Fixed Fee vs Hourly Conveyancing in NSW: Which One Actually Saves You Money

Before you can compare models, you need a realistic baseline.

For a standard residential purchase in NSW in 2025–2026, the total cost of conveyancing – professional fees plus disbursements – typically lands between $1,500 and $2,500 for buyers and $2,000 to $3,000 for sellers (sellers pay more because they’re responsible for preparing the contract of sale).

That range covers two separate buckets:

• Professional fees – what you pay the conveyancer or solicitor for their time and expertise
• Disbursements – mandatory third-party costs paid on your behalf (title searches, council certificates, PEXA settlement platform fees, Land Registry lodgement fees, and so on)

Disbursements in NSW typically add $300 to $600 on top of the professional fee, regardless of which billing model you choose. They’re not optional – they’re real government and platform charges that have to be paid.

The PEXA electronic settlement fee alone, for a standard transfer of land in NSW, sits at around $140.58 (GST inclusive) as of mid-2025. That’s before you add the Section 10.7 planning certificate ($50–$100), the water information statement ($50–$120), and Land Registry lodgement fees that can run $300–$500 depending on the property.

How Fixed Fee Conveyancing Works

With a fixed fee structure, you agree on a single price before any work begins. A reputable quote will bundle the professional fee and all standard disbursements into one number. You know exactly what you’ll pay at settlement – full stop.

What a genuine all-inclusive fixed fee covers:

• Contract review and negotiation of conditions
• Title searches and verification
• Liaison with your lender, the other party’s conveyancer, and relevant government bodies
• Preparation and lodgement of transfer documents
• Electronic settlement via PEXA
• Standard disbursements (council rates certificate, water certificate, title search, PEXA fee, Land Registry fees)

The key word is all-inclusive. A fixed fee quote that excludes disbursements is not a fixed fee – it’s a partial quote dressed up as one.

How Hourly Conveyancing Works (and Where It Gets Expensive)

Hourly billing charges you for every unit of time spent on your matter. In NSW, solicitors and some conveyancers billing by the hour typically charge $200 to $350 per hour.

On paper, a simple transaction might take 8–12 hours of professional time, which puts you in the $1,600–$4,200 range for professional fees alone – before disbursements.

The problem isn’t the hourly rate itself. It’s the unpredictability.

Every phone call, every email, every request to review a special condition, every delay caused by the other party – it all goes on the clock. If your vendor’s solicitor is slow to respond, if your lender takes an extra week to issue formal approval, or if you want to negotiate a longer settlement period, you’re paying for every minute of that back-and-forth.

We’ve seen straightforward purchases where the final bill came in 40–60% higher than the initial estimate, simply because the transaction took longer than expected. That’s not a scam – it’s just how hourly billing works. Time is the variable, and in property transactions, time is rarely fully in your control.

The Hidden Cost Trap in “Cheap” Quotes

This is where things get genuinely murky, and it applies to both billing models.

Some firms – particularly those advertising very low entry prices like $799 or $899 – are quoting professional fees only. Disbursements are listed separately, often in fine print, and can add $400–$600 to the final bill.

Others quote a low fixed fee that covers only a narrow scope of “standard” work. The moment anything falls outside that scope – a complex easement, a special condition, a delayed settlement – you’re switched to an hourly rate or charged a flat “additional fee” per item.

Questions to ask any conveyancer before you engage them:

• Does your quote include all disbursements, or are they charged separately?
• What triggers additional fees, and how much are they?
• Is the PEXA fee included?
• Are council and water certificates included?
• What happens if settlement is delayed – do I pay more?

A genuinely transparent fixed fee conveyancer NSW will answer all of these questions clearly and in writing before you sign anything.

Fixed Fee vs Hourly: A Real-World Cost Comparison

Let’s run the numbers on a typical Sydney purchase at $900,000.

The fixed fee model doesn’t always win on the lowest possible number – if your transaction is genuinely simple and quick, an hourly bill could theoretically come in lower. But that scenario is rare in practice. Most NSW residential transactions hit at least one snag, and one snag on an hourly model can wipe out any theoretical saving.

When Hourly Billing Might Make Sense

To be fair: hourly billing isn’t always the wrong choice.

It can make sense for highly complex transactions – off-the-plan purchases with unusual sunset clauses, commercial property with mixed-use zoning, or matters involving deceased estates and multiple beneficiaries. In those cases, the work genuinely can’t be scoped upfront, and a fixed fee provider may either refuse the work or quote a high buffer to cover their risk.

For a standard residential purchase or sale in NSW, though? Fixed fee is the more predictable, usually cheaper option.

What to Look for in a Fixed Fee Quote

Not all fixed fee quotes are equal. Here’s what separates a genuine one from a marketing line:

• GST is included in the quoted figure (not added at the end)
• All standard disbursements are itemised and included
• The scope of “standard work” is clearly defined in writing
• Additional fee triggers are disclosed upfront – not buried in the engagement letter
• The conveyancer is licensed under the Conveyancers Licensing Act 2003 (NSW) – you can verify this through NSW Fair Trading

Under the Conveyancers Licensing Regulation 2021, licensed conveyancers in NSW are legally required to provide cost estimates in writing and to act honestly and fairly with clients. If a quote is vague or verbal, that’s a red flag regardless of the billing model.