Construction Market Data

Thu March 28 2024

Related Information

Sub-contractor Pay Trends December 2019

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.

Earnings for freelance tradespeople in the construction sector increased by 3.5 per cent last month, according to latest figures released by Hudson Contract.

Analysis of December payroll data for more than 2,200 construction companies in England and Wales reveals a weekly average of £948 for subcontractors. This is the highest figure since Hudson Contract started analysing subcontractor earnings in March 2008. The rise represents the third successive month of growth.

Our regional breakdown shows the South East had the strongest growth, with earnings up 6 per cent to £983, followed by Yorkshire and Humber, up 5.9 per cent to £885, and the East of England, up 5.6 per cent to £1,011.

Region December 2019 Average Month on Month % Change Year on Year % Change
North East £768 -0.8% -11.4%
North West £870 -0.2% 1.8%
Yorkshire and the Humber £885 5.9% 1.6%
East Midlands £939 1.5% 1.8%
West Midlands £1,021 4.5% -0.2%
Wales £829 3.0% -0.1%
East of England £1,011 5.6% 4.6%
London £920 1.3% -1.1%
South East £983 6.0% 8.5%
South West £874 3.1% 2.6%

Ian Anfield, managing director of Hudson Contract, said: “2019 ended strongly for freelance tradespeople as construction companies moved to finish projects ahead of Christmas.

“With the general election out of the way and a majority government in place, businesses can plan ahead for the future with more confidence and start to invest again, which is good news for the construction sector and wider economy as a whole.”

Anfield added: “The latest PMI shows that optimism has rebounded to a nine-month high and points to a softening decline in staffing numbers. These findings are consistent with our latest pay trends analysis which shows strengthening demand for skilled tradespeople."

North East

NORTH EAST Sep-19 Oct-19 Nov-19 Dec-19
CIVIL ENGINEERING £788 £794 £798 £1,416
ELECTRICAL £815 £877 £854 -
EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE £611 £760 £739 £986
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION £782 £791 £834 £1,081
INSULATION £753 £753 £732 £1,123
PLASTERING £755 £743 £747 £600
ROOFING £1,036 £1,020 £964 £677
SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING £490 £485 £405 £569
SHOP FITTING £700 £743 £689 -
SPECIALIST TRADES £626 £772 £872 £754

North West

NORTH WEST Sep-19 Oct-19 Nov-19 Dec-19
BRICKLAYING £798 £815 £762 £908
CIVIL ENGINEERING £762 £784 £786 £1,038
DEMOLITION & WRECKING £681 £798 £765 £808
ELECTRICAL £860 £929 £935 £1,082
EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE £694 £735 £689 £667
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION £783 £1,020 £1,032 £917
INSULATION £999 £519 £700 £1,156
JOINERY £1,084 £1,149 £1,191 £571
MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING £939 £1,037 £1,175 £979
PLASTERING £549 £646 £681 £770
PLUMBING £873 £851 £986 £857
ROOFING £947 £859 £967 £874
SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING £644 £639 £708 £1,140
SHOP FITTING £1,110 £1,138 £1,177 £987
SPECIALIST TRADES £1,257 £871 £795 £1,018
STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION £693 £689 £645 £558
SURFACING CONTRACTORS £940 £951 £1,012 £802

Yorkshire & Humber

YORKSHIRE & HUMBER Sep-19 Oct-19 Nov-19 Dec-19
BRICKLAYING £704 £740 £740 £948
CIVIL ENGINEERING £824 £855 £828 £1,114
DEMOLITION & WRECKING £694 £745 £810 £865
ELECTRICAL £925 £981 £988 £868
EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE £953 £880 £890 £883
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION £820 £842 £832 £888
INSULATION £793 £762 £762 £976
JOINERY £685 £702 £738 £802
MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING £1,021 £1,093 £1,100 £690
PLASTERING £813 £813 £809 £1,241
PLUMBING £646 £802 £782 £839
ROOFING £659 £719 £673 £906
SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING £565 £606 £550 £921
SHOP FITTING £1,379 £1,374 £1,378 £718
SPECIALIST TRADES £773 £843 £854 £880
STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION £662 £979 £956 £432
SURFACING CONTRACTORS £904 £897 £869 £865

East Midlands

EAST MIDLANDS Sep-19 Oct-19 Nov-19 Dec-19
CIVIL ENGINEERING £845 £863 £849 £1,238
ELECTRICAL £954 £992 £977 £640
EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE £1,074 £1,053 £1,120 £1,067
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION £1,020 £1,049 £1,037 £1,064
INSULATION £870 £915 £927 £1,300
JOINERY £769 £796 £801 -
MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING £1,662 £1,854 £1,824 £1,061
PLASTERING £717 £765 £827 £829
PLUMBING £1,058 £1,077 £882 £978
ROOFING £958 £893 £934 £1,125
SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING £825 £871 £860 £1,052
SHOP FITTING £1,000 £1,039 £692 -
SPECIALIST TRADES £802 £844 £828 £1,048
STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION £816 £1,028 £968 -
SURFACING CONTRACTORS £903 £909 £948 £1,261

