Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
The majority of tradespeople expect workloads in 2021 to increase or remain unchanged from their current levels, according to a survey conducted by builders merchant group Travis Perkins.
The survey of over 1,600 tradespeople across the country shows 87% of respondents believe their workloads will increase or remain the same this year versus 2020, while more than a third (36%) expect their materials purchases to increase in the next two months.
The results of this survey, the second that Travis Perkins has conducted, indicate that domestic repairs and maintenance will be the key, with 78% expecting this area to be the major driver of their work over the next two month period.
34% of respondents noted an increase in the number of projects involving office builds and study conversions and 27% see n rise in garden landscaping work.
The survey also showed that 92% of respondents expect a greater impact on their work from COVID-19 than from Brexit during 2021.
Nick Roberts, CEO of Travis Perkins plc said: “This report bears testament to the ability of the UK’s tradespeople to see through short-term headwinds and plan for the longer-term economic recovery. Challenges still remain, both in emerging from the COVID-19 crisis and dealing with the aftermath of Brexit, but the overarching picture from the tradespeople that we surveyed is one of cautious optimism. Workloads remain robust, projects continue to be undertaken despite the lockdown restrictions, and homeowners are increasingly looking to adapt their homes to deal with the changes we as a society have seen over the past year.”
