Freelance Builder Pay Trends: January 2014

Hudson Contract delivers the most accurate indications of pay trends across the construction industry, using payroll data for over 2,200 construction companies and over 125,000 freelance builders to publish the average pay for the full spectrum of 17 different trades across five regions.

Last year ended with an earnings boom for freelance builders in the South-West, with average increases above 5% - which translates to a weekly ‘pay rise’ of £30 on three months previous.

“Our four other regions also show increases over the same period,” comments Hudson Contract Managing Director David Jackson. “I think this is partly down to December’s mild weather, which allowed all trades to carry on as normal until the festive break – and that the wind and rain that has occurred in the New Year will inevitably impact on January's figures. But construction has definitely entered 2014 with greater confidence than in previous years.”

Out of Hudson Contract’s 85 regional trades, nearly three-quarters have shown increases this month:

Winners

• Specialist Trades in the South-West: +13%
• Insulation in the North-West: +13%
• Electricians in the North-East: +12%

Losers

• Only three trades are down by more than 10%:
• Mechanical & Electrical in the North-East: -16%
• Shopfitters in the South-East: -14%
• Demolition in the North-East: -13%

David Jackson adds: “Figures just out from the Office of National Statistics reveal that construction output is up 2.2% year-in-year, and the forecast for this year – further growth of 3.4% - is encouraging.

“In addition, over half of those who took part in the latest Markit/CIPS survey anticipate increased output this year, which is a steep increase from 33% this time last year.

“Industry growth seems most likely to be driven by a pickup in the commercial sector – which has been very badly hurt by the recession – plus private housing and infrastructure projects.”