Drylining was the fastest growing trade for turnover in 2023, according to new research from Simply Business.
Annual average turnover for dryliners in the UK was £105,832, up 12 per cent from £94,559 in 2022.
The research also reveals which trades had the highest average turnover and the UK towns where tradespeople made the most in 2023.
Which tradespeople earned the most in 2023?
Builders had the highest annual average turnover among UK tradespeople in 2023 at £114,353.
After builders, the top earning trades in terms of turnover earned in 2023 were dryliners, groundworkers, glaziers, and flooring contractors.
Overall, UK trades businesses received an average turnover of £68,474 in 2023, down from £82,821 in 2022.
However, it’s important to remember that turnover doesn’t equal profit. Tradespeople all over the country have suffered supply chain problems in recent years, as well as higher material costs.
While in 2022 we saw large jumps in average annual turnover recorded, this latest data tells a different story. Of our top 20 top earning trades, only eight saw an increase in average turnover between 2022 and 2023.
Bricklayers saw the biggest fall in average turnover, down 17 per cent from £80,933 in 2022 to £67,465 in 2023.
The top 20 trades for turnover in 2023
Trade | Average turnover 2023 | Average turnover 2022 | Percentage +/- |
Builder | £114,353 | £115,550 | -1% |
Dryliner | £105,832 | £94,559 | +12% |
Groundworker | £105,434 | £105,490 | -0% |
Glaizer | £99,766 | £94,706 | +5% |
Flooring contractor | £92,386 | £85,662 | +8% |
Plumber | £84,090 | £86,813 | -3% |
Roofer | £81,517 | £79,565 | +2% |
Joiner | £76,039 | £71,937 | +6% |
Electrician | £75,883 | £67,088 | -5% |
Bathroom, bedroom, kitchen fitter | £71,562 | £73,677 | -3% |
Landscape gardener | £68,545 | £72,148 | -5% |
Bricklayer | £67,465 | £80,933 | -17% |
Gas fitter | £66,206 | £59,623 | +11% |
Carpenter | £63,218 | £64,779 | -2% |
Tiler (floor and wall) | £63,182 | £67,088 | -6% |
Driver – heavy goods | £57,351 | £56,729 | +1% |
Plasterer | £54,902 | £58,400 | -6% |
Painter and decorator | £50,380 | £49,015 | +3% |
Office cleaner | £44,648 | No data | No data |
Handyman | £44,285 | £45,667 | +3% |
Where did tradespeople earn the most in 2023?
The top towns in terms of turnover for tradespeople were Grays in Essex, Fareham in Hampshire, St Albans, and Oxford.
But it’s important to remember that location can make a big difference to earning potential when setting up a business.
Location | Average turnover 2023 |
Grays | £115,445 |
Fareham | £113,846 |
St Albans | £112,631 |
Oxford | £109,681 |
Romford | £105,868 |
Dagenham | £105,862 |
London | £101,908 |
Harrow | £101,532 |
Luton | £101,331 |
Dartford | £100,602 |
Top locations for builders in 2023
Oxford, Dartford, and Sutton were among the top towns and cities for builders when it comes to average annual turnover.
Where did tradespeople earn the least in 2023?
The towns where tradespeople earned the least in 2023 were Worcester (£61,269) in the West Midlands, St Helens (£62,024) in North West England, and Eastbourne (£62,618) in the South East.
Town | Average turnover for tradespeople in 2023 |
Norwich | £67,941 |
Wolverhampton | £66,904 |
Middlesbrough | £66,003 |
Darlington | £65,963 |
Stoke-On-Trent | £65,081 |
Halifax | £64,941 |
Chesterfield | £63,171 |
Eastbourne | £62,618 |
St Helens | £62,024 |
Worcester | £61,269 |
How we calculated the data
We’ve looked at tradespeople who completed our quote form and requested a quote in 2022 and 2023, only taking into account trades with more than 3,000 submitted quotes. The turnover is the average across the quotes submitted.
For the towns data, we included locations that had more than 500 submitted quotes for insurance from tradespeople.
Useful guides for tradespeople
- Which bank has the best business bank account?
- A guide on buying or leasing a van
- How to price a job as a contractor: free quote template
- Does public liability insurance cover employees?
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Photograph: Photographee.eu/stock.adobe.com