Portugal — Local Service Costs (Electrician, Plumber, Mason, Cleaner)
Typical Lisbon rates for the four home-service trades most new arrivals end up needing in their first months: electrician, plumber, mason/handyman, and house cleaner. These are marketplace-derived averages and ranges, not official fixed prices — treat them as budgeting guidance, not a quote.
These day-to-day trade costs rarely show up in relocation budget templates but add up fast during move-in — electrical fixes, plumbing repairs, furniture assembly, and regular cleaning. Knowing a realistic range upfront avoids a budget surprise in the first few months.
Key Facts
These are Lisbon-specific marketplace rates (Fixando), not a national Portugal average — expect lower rates outside Lisbon and the coast, higher in touristy areas.
Mason/general-contractor work is almost always quoted per-project rather than per-hour once it's beyond a small repair — budget by scope of work, not by an hourly rate.
Rates reflect the formal marketplace; informal word-of-mouth arrangements are often cheaper but carry less recourse if something goes wrong.
Costs
Electrician (hourly): €10–50/hr, typically ~€23/hr
Electrician (fixed callout incl. travel): €30–70, typically ~€53
Plumber (hourly): €35–90/hr, typically ~€53/hr
Plumber (fixed callout, job-dependent): €20–3,000 depending on job scope, typically ~€171 for a standard repair
Mason / general contractor (project quote): €400–29,800 depending on scope, typically ~€2,271 for a full contractor project
House cleaner (hourly): €6–100/hr, typically ~€12/hr
Common Mistakes
Budgeting for a mason/contractor job using an hourly rate instead of a project quote — most real jobs are priced per-scope, and hourly figures for this trade are unreliable.
Cross-check
Expatistan independently lists Lisbon house-cleaning at roughly €10/hr, close to Fixando's €12/hr average — the two sources broadly agree.