Shopfitters in New South Wales (NSW)

Your complete guide to shopfitting in New South Wales: licensing, approvals, real costs and how to find a licensed shopfitter for your next retail, hospitality or commercial fitout.

Who regulates shopfitting in New South Wales?

Shopfitting in NSW sits under NSW Fair Trading (Home Building Act 1989). Most shopfitting work above $5,000 (labour and materials) must be carried out by a licensed contractor, and contracts above $5,000 have specific written-contract requirements. If your premises sits in a shopping centre, the centre’s tenancy fitout guidelines will also apply alongside any council requirements.

What does a shopfitting cost in New South Wales?

As a guide, Sydney retail fitouts typically range from about $1,500 to $3,500+ per square metre depending on the level of finish, with hospitality fitouts often higher due to kitchen and extraction requirements. Always compare at least three itemised quotes.

Key areas we cover

Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Central Coast. Our NSW directory (below) lists shopfitters by service area.

Before you sign a lease

• Confirm the licence: ask for the contractor’s licence number and verify it with NSW Fair Trading.
• Get the fitout guidelines from the landlord or centre manager before design starts.
• Check if your use triggers change-of-use approval, accessibility upgrades (AS 1428) or services upgrades.
• Insist on an itemised quote: make-good obligations, after-hours access and services caps are where budgets blow out.