Sub-contractor Pay Trends July 2017
Hudson Contract delivers the most accurate indications of pay trends across the construction industry, using payroll data for over 2,200 construction companies to publish the average pay for a spectrum of 17 different trades now split across ten regions.
“So far, so good!” That seems to be the message for freelance builders across the country, as we enter the second half of 2017. National average earnings are currently £853 a week – an increase of exactly £100 compared to the start of the year.
Ian Anfield, Managing Director at Hudson Contract says: “July’s data reveals extremely healthy earnings growth of over 3.5%, with the average subbie being £30 better off than last month. The north east is the only region to buck the trend with a 2% reversal, but even after that, freelance builders are still better off than they were in May.”
National weekly average earnings July 2017: £853
| Region | July 2017 average | Change from June 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| North East | £701.00 | -2.14% |
| North West | £774.00 | 4.39% |
| Yorkshire & Humber | £780.00 | 2.44% |
| East Midlands | £864.00 | 3.13% |
| West Midlands | £883.00 | 3.96% |
| Wales | £765.00 | 8.50% |
| East of England | £933.00 | 3.11% |
| London | £861.00 | 3.95% |
| South East | £869.00 | 4.03% |
| South West | £775.00 | 2.19% |
Individual trades: winners and Losers:
Nationally this month’s winners are:
- Bricklaying: +7.0%
The barometer of the industry, up £22 on last year’s peak
- Specialist trades: +6.5%
South East and West Midlands lead the way
- Surfacing contractors: +6.0%
Wales and the North West enjoy a lucrative month
At the other end of the scale only two trades report overall reductions:
- Shopfitting: -0.5%
Fractional decrease – but still earning £1,000+pw on average
- Mechanical & engineering: -0.4%
Down by £4 on June
While it has been a good month for Hudson Contract operatives, this month’s national snapshot is less optimistic, with July turning out to be the slowest month for growth in almost five years.
The latest IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers Index put the figures down to a slowdown in commercial building and housing activity with civil engineering the only sector to show an upturn.
“Concerns about the economic outlook and heightened Brexit uncertainty seem to be front of mind,” Ian Anfield adds. “Construction seems to be taking a cautious view at the moment with companies increasingly reluctant to spend and taking longer in committing to new projects, amid the feeling that next year may be particularly difficult for the industry. Fingers crossed that this is nothing more than a blip, rather than the start of a new downward trend.”
To access Hudson Contract’s Construction Pay Trends index, please click here
North East
| NORTH EAST | Apr-17 | May-17 | Jun-17 | Jul-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIVIL ENGINEERING | £773 | £773 | £865 | £820 |
| ELECTRICAL | £746 | £671 | £610 | £704 |
| EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE | £466 | £514 | £393 | £602 |
| GENERAL CONSTRUCTION | £732 | £719 | £719 | £703 |
| INSULATION | £654 | £715 | £674 | £650 |
| PLASTERING | £594 | £561 | £643 | £651 |
| ROOFING | £854 | £916 | £653 | £524 |
| SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING | £381 | £351 | £372 | £409 |
| SHOP FITTING | £614 | £724 | £807 | £547 |
| SPECIALIST TRADES | £505 | £631 | £604 | £632 |
North West
| NORTH WEST | Apr-17 | May-17 | Jun-17 | Jul-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRICKLAYING | £688 | £669 | £719 | £742 |
| CIVIL ENGINEERING | £679 | £720 | £712 | £761 |
| DEMOLITION & WRECKING | £699 | £723 | £776 | £777 |
| ELECTRICAL | £749 | £800 | £804 | £814 |
| EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE | £671 | £804 | £787 | £823 |
| GENERAL CONSTRUCTION | £780 | £757 | £776 | £777 |
| INSULATION | £1,266 | £1,225 | £1,250 | £1,373 |
| JOINERY | £727 | £742 | £774 | £851 |
| MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING | £515 | £502 | £543 | £587 |
| PLASTERING | £515 | £536 | £462 | £776 |
| PLUMBING | £588 | £709 | £686 | £660 |
