New research from Tradify suggests some of Britain’s most successful entrepreneurs are building trade businesses that generate up to £2 million in annual revenue.
Drawing on data from 3,271 UK trade businesses, analysis by Tradify, the specialist in job management software for tradespeople, reveals that tradespeople are successfully scaling from sole traders into sizeable companies employing teams and generating multi-million-pound revenues. Overall, average revenue across the six major trades analysed has increased 14% year-on-year, challenging the long-held belief that university is the only route to financial success.
The trades building Britain’s biggest businesses
The figures show HVAC & refrigeration businesses generated the highest average annual revenue this year at £428,538, while carpentry & renovations recorded the strongest year-on-year growth.
Among larger businesses employing 13 or more staff, average annual revenue exceeded £2 million in both electrical & AV (£2.09m) and property maintenance (£2.02m), while plumbing & gas businesses approached the same milestone (£1.99m). Meanwhile, sole traders generated more than £100,000 annually across every trade analysed, with HVAC & refrigeration sole traders averaging £184,566.
Average revenue per trade (June 2025 – May 2026)
| Rank | Trade | Sole Traders (1 Person) | Small Teams (2–4 People) | Medium Teams (5–12 People) | Large Teams (13+ People) | Average Per Trade |
| 1 | HVAC & Refrigeration | £184,566 | £377,534 | £1,225,248 | N/A | £428,538 |
| 2 | Property Maintenance | £149,564 | £313,205 | £654,823 | £2,023,478 | £345,357 |
| 3 | Electrical & AV | £107,711 | £293,680 | £707,108 | £2,093,056 | £282,843 |
| 4 | Landscaping & Lawns | £122,006 | £384,672 | £771,470 | N/A | £258,714 |
| 5 | Plumbing & Gas | £114,492 | £277,599 | £715,399 | £1,986,715 | £255,667 |
| 6 | Carpentry & Renovations | £149,152 | £380,864 | £446,359 | £1,161,480 | £254,452 |
Speaking on National Tradesmen Day (Friday 18 September 2026), Tradify CEO Michael Steckler highlights the growing role of plumbers not only as skilled tradespeople, but as business owners building teams, creating jobs and developing sizeable companies across the UK.
“National Tradespeople Day is an opportunity to celebrate not only the skill behind the UK’s plumbers, but the businesses being built around it. We’ve seen plumbing businesses across the UK building teams, creating employment and generating seven-figure annual revenues.
“The ambition we see from tradespeople, to grow, to hire, to build something lasting, is remarkable. Successful trade businesses are finding ways to spend less time managing admin and more time focused on their customers, teams and long-term growth. That’s what we’re here to support.”
Revenue growth between June 2024–May 2025 and June 2025–May 2026
| Rank | Trade | Average Revenue
June 2024 – May 2025 |
Average Revenue
June 2025 – May 2026 |
Average YoY Growth |
| 1 | Carpentry & Renovations | £204,060 | £254,452 | +25% |
| 2 | Electrical & AV | £237,492 | £282,843 | +19% |
| 3 | Landscaping & Lawns | £219,185 | £258,714 | +18% |
| 4 | HVAC & Refrigeration | £367,580 | £428,538 | +17% |
| 5 | Plumbing & Gas | £221,111 | £255,667 | +16% |
| 6 | Property Maintenance | £379,639 | £345,357 | −9% |
Technology is transforming modern trade businesses
Tradify found the most successful trade businesses combine practical skills with digital technology, using job management software to reduce admin, accelerate payments and convert around 85% of enquiries into paid work.
