UK Housing Market Is in Dire Need of Skilled Tradesmen

Due to recent economic downturns and a depressed housing market, the United Kingdom is currently facing a skilled tradesmen crisis, as well as experiencing a drastic fall in the number of carpenters, plumbers, and bricklayers. Ever since the recession, many skilled tradesmen have either moved to another country or started a new career.

In the past year, the numbers for skilled tradesmen went down by 7%, with plumbers having the worst hit of a 25% drop. The figures for bricklayers went down by 19% while the figures for window cleaners went down by 18%. Likewise, the figures for joiners plummeted by 17%, roofers by 11%, gardeners by 9%, builders by 7%, carpenters by 7%, decorators and painters by 5%, and plasterers by 3%.

However, the housing market is starting to recover. Hence, skilled tradesmen are once again needed to build houses. Plasterers, bricklayers, and electricians are amongst the most in demand tradesmen. Carpenters and bricklayers are actually the most sough-after tradesmen in London, while scaffolders are highly in demand in the West Midlands and plasterers are badly needed in the East of England.

Is Now a Good Time for Skilled Tradesmen to Take on Jobs on the Housing Market?

The shortage of skilled workers in the UK has caused wages to go up drastically. In fact, the pay for engineers, tradesmen, and builders as skilled workers has soared four times faster than inflation. A lot of companies are in constant search for tradespeople who are skilled and trained in more than just one area, including tiling, plumbing, and joinery for bathroom installations.

Despite having a crisis in the economy, now is still a good time for skilled tradesmen to earn good money. A study conducted by a leading firm in white collar recruitment has found that the shortage of skilled workers in the UK has driven up wages, with the salaries for many professions increasing in double digit percentage. The salaries in the construction industry continue to increase rapidly. Engineers, architects, site managers, builders, and surveyors are also in demand.

According to a survey conducted by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), 2/3 of building companies all over the country have already turned down work due to lack of manpower since August of 2015. Many construction firms are lacking in resources. This forces them to either refuse new business or outsource work.

Despite the good earning potentials of skilled tradesmen, many young individuals still remain unconvinced and uninterested to start a career in construction. They think that the construction industry is not lucrative at all. The fact that 1/3 of school career advisers continue to discourage their students from working in this sector does not help improve the image of the construction industry either.

However, the FMB says that a young bricklayer who has had at least five years of work experience can earn as much as £31,000, which is way higher than the national average. A similarly qualified bricklayer can make more money in London. He can earn as much as £52,000.

What’s more, it is possible for bricklayers to earn £1,000 per week since there are lots of developers who are willing to pay a good sum of money if the quality and level of production are right. This only proves that great opportunities are presented to highly skilled tradesmen, which is why young individuals should not be discouraged from entering this sector.

How Much are Skilled Tradesmen Earning?

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), average earnings were reported to increase by 0.9% over the past year. Currently, the average weekly salary of workers is £479. The ONS has also revealed that the prices of houses continued to increase. From 5.5% in December of 2013, their prices went up by 6.8% in January of 2014.

Hays, a white collar recruitment group, says that the salaries of skilled workers went up by 1.8%. They also said that because of such shortage, hiring skilled tradesmen from other countries may be necessary. International recruitment can create a better economic growth in the country as well as provide jobs for more people. When you create skilled jobs, they create more jobs around them.

As the building sector in the United Kingdom booms, construction workers are earning 6-fixgure salaries. According to Mark Farmer, EC Harris’ property consultant, builders can command high salaries due to the shortage in manpower. The day rates of bricklayers in London went up to £150 to £200 per day. Those that are more industrious and experienced can make up to £100,000 per year.