Gas fitter was the fastest growing trade for turnover in 2024, according to new research from Simply Business.
Annual average turnover for gas fitters in the UK was £74,387 – up 12 per cent from £66,206 in 2023.
The research also reveals which trades had the highest average turnover and the UK towns where tradespeople made the most in 2024.
- Which tradespeople earned the most?
- The top 20 trades for turnover
- Where did tradespeople earn the most?
- Top locations for builders
- Where did tradespeople earn the least?
Which tradespeople earned the most?
Builders had the highest annual average turnover among UK tradespeople in 2024 at £110,260.
After builders, the top earning trades in terms of turnover earned in 2024 were dryliners, groundworkers, glaziers, and flooring contractors.
After gas fitters, the other trades with the largest growth in annual average turnover were:
- bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen fitters
- heavy goods drivers
- painter and decorators
- cleaners
Each of which recorded turnover growth of five per cent compared to 2023.
Average turnover for roofers drops by almost a third
Roofers saw the biggest fall in average turnover, down 30 per cent from £81,517 in 2023 to £56,799 in 2024.
There were also significant falls in annual turnover for landscape gardeners (-13 per cent) and groundworkers (-12 per cent).
Overall trades turnover continues to fall
Overall, UK trades businesses received an average turnover of £66,172 in 2024, down three per cent from £68,474 in 2023 and down 20 per cent from £82,821 in 2022.
This latest data tells a similar story to 2023, with only nine of the top 20 trades recording an increase in average annual turnover.
Some reasons for lower average turnover since 2022 could include:
- long-term impact of the cost of living crisis affecting consumers’ ability to spend
- lower enquiries due to high material costs and subsequent quote prices
- ongoing skills shortages meaning tradespeople have to turn projects down
Read more: 5 ways the construction industry could change in 2025
The top 20 trades for turnover
| Trade | 2024 turnover | 2023 turnover | Annual % change |
| Builders | £110,260 | £114,353 | -4% |
| Dryliners | £95,979 | £105,832 | -9% |
| Groundworkers | £93,112 | £105,434 | -12% |
| Glaziers | £91,389 | £99,766 | -8% |
| Flooring contractors | £88,188 | £92,386 | -5% |
| Plumbers | £86,394 | £84,090 | +3% |
| Bathroom, bedroom, kitchen fitters | £75,262 | £71,562 | +5% |
| Electricians | £74,448 | £75,883 | -2% |
| Gas fitters | £74,387 | £66,206 | +12% |
| Joiners | £73,160 | £76,039 | -4% |
| Carpenters | £64,523 | £63,218 | +2% |
| Bricklayers | £63,167 | £67,465 | -6% |
| Tilers | £61,706 | £63,182 | -2% |
| Drivers (heavy goods) | £60,368 | £57,351 | +5% |
| Landscape gardeners | £59,905 | £68,545 | -13% |
| Roofers | £56,799 | £81,517 | -30% |
| Plasterers | £56,783 | £54,902 | +3% |
| Painter and decorators | £52,652 | £50,380 | +5% |
| Handymen | £46,203 | £44,285 | +4% |
| Cleaners | £43,504 | £41,349 | +5% |
Where did tradespeople earn the most?
The top towns in terms of annual turnover for tradespeople were Chichester in West Sussex, Uxbridge in London, Watford in Hertfordshire, Sevenoaks in Kent, and Poole in Dorset.
It’s important to remember that location can make a big difference to earning potential when setting up a business.
| Town | Average turnover in 2024 |
| Chichester | £195,899 |
| Uxbridge | £152,093 |
| Watford | £139,899 |
| Sevenoaks | £136,779 |
| Poole | £124,156 |
| Hornchurch | £123,967 |
| Romford | £119,980 |
| Wembley | £116,885 |
| Waltham Cross | £116,159 |
| Harrow | £114,705 |
Top locations for builders
Ipswich in Suffolk, Uxbridge, and Guildford in Surrey were among the top towns and cities for builders when it comes to average annual turnover.
Where did tradespeople earn the least?
The towns where tradespeople earned the least in 2024 were Darlington in County Durham, Chester in Cheshire, and Pontefract in West Yorkshire.
| Town | Average turnover in 2024 |
| Swansea | £64,026 |
| Bradford | £63,949 |
| Leighton Buzzard | £63,816 |
| Dudley | £62,598 |
| Keighly | £62,500 |
| Wrexham | £62,401 |
| Durham | £62,253 |
| Pontefract | £59,818 |
| Chester | £59,329 |
| Darlington | £57,440 |
How we calculated the data
We’ve looked at tradespeople who completed our quote form and requested a quote in 2023 and 2024, 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
- Working at height regulations – an employer’s guide
- A guide on buying or leasing a van
- How to price a job as a contractor: free quote template
- What is a CSCS card? Does every tradesperson need one?
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