Clear, Transparent Pricing — Because You Deserve to Know the True Cost of Care.”
Home Carers offers straightforward pricing starting at $53.97 per hour, with loyalty discounts and referral rewards. No hidden charges, no long-term contracts — just compassionate care when you need it.
Why Transparent Pricing Matters
Many providers advertise “from” rates, only to add hidden fees, minimum hours, or rigid contracts later. At Home Carers, we keep things simple:
- Prices clearly stated, starting from $53.97 + gst p/hr
- Loyalty Discounts: Save 5–10% when booking 3–6 months in advance
- Referral Rewards: 10% discount off your 1st invoice
- No locked in contracts or red tape
Hidden Costs in Facility Care (Comparison)
Table: Home Carers vs Rest Home / Retirement Facility
Care Option | Weekly Cost | What’s Included | Hidden Costs |
Home Carers | From $108 p/wk | Home Help, Flexible scheduling | None — all outlined before care starts |
Rest Homes | From $1,500 + p/wk | Room, meals, some care support | Extra charges for hospital visits, outings, personal items, therapies |
Retirement Villages | Purchase price from $659,000 + $175.83 weekly fees | Accommodation, community facilities | Ongoing fees, resale loss, limited personal care |
Hospital-Level Care | From $2,000 + p/wk | 24/7 nursing support | Loss of independence, shared rooms, long waitlists |
Home Carers vs Other Home Care Agencies
Rather than quoting their prices (which change), we compare what typically adds cost or reduces flexibility.
Feature | Home Carers | Typical Agencies |
Contracts / lock‑ins | Flexible with full refunds | Fixed terms/common |
Assessment Fee | Free | Often $150 - $200+ |
Setup fee | $197+ gst | Often $200+ |
Travel/mileage | Capped at 15km to and from a client's location | Per‑km + per‑shift charges |
Weekend/PH surcharges | Clearly stated upfront | Often complex/variable |
Cancellation terms | Cancel any time | Strict notice periods |
Continuity of carer | High priority | Lower (larger rosters) |
Short‑notice support | Yes, responsive | Limited / extra fees |
Local ownership | Christchurch & Tauranga | Often national chains |
Overnight support | 10 hours (9pm - 7am) | 8 hours (10pm - 6am) |
Carer Support | We pay our Carers Fairly | Carers often under-paid |
Smart + Fast Communications | We provide real time updates | Often use outdated systems |
Home Carers may not be the cheapest, but we are the most flexible, transparent, and reliable — with no hidden fees, no contracts, and trusted carers. While it’s often hard to find prices from most agencies, our prices are transparent and can be seen within all our service pages unless we require more information.
Our Pricing Packages (ex gst)
We require a 3 hour minimum visit to ensure our carers are looked after.
- Hourly Weekday Support: $53.97 p/hr
- Hourly Weekend Support: $63.00 p/hr
- Hourly Holiday Support: $67 p/hr
- Overnight Sleepover Support: 9pm – 7am (10 hours)
1–2 nights per week – $345
3–4 nights per week – $330
5+ nights per week – $315 - Waking Night Support: 9pm – 7am (10 hours) $53.97 p/hr
- 24-Hour In-Home Care:
Daily from $1,080
Weekly from $7,560 Add 15% for Weekends
Loyalty Discounts- Referral Reward: 10% Off your first invoice
- 3-months advance: 5% Off
- 6-months advance: 10% Off
The Not so Small Print
We want your experience with Home Carers to be smooth, transparent, and supportive. Below are a few key details to help you understand how we work around our pricing:
Advance Payment
We require an upfront payment before services begin. This is simply credited to your first invoices, ensuring everything is transparent from the start. Ongoing payments are made fortnightly by direct debit, with invoices and timesheets provided for review before any funds are debited.
Cancellation Policy
Unlike most agencies, you can cancel care at any time, but we kindly ask for 7 days’ notice where possible.
Our Carers and Training
All of our carers hold a current First Aid certificate, a valid driver’s licence, hold insurance, and they have been police vetted and interviewed for your peace of mind. We take great care in selecting carers who are not only skilled and qualified, but also kind, trustworthy, and committed to supporting older people with respect and compassion. Our carers are all unique and have different levels of training and are matched to loved ones dependent on their qualifications and/or experience.
In-Home Assessment
Free. Normally valued at $279, we meet you or your loved one wherever they are, to understand your needs, concerns and requirements and for us to develop a personalised care plan.
Onboarding
$197+gst. This is our Set up administration fee required for all new clients to finalise a care plan and onboard our Carers. Paid on confirmation. This involves an initial meet and greet with a proposed carer and carer orientation.
Payments
Your first payment will be made in advance and then via direct debit from then on. You'll receive an invoice and have access to a timesheet with every payment for full transparency. Payments are debited fortnightly. If something comes up unexpectedly, we’ll do our best to arrange care quickly and ensure you or your loved one are well looked after.
Overnights
Our overnight support provides reassurance and responsive care from 9pm to 7am. Overnight care is designed for situations where support during the night is occasional and responsive. If care needs increase significantly, we will review the structure to ensure safety and sustainability.
To ensure the wellbeing and sustainability of our carers, families must provide a separate private bedroom with at least a double bed for overnight placements. This allows our carers to rest appropriately between support needs while remaining fully responsible and on-site.
Travel Costs
Our carers travel throughout the community to support the people we care for. To ensure carers are fairly reimbursed for vehicle use, mileage may apply in two situations
Travel to your loved one’s home
Mileage may be charged for travel between the carer’s home and your loved one’s home. This is charged at the IRD recommended mileage rate per kilometre and is capped at 15km each way per visit to keep costs predictable.
Travel during a care visit If a carer uses their vehicle while supporting your loved one — for example attending appointments, shopping, or going on outings — the distance travelled during the shift will be charged at the IRD mileage rate per kilometre. There is no minimum distance or cap for mileage incurred while supporting a client during a shift. Mileage charges are passed directly to the carer to cover their travel costs, and Home Carers does not retain any portion of these charges. Where possible, we aim to match clients with carers who live nearby to help keep travel costs low
Weekends
Weekend hours begin at 5pm on Friday and end at 7am on Monday. Weekends have a 15% surcharge.
Holidays
Holiday hours are based on official New Zealand dates. Holidays have a 20% surcharge.
Emergency Care
Support that’s needed within the next two days. If something comes up unexpectedly, we’ll do our best to arrange care quickly and ensure you or your loved one are well looked after. Emergency Care has a 50% surcharge.
Why Families Choose Us
✅ Transparent, simple pricing
✅ No contracts. You can make changes when required
✅ Flexible, responsive care — even at short notice
✅ Locally owned, Christchurch and Tauranga based
✅ Experienced, kind carers hand-picked for your family
How much does in‑home care cost in Christchurch and Tauranga?
Our pricing starts at $53.97 per hour with clear weekend and PH rates. Most families begin with 3–6 hours a week.
Is in‑home care cheaper than a rest home?
It depends on how many hours you need and the facility’s add‑ons, but generally we are much more affordable.
Do you charge setup, assessment, or travel fees?
No assessment fees but we do charge a $197 set up fee. Travel is charged at the national IRD rate. Any surcharges (e.g., public holidays) are displayed upfront.
Do I have to sign a long‑term contract?
No. We’re flexible: You can add or reduce hours as life changes.
Can you start at short notice?
Yes — in most cases we can arrange support quickly. We’ll be honest about availability and timing.
Want a personalised quote for your parent’s care?