Freelance Builder Pay Trends: August 2014

Hudson Contract delivers the most accurate indications of pay trends across the construction industry, using payroll data for over 2,200 construction companies to publish the average pay for the full spectrum of 17 different trades across five regions.

It’s been a nationwide earnings bonanza this month – with all five regions showing significant increases. The majority of freelance builders are now on at least £630 a week. . . and the figure rises to £713 in the South-East.

Hudson Contract Managing Director Ian Anfield comments: “Summer is traditionally a good time for construction, because of the longer days and good weather, and this year is no exception. It’s the first time we’ve seen an across-the-board earnings increase this year. In the South-East the month-on-month hike is 9%, and when you consider that even the smallest increase, in the Midlands, is 4.5%, it’s clear the construction industry is buzzing.”

In particular, it pays – literally – to be a shopfitter at present. It’s the highest-earning trade, with those in the North-West, heading towards the £1,000 a week milestone (the average rate has risen to £962), those in the South-East on £902, and shopfitters in the rest of the country all earning more than £720 a week.

In fact, of the 85 trade sectors split across the five Hudson Contract regions, only 14 are at a lower level than three months ago – and none of those are in the South-East.

Winners:

• Specialist Trades in the South-West:  +20.79%
• Surfacing Contractors in the North-East:  +20.32%
• M&E in the North-West:  +18.14%

Losers:

• Plasterers in the North-West: -14.60%
• Steel & Timber Frame Erectors in the Midlands: -13.82%
• Steel & Timber Frame Erectors in the North-East: -10.93%

Looking at the broader national picture, the latest Markit/CIPS construction report mirrors the upward earning curve with all areas continuing to grow during July and housebuilding continuing to lead the way with its biggest output since November 2013.

Sustained growth now forecast…

Additionally, the Construction Products Association is predicting the industry will grow by about over 22% in the next five years.

Ten percent of this will happen in the next two years, the Association says, which will add about £11 billion to the economy, with office building, and warehouse schemes joining housebuilding in leading the way.

…Faster payment, too

There’s also encouraging news from the National Specialist Contractors Council. Their Q2 survey shows four in ten contractors are working at or above 90% capacity, and that 84% of those who took part report 75%+ capacity.

Equally important, payment practices to contractors is improving with over 16% of contractors being paid within 30 days – the highest figure ever recorded by the survey.

Ian Anfield concludes: “An excellent month, great prospects, but just one note of caution: While the increase in earnings is great news for freelance builders, it does cause potential headaches for contractors. Rising labour costs plus greater demand for skilled labour is liable to squeeze the margins calculated on the original tender prices.

“It’s great news, of course, that construction is coming out of recession, but as with any industry, growth needs to be steady to ensure that everyone benefits.”