| ROOFING | £772 | £745 | £814 | £823 |
| SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING | £496 | £561 | £533 | £606 |
| SHOP FITTING | £918 | £857 | £1,079 | £983 |
| SPECIALIST TRADES | £734 | £712 | £718 | £696 |
| STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION | £650 | £561 | £743 | £662 |
| SURFACING CONTRACTORS | £548 | £624 | £614 | £710 |
Yorkshire & Humber
| YORKSHIRE & HUMBER | Apr-17 | May-17 | Jun-17 | Jul-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRICKLAYING | £660 | £647 | £629 | £644 |
| CIVIL ENGINEERING | £670 | £681 | £701 | £726 |
| DEMOLITION & WRECKING | £486 | £523 | £516 | £588 |
| ELECTRICAL | £799 | £814 | £769 | £828 |
| EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE | £893 | £938 | £969 | £958 |
| GENERAL CONSTRUCTION | £707 | £745 | £755 | £761 |
| JOINERY | £760 | £791 | £844 | £873 |
| MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING | £943 | £978 | £966 | £942 |
| PLASTERING | £692 | £735 | £660 | £682 |
| PLUMBING | £685 | £697 | £674 | £675 |
| ROOFING | £635 | £636 | £667 | £674 |
| SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING | £513 | £516 | £491 | £510 |
| SHOP FITTING | £1,111 | £1,302 | £1,067 | £1,099 |
| SPECIALIST TRADES | £954 | £934 | £893 | £971 |
| STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION | £927 | £813 | £1,042 | £894 |
| SURFACING CONTRACTORS | £748 | £706 | £856 | £818 |
East Midlands
| EAST MIDLANDS | Apr-17 | May-17 | Jun-17 | Jul-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIVIL ENGINEERING | £712 | £738 | £749 | £765 |
| DEMOLITION & WRECKING | £583 | £605 | £657 | £691 |
| ELECTRICAL | £930 | £927 | £979 | £1,002 |
| EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE | £915 | £981 | £855 | £941 |
| GENERAL CONSTRUCTION | £969 | £975 | £983 | £1,002 |
| INSULATION | £696 | £689 | £718 | £735 |
| JOINERY | £752 | £770 | £786 | £797 |
| PLASTERING | £693 | £705 | £700 | £730 |
| PLUMBING | £867 | £870 | £900 | £945 |
| ROOFING | £756 | £892 | £948 | £844 |
| SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING | £724 | £767 | £705 | £763 |
| SHOP FITTING | £1,465 | £1,303 | £1,326 | £1,213 |
| SPECIALIST TRADES | £887 | £916 | £823 | £859 |
| STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION | £862 | £1,209 | £1,120 | £1,221 |
| SURFACING CONTRACTORS | £740 | £774 | £806 | £865 |
West Midlands
| WEST MIDLANDS | Apr-17 | May-17 | Jun-17 | Jul-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRICKLAYING | £691 | £889 | £810 | £659 |
| CIVIL ENGINEERING | £835 | £842 | £844 | £880 |
| DEMOLITION & WRECKING | £685 | £696 | £736 | £705 |
| ELECTRICAL | £1,126 | £1,079 | £1,066 | £1,104 |
| EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE | £854 | £939 | £872 | £943 |
| GENERAL CONSTRUCTION | £818 | £809 | £859 | £873 |
| INSULATION | £624 | £816 | £791 | £763 |
| JOINERY | £804 | £888 | £754 | £780 |
| MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING | £705 | £696 | £716 | £769 |
| PLASTERING | £616 | £680 | £642 | £672 |
| PLUMBING | £980 | £1,218 | £1,183 | £1,223 |
| ROOFING | £557 | £478 | £470 | £531 |
| SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING | £696 | £679 | £712 | £660 |
| SHOP FITTING | £1,086 | £1,314 | £1,136 | £1,363 |
| SPECIALIST TRADES | £959 | £935 | £861 | £986 |
| SURFACING CONTRACTORS | £736 | £686 | £731 | £797 |
Wales
| WALES | Apr-17 | May-17 | Jun-17 | Jul-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIVIL ENGINEERING | £671 | £660 | £662 | £717 |
| ELECTRICAL | £697 | £617 | £617 | £690 |
| EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE | £1,221 | £1,183 | £1,175 | £1,282 |
| GENERAL CONSTRUCTION | £742 | £752 | £769 | £828 |
| JOINERY | £341 | £533 | £392 | £825 |
| MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING | £427 | £512 | £426 | £326 |
| PLASTERING | £1,200 | £1,163 | £1,050 | £953 |
| PLUMBING | £840 | £769 | £804 | £849 |
| ROOFING | £496 | £520 | £523 | £509 |
| SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING | £620 | £568 | £603 | £683 |
| SPECIALIST TRADES | £698 | £709 | £754 | £715 |
| STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION | £596 | £600 | £623 | £607 |
