A report from Open Space Concepts has revealed the best places for UK tradies to set up shop – following massive shortages of skilled workers across the nation amid the cost of living crisis.
Statistics found by Open Space Concepts, the experts on innovative all-weather outdoor structures, pinpoint where more money can be made depending on your location.
From sparkies and brickies, to plumbers and landscapers, the results reveal the best cities with the most jobs available, the average salaries for each role and as a consumer, how much hiring a tradie could set you back by the hour.
From the perspective of a homeowner, booking renovations ahead of the winter months in locations with trade shortages is a nightmare and pushes prices up. However, from the perspective of the trader, this is music to their ears as there is a higher job rate with a higher hourly rate to match.
Where in the UK will I be paid the most as a tradesperson?
Looking closely at regions and individual trades, the data found that York is the worst city to be a tradesperson, with an average take-home wage of just £29,506 a year.
In second place is Stoke-on-Trent with £30,226, followed by Swansea, where tradies can expect £30,236.
Here are the top ten worst overall cities to be a tradesperson for pay (average salary of builders, electricians, plumbers and gardeners, find average salaries for each trade here)
1. York: £29,506
2. Stoke-on-Trent: £30,226
3. Swansea: £30,236
4. Blackpool: £30,769
5. Dundee: £30,592
6. Doncaster: £30,958
7. Leicester: £31,211
8. Blackburn: £31,459
9. Norwich: £31,507
Although these wages aren’t to be sniffed at, builders and other industry professionals might think about moving to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where they could cash in £41,396 per year in comparison.
This is closely followed by Milton Keynes with £40,670 and Glasgow, where tradespeople are netting in the most in Scotland, with roughly £40,078 a year.
Top ten best cities to be a tradie for pay:
1. Newcastle upon Tyne: £41,396
2. Milton Keynes: £40,670
3. Glasgow: £40,078
4. Reading: £39,481
5. Liverpool: £39,481
6. Brighton: £39,025
7. Edinburgh: £38,824
8. Oxford: £38,648
9. London: £38,439
10. Peterborough: £38,395
Moving for work: the top five places with a shortage of tradespeople
Assessing the best places for trade shortages needs to also consider the local population figure. For example, just because there are only 50 live tradies in the area, there could be a population of 100, which creates a very different snapshot and some fierce competition.
Based on a shortage of active tradespeople per capita, trade professionals should consider moving to the following areas:
1. Sunderland
2. Liverpool
3. London
4. Blackpool
5. Dundee
For tradespeople looking to start a business somewhere new, setting up shop in any of the locations on this list means less competition – giving them a definite advantage!
Where should tradespeople avoid?
If tradies are looking to beat the competition, then they should stay away from Brighton.
Although the pay is fairly high, there’s an extremely fierce level of competition. That’s the city with the highest concentration of tradies in comparison to population, meaning that builders, plumbers, gardeners and electricians will likely have to cut their rates to attract homeowners as the cost of living crisis continues.
Following Brighton, the study found that following places to avoid include:
- Stockport
- Peterborough
- Gloucester
- Bournemouth
For the full findings from Open Space Concepts, visit UK Tradie Shortage | Open Space Concepts : Open Space Concepts.
