New data suggests that plumbers and heating engineers are likely to be the busiest tradespeople in 2023.
This is according to a survey conducted by Eureka! Research, a market research company that specialises in trade and construction.
Its survey of 970 homeowners planning work found that 46% mentioned needing a plumber or heating engineer, followed by 30% for painters and decorators, and 27% for electricians.
The demand for plumbing and heating engineers is likely to cover routine maintenance and repairs, as well as larger improvement projects, like bathrooms. Eureka believes this indicates an opportunity for “a strong and persistent order book amongst those who trade in this world”.
The survey also found that around eight in 10 higher earners intend to bring in a professional trade into their home at some point during this year, suggesting a strong year ahead for tradespeople positioned at the higher end of the market. However, around one half of the poorest households in the UK have no intention of using a trade this year.
With this ‘bumpy’ demand curve, Eureka! notes that the middle of the market may struggle and there may be more opportunity for those operating at the premium end of the spectrum, or those offering good value for money.
Overall, two-thirds of households are planning work that will require paying at least one tradesperson in 2023. Unsurprisingly, the proportion of homeowners expecting to use the services of a tradespeople is higher (71%) compared to those who are in the private and social rented sectors (53%).
Dave Ruston, director at Eureka! Research, says: “Installers can take some comfort from our recent data but we can assume that some of this work is likely to be routine maintenance or repairs. The general economic forecasts all seem to indicate that a challenging year still awaits which will inevitably dampen demand for bigger ticket items such as bathrooms and kitchens.”
The survey was conducted online in March 2023 and asked 970 about their plans to doing work on their property.