| SURFACING CONTRACTORS | £1,830 | £1,142 | £1,472 |
East of England
| EAST OF ENGLAND | Apr-17 | May-17 | Jun-17 | Jul-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRICKLAYING | £706 | £714 | £682 | £751 |
| CIVIL ENGINEERING | £775 | £799 | £814 | £864 |
| DEMOLITION & WRECKING | £653 | £638 | £686 | £648 |
| ELECTRICAL | £1,224 | £1,266 | £1,287 | £1,300 |
| EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE | £910 | £913 | £968 | £945 |
| GENERAL CONSTRUCTION | £838 | £840 | £849 | £877 |
| INSULATION | £1,210 | £1,131 | £1,238 | £1,217 |
| JOINERY | £1,094 | £1,207 | £1,282 | £1,216 |
| MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING | £886 | £989 | £1,080 | £1,068 |
| PLASTERING | £1,006 | £881 | £1,022 | £1,041 |
| PLUMBING | £1,358 | £1,409 | £1,377 | £1,363 |
| ROOFING | £703 | £719 | £724 | £767 |
| SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING | £753 | £813 | £809 | £826 |
| SHOP FITTING | £1,253 | £1,184 | £1,205 | £1,169 |
| SPECIALIST TRADES | £950 | £892 | £923 | £980 |
| STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION | £626 | £642 | £721 | £695 |
| SURFACING CONTRACTORS | £621 | £652 | £668 | £708 |
London
| LONDON | Apr-17 | May-17 | Jun-17 | Jul-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRICKLAYING | £673 | £685 | £683 | £738 |
| CIVIL ENGINEERING | £730 | £765 | £756 | £785 |
| DEMOLITION & WRECKING | £465 | £677 | £956 | £771 |
| ELECTRICAL | £912 | £953 | £969 | £1,000 |
| EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE | £1,512 | £750 | £753 | £1,250 |
| GENERAL CONSTRUCTION | £887 | £907 | £922 | £948 |
| INSULATION | £830 | £821 | £758 | £1,017 |
| JOINERY | £918 | £1,139 | £907 | £1,106 |
| MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING | £1,041 | £1,044 | £1,087 | £1,159 |
| PLASTERING | £1,104 | £1,138 | £849 | £615 |
| PLUMBING | £905 | £863 | £856 | £931 |
| ROOFING | £769 | £657 | £636 | £699 |
| SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING | £1,098 | £1,166 | £1,126 | £1,121 |
| SHOP FITTING | £963 | £841 | £718 | £881 |
| SPECIALIST TRADES | £900 | £976 | £973 | £1,056 |
| STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION | £639 | £732 | £735 | £794 |
| SURFACING CONTRACTORS | £1,403 | £475 | £500 | £500 |
South East
| SOUTH EAST | Apr-17 | May-17 | Jun-17 | Jul-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRICKLAYING | £741 | £731 | £726 | £779 |
| CIVIL ENGINEERING | £695 | £724 | £725 | £743 |
| DEMOLITION & WRECKING | £1,161 | £1,163 | £1,170 | £1,187 |
| ELECTRICAL | £1,186 | £1,167 | £1,122 | £1,133 |
| EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE | £745 | £751 | £759 | £791 |
| GENERAL CONSTRUCTION | £790 | £799 | £801 | £841 |
| INSULATION | £692 | £816 | £808 | £675 |
| JOINERY | £978 | £1,005 | £980 | £1,001 |
| MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING | £1,011 | £1,089 | £1,076 | £1,021 |
| PLASTERING | £637 | £716 | £748 | £690 |
| PLUMBING | £1,016 | £955 | £1,024 | £1,073 |
| ROOFING | £663 | £693 | £668 | £723 |
| SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING | £746 | £773 | £770 | £782 |
| SHOP FITTING | £1,255 | £1,279 | £1,268 | £1,315 |
| SPECIALIST TRADES | £744 | £814 | £810 | £892 |
| STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION | £700 | £708 | £687 | £783 |
| SURFACING CONTRACTORS | £716 | £798 | £787 | £797 |
South West
| SOUTH WEST | Apr-17 | May-17 | Jun-17 | Jul-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRICKLAYING | £300 | £300 | £440 | £500 |
| CIVIL ENGINEERING | £647 | £687 | £682 | £711 |
| ELECTRICAL | £668 | £718 | £708 | £717 |
| EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE | £532 | £551 | £571 | £576 |
| GENERAL CONSTRUCTION | £774 | £796 | £808 | £819 |
| INSULATION | £1,198 | £1,112 | £1,224 | £1,289 |
| JOINERY | £1,063 | £1,096 | £1,071 | £1,067 |
| MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING | £557 | £614 | £637 | £594 |
| PLASTERING | £756 | £791 | £821 | £779 |
| PLUMBING | £1,137 | £1,228 | £1,025 | £1,435 |
| ROOFING | £730 | £748 | £762 | £766 |
| SPECIALIST TRADES | £1,072 | £1,267 | £1,175 | £851 |
| SURFACING CONTRACTORS | £613 | £670 | £645 | £676 |