Up to 2000 euros

Craftsman bonus should also help against “botching”

The craftsmen's bonus is intended to help businesses. According to a new study, a third of Austrians are planning to take advantage of the bonus. One in two even want to bring forward investments. Without the bonus, however, most would prefer to do the work themselves or with friends or have "bodgers" do the work.

In the fourth quarter, trade and crafts recorded their fourth real decline in a row. "We still have a long way to go towards normality. But the curve of expectations is pointing upwards," says Renate Scheichelbauer-Schuster, Chairwoman of the WKO.

Expensive raw materials, high taxes and price increases for energy are the biggest burdens on businesses. Only a minority of companies are expecting better turnover for the current quarter, with 30 percent even anticipating a decline. 

Renate Scheichelbauer-Schuster: "The bonus provides an incentive for repairs."(Bild: Foto Lagler)

A government measure is intended to help, as the industry is hoping that the newly introduced handyman bonus will provide a boost. 20 percent of the costs for a tradesman will be reimbursed, from an amount of 500 euros up to a maximum of 10,000 euros. This applies retroactively from March, so up to 2,000 euros will be subsidized. Important: This only applies to working time, the bonus does not apply to material costs. This year and next year, the government has a total of 300 million euros available for this purpose.

Residents most often think of various renovation works. According to the Market Institute, painting and decorating work, sanitary installations and tiling are very popular. Many would even bring forward projects or carry out previously unplanned work, with one in two planning to do so according to the Market survey. However, this could also include (minor) home repairs.

More "botches" without a craftsman bonus
"The measure is self-financing", Scheichelbauer-Schuster is convinced, as this means that more money is spent in this direction. It also helps to prevent botched work. According to the survey, the majority said they would not hire a company without a bonus, and only 37% would use professional tradespeople. Just under a fifth would do it themselves, a quarter would ask friends for help and 12% would rather invest in a "bungler", while 20% of under-30s would pay a tradesman "illegally".

Even though undeclared work can sometimes be cheaper despite the tradesman bonus, 43% of Austrians are convinced that the bonus helps to prevent undeclared work. "It is a clear incentive to employ professional, reliable tradespeople," says Scheichelbauer-Schuster.

In addition to the tradesman bonus, the repair bonus, which was introduced some time ago, is also in demand. It even reimburses 50 percent of the repair costs, up to a maximum of 200 euros. This means that significantly more electrical appliances are being repaired - and only with an official invoice, otherwise the bonus will not be paid. It has already been paid out over 900,000 times.