were added in WA between 2020 and 2022 due to infrastructure booms.
In 2023, 42% of WA builders reported skilled labour shortages as their primary challenge.
WA construction unemployment rate stood at 3.8% in mid-2023, below the national average of 4.2%.
The industry trained 4,500 new entrants via TAFE programs in WA in 2022.
Indigenous employment in WA building reached 3.2% or 4,100 workers in 2022.
Migrant workers made up 28% of WA's construction workforce in 2022, totaling 35,900 individuals.
Average hours worked per week by WA construction employees was 39.2 in 2023.
15,200 construction workers in WA were aged 25-34 in 2022, the largest age cohort at 11.8%.
Wage growth in WA building industry was 5.7% annually from 2021-2023.
7.1% of WA construction firms employed over 20 workers in 2022.
Job vacancy rate in WA construction hit 4.5% in Q2 2023.
2,800 construction managers were employed in WA in 2022.
Turnover rate in WA building industry was 12.4% in 2022.
18% growth in female apprentices in WA construction from 2020-2022.
WA construction overtime hours averaged 4.2 per week in 2023.

Employment and Labour Interpretation

While riding a wave of infrastructure-driven prosperity that pushed employment and wages to new heights, WA's building industry is a high-performance engine that is—despite its best efforts to train, diversify, and import talent—running worryingly hot, as it strains against its own success with acute skilled labour shortages, high vacancies, and a frantic turnover rate.

Infrastructure Projects

In 2022-23, WA road and bridge infrastructure projects totalled $7.2 billion in value.
Rail infrastructure expenditure in WA reached $4.8 billion in 2022.
Water supply and sewerage construction value: $2.1 billion in WA 2022.
WA airports and ports upgrades: $1.9 billion committed in 2022-23.
Electricity generation and transmission projects in WA: $3.4 billion in 2022.
Telecommunications infrastructure build value: $850 million in WA 2022.
WA heavy rail projects pipeline: 12 major works valued $10.2 billion.
Road resurfacing and maintenance contracts: $1.5 billion annually in WA.
Flood mitigation infrastructure in WA: $650 million in 2022 projects.
WA desalination plant expansions: $2.2 billion over 2022-25.
Pipeline construction for resources sector: $1.8 billion in WA 2022.
Public transport interchanges built: 8 new in WA 2022 costing $420 million.
WA renewable energy infrastructure: 15 projects worth $5.6 billion in 2022.
Total engineering construction work done in WA: $48.3 billion in 2022-23.
Bridge construction and replacement: 45 projects valued $900 million in WA 2022.

Infrastructure Projects Interpretation

Despite seemingly trying to pave the entire state with gold, Western Australia is actually building a remarkably balanced and forward-looking foundation, from keeping the lights on and the water fresh to moving people and goods with a side of flood protection and renewable ambition.

Non-Residential Building

In 2022, WA non-residential building approvals totalled 1,250 projects valued at $6.8 billion.
Office building work done in WA reached $1.9 billion in 2022.
Retail and wholesale non-residential approvals value: $2.1 billion in WA 2022.
Factory and warehouse construction in WA: 320 approvals worth $1.4 billion in 2022.
Health and aged care facilities building value in WA: $1.2 billion in 2022.
Education building projects in WA totalled $900 million in approvals 2022.
Hospitality non-residential work commenced: $650 million in WA 2022.
Public order and safety buildings value: $1.1 billion in WA 2022.
Culture and recreation non-residential approvals: $850 million in 2022 WA.
WA non-residential floor area approved: 1.2 million sqm in 2022.
Alterations and additions to non-residential: $2.3 billion in WA 2022.
Perth CBD office developments: 5 major projects valued $1.5 billion in 2022.
Industrial building costs per sqm in WA: $1,850 in 2023.
14% growth in WA non-residential work done in 2022.
Religious and other non-residential approvals: $250 million in WA 2022.
WA non-residential under construction value: $12.4 billion in 2022.

Non-Residential Building Interpretation

Western Australia is busily building a future where we work in offices, shop in malls, stock warehouses, heal in hospitals, learn in schools, relax in pubs, get locked up in prisons, and occasionally pray about it all, to the prosperous tune of billions.

Residential Building

In 2022, WA approved 18,450 new dwellings, a 15% rise from 2021.
Detached house approvals in WA totaled 12,200 units valued at $8.9 billion in 2022.
Multi-residential dwellings approved in Perth metro area: 4,850 units in 2022.
Average value of new WA homes approved was $512,000 in 2022.
Housing starts in WA increased 22% to 14,300 in 2022-23.
WA residential completions reached 16,800 dwellings in 2022.
Detached housing accounted for 68% of WA residential approvals in 2022.
Median time to build a house in WA was 9.2 months in 2022.
42,500 new homes were needed annually in WA to meet demand in 2023.
Residential renovation work in WA valued $3.4 billion in 2022.
Perth saw 11,200 residential building approvals in 2022, 62% of state total.
WA social housing completions: 1,200 units in 2022.
Average floor area of new WA detached homes: 245 sqm in 2022.
Residential building costs per sqm in WA rose to $2,450 in 2023.
7.8% increase in WA house builds under construction in 2022.
WA regional residential approvals: 5,600 in 2022.
Owner-builder residential permits issued in WA: 2,100 in 2022.
Modular/prefab homes approvals in WA grew 18% to 850 units in 2022.

Residential Building Interpretation

While approvals and starts surged in 2022, the stark reality is that building almost 18,500 new homes—a commendable effort whose average value barely topped half a million—still left us a daunting 24,000 units short of what’s needed annually, proving that for all our hammering, we’re still desperately playing catch-up.

Safety and Industry Trends

WA lost time injury frequency rate in construction was 1.2 per million hours in 2022.
28 fatalities recorded in WA building and construction in 2022.
92% of WA construction firms reported safety training compliance in 2023 survey.
High-risk work licences issued in WA construction: 12,500 in 2022.
WA construction incident notification rate: 4.8 per 100 workers in 2022.
Fall from height incidents accounted for 35% of serious injuries in WA construction 2022.
76% adoption rate of digital safety tech in WA large builders in 2023.
WA construction mental health claims: 450 cases in 2022.
Safety audits conducted: 4,200 on WA sites in 2022.
Musculoskeletal disorders: 42% of WA construction claims in 2022.
WA builders' sustainability reporting: 68% complied in 2022.
Digital twins used in 22% of WA major projects for safety in 2023.
WA construction carbon emissions: 12.4 MtCO2e in 2021-22.
Recycling rate of construction waste in WA: 78% in 2022.
Prefab/modular adoption reduced site accidents by 25% in WA pilots 2022.
WA building code compliance rate: 94.5% in 2022 inspections.
Heat stress incidents in WA construction: 180 reported in summer 2022-23.
85% of WA sites had mental health first aid trained staff in 2023.

Safety and Industry Trends Interpretation

The statistics paint a picture of an industry diligently checking its safety boxes yet still haunted by preventable tragedies, where high training compliance and mental health support coexist with the stark, sobering reality of fatalities and falls.

Sources & References

Logos provided by Logo.dev