Britons’ love of property shows continues to grow

• Electrician, BAE Systems, Portsmouth
• Homelift Builder, Stannah, Manchester
• Electrician, Serco Plc, Middlesbrough
• Plumber, Edinburgh Leisure, Dalkeith
• Construction Manager, Kier Group, Norwich

None of this has blunted the British appetite for home improvements. With a rise in interior design influencers showcasing their ideal homes alongside DIY tips, shopping inspiration and how-tos, one study analysed Google search trends data from April 2022 to April 2023 and found that interest in home improvement projects increased by 59% over the year.

But rising construction costs are affecting homeowners, with material prices soaring due to supply chain issues and inflation. Labor costs are also rising thanks to high demand.

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has estimated that UK construction output will grow by an average of 2.4% a year to 2028.

This is a significant number of additions and to meet demand, more than 251,500 additional construction workers will be needed over the next five years, significantly increasing construction employment to 2.75 million workers by 2028.

Alongside these numbers is the growing trend of the ‘Toolbelt Generation’. Younger people, particularly those in Generation Z, are looking at the cost of a university education and saying ‘no’ to the average post-university debt of £45,600.

Instead, apprenticeships look pretty good for this age group. The Institute of Student Employers (ISE) carried out research and found that the average UK graduate salary is £33,229. Compared to the £48,675 a plumber can earn, according to The Federation of Master Builders, you can see why apprenticeships are so appealing.

The federation also found that other skilled trades workers took home wages that dwarfed those of graduates by thousands of pounds. Construction managers earned £51,266, electricians earned £47,265 and painters and decorators £34,587.

Roofers earn £42,303, closely followed by bricklayers on £42,034. Carpenters and joiners earn £41,413 and plasterers £41,045.

While the prospect of earning a living in the construction industry may seem appealing to those with qualifications, a survey by Fix Radio, a station for construction workers, found that 65% of Britons admitted they were not initially encouraged to pursue a career in the profession.

That could change, according to data from the CITB. In March, the body reported a 45 per cent increase in the number of people seeking information about careers in construction.

This year, the construction job site Go Construct has had almost a million visitors. A third of its users were under 18, and 33% were women.

In terms of other factors influencing career choices, the Chartered Institute of Builders notes that popular culture influenced the career choices of a third of construction workers surveyed, with Bob the Builder topping the list.

So when it comes to the Toolbelt Generation and the need to employ more workers in the construction sector, the answer to the question “Can we fix this?” is of course an emphatic “Yes, we can!”

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