Need a builder? Join the queue as UK seeks 1.3 million extra builders as homeowners wait months for the simplest of projects

Finding a contractor for even the simplest project is becoming an increasingly frustrating source of frustration, with homeowners sometimes having to wait months.

It is therefore not surprising that there is currently a shortage of over a million specialists.

According to Checkatrade, which helps you connect with reputable contractors, 1.3 million new skilled workers and 350,000 apprentices will be needed to meet demand over the next decade.

The report indicates that thanks to an improving economy, lower interest rates and faster planning processes, the home renovation and modernisation sector is forecast to grow by 40 per cent.

However, this growth is under threat from a severe skills gap, exacerbated by an ageing workforce. More than a third of current workers are over 50, with many planning to retire within the next decade, the report says.

The 1.3 million figure includes 377,000 workers to replace those retiring, plus 734,000 to meet current demand in the home improvement, repair and construction sectors. Another 200,000 jobs are likely to be needed because of the promised growth in housing construction.

Andrew Evans of Capital Economics, who helped conduct the research, said the figures showed the “scale of the challenge”.

He added: “To deliver on the government’s priorities of increasing housebuilding and achieving net zero emissions, a skilled construction workforce will be needed to cope with the associated increase in activity.”

Jambu Palaniappan, CEO of Checkatrade, said: “The home improvement and refurbishment sector is key not only to delivering significant outcomes under the Government’s Building Better plans, but also to strengthening and future-proofing the existing housing stock.

“But the vision of modern, energy-efficient homes will remain out of reach unless we address the skills shortage head-on.”

The Checkatrade findings were included in a separate report by careers organisations City & Guilds and the Lifelong Education Institute, which called on the Government to develop a “long-term strategy” to increase the number of skilled workers.

Kirstie Donnelly, chief executive of City & Guilds, said: “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a holistic, long-term strategy to lift our economy by delivering skills that work. If we don’t do this now, we will never solve our productivity and growth problem.

These issues were also noted in a report by the Construction Skills Network, published in May.

It said the industry needed to reduce the number of people leaving for other jobs and increase training and retraining.

In June, a separate study revealed that 415,000 homeowners had waited more than a year to find a developer to build their homes.

A further 301,000 were waiting a year for plumbers and heating engineers, 294,000 for roofers and 274,000 for carpenters. Last year bricklayers, plasterers, roofers and carpenters were added to the Home Office’s “shortage occupations list”.