Other professions seeing pay rise include M&E operatives and shopfitters

Skilled trades such as bricklayers, plasterers and electricians are cashing in on a booming housing and home improvements market with weekly wages going up by an average of 20% in a year.

Other trades seeing their wages jump since last April include roofers and joiners, according to data provided by self-employed payroll provider Hudson Contract.

bricklayers

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Bricklayers鈥 pay packets have jumped by more than a third in a year, data from payroll firm Hudson Contract says

Figures released by the East Yorkshire-based firm show the weekly pay packets of bricklayers jumped by 39% to 拢930 in April 2021, while electricians pocketed a 20% hike with weekly earnings now hitting four figures at an average of 拢1,031.

Away from the housing market, other trades to benefit from the pent-up demand caused by lockdown easing and homeowners eager to spend cash piles built up during lockdown include M&E operatives with their weekly pay packets up 23% to 拢1,011 and shopfitters 鈥 called in to make retail stores compliant with government covid regulations 鈥 who have seen their weekly pay packets rocket one third to 拢1,045 last month.

Hudson Contracts said the data was based on more than 2,500 firms it works for throughout England and Wales.

Its managing director Ian Anfield added: 鈥淭he housing market is in a state of frenzy with mortgage lending rising to record levels, homeowners are spending cash piles built up during lockdowns on renovation and remodelling work and the government is proceeding with mega-projects and shovel-ready schemes.

鈥淭he UK economy is roaring so the challenge now is for the construction industry to keep pace whilst dealing with spikes in demand for skilled labour and materials.鈥

Anfield also added his voice to the growing list who have flagged the current materials shortages as the biggest problem facing the industry 鈥 which he said was now eclipsing traditional worries over getting hold of labour.

Average rates for different trades

TRADEAPRIL 2020 AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGSAPRIL 2021 AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS
BRICKLAYING 拢670 拢930
CIVIL ENGINEERING 拢625 拢839
DEMOLITION & WRECKING 拢753 拢766
ELECTRICAL 拢857 拢1,031
EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE 拢793 拢851
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION 拢760 拢887
INSULATION 拢804 拢881
JOINERY 拢827 拢967
MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING 拢822 拢1,011
PLASTERING 拢660 拢761
PLUMBING 拢921 拢925
ROOFING 拢610 拢733
SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING 拢607 拢731
SHOP FITTING 拢789 拢1,045
SPECIALIST TRADES 拢757 拢832
STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION 拢579 拢949
SURFACING CONTRACTORS 拢659 拢824
Source: Hudson Contracts