West Midlands

WEST MIDLANDS Sep-19 Oct-19 Nov-19 Dec-19
BRICKLAYING £955 £928 £975 £1,210
CIVIL ENGINEERING £961 £992 £987 £1,096
DEMOLITION & WRECKING £579 £682 £657 £1,009
ELECTRICAL £1,181 £1,196 £1,245 £927
EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE £866 £914 £948 £1,238
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION £898 £940 £915 £1,115
INSULATION £791 £772 £845 £1,859
JOINERY £1,057 £1,054 £1,124 £689
MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING £1,407 £1,597 £1,574 £649
PLASTERING £712 £640 £635 £699
PLUMBING £988 £1,110 £1,183 £699
ROOFING £646 £627 £578 £1,076
SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING £614 £685 £634 £1,233
SHOP FITTING £1,306 £1,365 £1,239 £630
SPECIALIST TRADES £969 £957 £1,022 £1,062
SURFACING CONTRACTORS £829 £855 £853 £1,009

Wales

WALES Sep-19 Oct-19 Nov-19 Dec-19
CIVIL ENGINEERING £763 £766 £767 £957
ELECTRICAL £774 £972 £918 £882
EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE £1,292 £1,278 £1,263 £766
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION £859 £850 £907 £905
Joinery £979 £1,355 £953 -
PLASTERING £1,043 £1,610 £1,505 £585
PLUMBING £961 £956 £914 £1,445
ROOFING £441 £527 £551 £836
SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING £771 £810 £730 £814
SPECIALIST TRADES £858 £811 £812 £959
STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION £617 £623 £1,002 £705
SURFACING CONTRACTORS £1,125 £1,140 £1,185 £982

East of England

EAST OF ENGLAND Sep-19 Oct-19 Nov-19 Dec-19
BRICKLAYING £792 £794 £804 £1,435
CIVIL ENGINEERING £903 £942 £959 £1,307
DEMOLITION & WRECKING £771 £759 £781 £942
ELECTRICAL £1,292 £1,363 £1,451 £709
EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE £868 £915 £908 £953
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION £927 £965 £962 £848
INSULATION £931 £1,053 £1,012 £905
JOINERY £1,121 £1,202 £1,200 £955
MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING £1,092 £1,140 £1,181 £829
PLASTERING £873 £881 £872 £943
PLUMBING £1,274 £1,269 £1,324 £1,120
ROOFING £923 £797 £806 £970
SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING £866 £892 £918 £977
SHOP FITTING £1,220 £1,266 £1,192 £708
SPECIALIST TRADES £838 £843 £819 £1,055
STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION £647 £616 £686 -
SURFACING CONTRACTORS £704 £742 £735 £907

London

LONDON Sep-19 Oct-19 Nov-19 Dec-19
BRICKLAYING £767 £743 £750 £1,042
CIVIL ENGINEERING £821 £821 £840 £1,121
DEMOLITION & WRECKING £827 £964 £808 £885
ELECTRICAL £914 £972 £1,023 £929
EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE £786 £824 £765 £978
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION £967 £995 £1,068 £868
INSULATION £1,034 £917 £896 £517
JOINERY £1,193 £1,120 £1,158 £1,763
MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING £1,228 £1,120 £991 £1,024
PLASTERING £653 £633 £695 £878
PLUMBING £967 £1,070 £1,117 £914
ROOFING £905 £887 £916 £1,001
SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING £975 £993 £1,033 £1,107
SHOP FITTING £1,057 £910 £838 £1,549
SPECIALIST TRADES £1,022 £1,094 £1,122 £1,124
STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION £771 £824 £582 -
SURFACING CONTRACTORS £433 £540 £575 £817

South East

SOUTH EAST Sep-19 Oct-19 Nov-19 Dec-19
BRICKLAYING £784 £779 £820 £1,234
CIVIL ENGINEERING £814 £827 £828 £1,192
DEMOLITION & WRECKING £1,197 £1,235 £1,241 £905
ELECTRICAL £1,196 £1,301 £1,318 £1,138
EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE £850 £870 £870 £869
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION £874 £901 £889 £1,014
INSULATION £2,250 - - £369
JOINERY £1,056 £1,026 £1,042 £693
MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING £1,083 £1,027 £1,061 £842
PLASTERING £690 £729 £683 £970
PLUMBING £1,047 £1,072 £1,111 £861
ROOFING £786 £818 £799 £1,011
SCAFFOLDING & LIFTING £819 £837 £834 £949
SHOP FITTING £1,262 £1,261 £1,357 £676
SPECIALIST TRADES £870 £906 £872 £1,067
STEEL & TIMBER FRAME ERECTION £710 £761 £766 £1,210
SURFACING CONTRACTORS £856 £964 £946 £997

South West

SOUTH WEST Sep-19 Oct-19 Nov-19 Dec-19
BRICKLAYING £1,183 £1,712 £1,474 £949
CIVIL ENGINEERING £756 £774 £808 £832
ELECTRICAL £739 £757 £750 £720
EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR HIRE £749 £719 £676 £820
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION £817 £885 £862 £871
INSULATION £1,276 £1,307 £1,243 £848
JOINERY £1,136 £1,069 £1,076 £1,386
MECHANICAL & ENGINEERING £651 £633 £687 £934
PLASTERING £815 £799 £809 £1,138
PLUMBING £1,600 £1,417 £1,764 £932
ROOFING £783 £870 £856 £798
SPECIALIST TRADES £1,091 £972 £740 £996
SURFACING CONTRACTORS £622 £666 £654 £913