Finding a reliable tradesperson in Zagreb becomes a nightmare as labour costs soar

Finding a reliable tradesperson in the Croatian capital Zagreb has turned into a nightmare for many residents.

Whether it’s a small repair or a full flat renovation, the city is grappling with a severe shortage of skilled workers, skyrocketing prices, and no guarantees of quality.

Frustrated homeowners are increasingly abandoning their plans altogether as the market spirals into chaos.

Take Boris Majić, for example. He was left speechless after getting quotes to renovate his 50-square-metre flat. The lowest offer came in at €20,000 for a turnkey job, while the next jumped to a staggering €70,000—for the exact same work.

“It’s baffling,” Boris told HRT. “How can there be such a gap? What’s going on here?”

What’s going on, it seems, is simple supply and demand. With too few tradespeople to meet the city’s needs, prices have soared beyond what most can afford.

The Zagreb Chamber of Trades and Crafts knows something’s off.

“There’s clearly a problem,” Antun Trojnar, the chamber’s president, told HRT. “Competition should level things out, but it’s not. Either one quote’s suspiciously low, or the other’s wildly inflated. We’re all paying roughly the same for labour and materials—yet workers are nowhere to be found.”

The most sought-after trades—tilers, plumbers, and flooring specialists—are especially hard to come by. For many, hiring a good tradesperson feels like a mission impossible.

One elderly resident shared her struggle: “I’ve got a door that needs painting. I’m 80, and it’s falling apart. If a tradesperson says €1,000, I budget €2,000. If they say a week, I expect two. That’s just how it goes.”

Even vocational schools, which are seeing record interest from students, can’t keep up.

Anto Vidović, head of Zagreb’s Industrial and Construction Vocational School, revealed, “For one tiling spot, we enrolled 26 people from a total of 180 applicants.

”Youngsters like 17-year-old Filip Budin, a third-year bricklaying student, are eager to join the trade. “I love this job,” Filip said.

“My dad taught me to love it, and I’ll stick with construction for life.” With solid earnings and a long list of jobs waiting, it’s easy to see why.