Benchmarks · reviewed July 2026
UK trade day rates, 2026
Typical day rates for 18 trades across 12 UK regions — what established, experienced tradespeople actually charge, ex VAT. Pick your trade, then your region.
Electrician
£280–£420Consumer units, rewires, EICRs and fault-finding.
Plumber
£300–£480Bathrooms, leaks, pipework and heating repairs.
Gas engineer
£300–£480Boiler installs, servicing, landlord certificates.
Builder
£240–£400Extensions, structural work, general building.
Carpenter & joiner
£220–£380First and second fix, doors, bespoke joinery.
Plasterer
£220–£350Skimming, full float, ceilings and repairs.
Painter & decorator
£180–£300Interior and exterior decorating, wallpaper, prep.
Roofer
£220–£400Pitched and flat roofs, repairs, leadwork.
Bricklayer
£240–£400Brick and blockwork, garden walls, extensions.
Tiler
£200–£340Wall and floor tiling, wet rooms, splashbacks.
Landscaper
£180–£320Patios, decking, fencing, garden builds.
Groundworker
£200–£340Foundations, drainage, driveways, excavation.
Kitchen fitter
£240–£420Full kitchen installs, worktops, appliance fitting.
Bathroom fitter
£240–£400Full bathroom renovations and wet rooms.
Flooring fitter
£200–£340Wood, laminate, LVT and carpet fitting.
Handyman
£150–£280Odd jobs, repairs, flat-pack, small works.
Scaffolder
£200–£360Scaffold erection, hire and inspections.
Window fitter
£220–£380Windows, doors, and glazing replacements.
How regions change the number
The same trade, the same skills — a very different rate depending on where the van is parked. These are the regional adjustments behind our benchmarks:
| Region | vs national average |
|---|---|
| Greater London | +35% |
| South East England | +15% |
| East of England | +5% |
| South West England | +0% |
| Scotland | −3% |
| West Midlands | −4% |
| North West England | −6% |
| East Midlands | −8% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | −10% |
| Wales | −11% |
| North East England | −15% |
| Northern Ireland | −18% |
Where these numbers come from
Ranges are compiled from public UK cost guides and trade-body surveys, cross-checked against each other and reviewed July 2026. They describe established, insured tradespeople doing standard domestic work — a first-year improver and a 30-year specialist will rightly sit outside them. Use them as a sanity check, not a price list, and work out your own number from your own costs.