How much do builders earn?

Builders are always one of the most popular tradespeople. As a result, you might be wondering ‘how much do builders earn’?

Earnings as a tradesperson are reliant on jobs coming through, so it it always important to have a strong flow of leads. Wondering about customer interest? In 2023 alone we had more than 1.7 million homeowners searching for local builders on Checkatrade.*

So, it’s important you’re aware of how much you could earn, and how much you should pay your employees.

If you’ve got questions such as how much do builders make? What is the average builder salary? And what is the average self-employed builder salary in the UK? Keep reading to find out more.

How much does a builder make a year?

Wondering how much do builders get paid? Well, the average yearly earnings of a builder in the UK can range from around £11,000 per year for an apprentice, up to £57,000 per year for a business owner.

But actual earnings for a builder depend on your:

• Experience
• Skills
• Qualification
• The type of work
• Where you work

As a general rule, the more experienced you are as a builder, the more you can earn. And, if you’re self-employed or you start your own builder business then you can potentially earn a lot more.

Here are some average salaries for how much builders make a year in the UK:

How much money does a builder make per hour?

The average hourly rate for builders in the UK varies depending on experience and the type of employment arrangement.

Here’s a guide to the average builder hourly rates in the UK:

• Apprentice – £6.30 per hour
• Newly qualified – £18.20 per hour
• Employed – £19.30  per hour
• Sole trader – £38.00  per hour
• Business owner (Ltd company) – £38.50  per hour

How much does a builder earn a week?

The average weekly earnings of a builder will depend on their day rate, which can range from around £50 per day for an apprentice up to £308 per day for a business owner.

Here are some figures for how much a builder earns a week, along with the average builder day rate:

• Apprentice – £50 per day / £252 per week
• Newly qualified – £145 per day / £727.6 per week
• Employed – £154 per day / £771.2 per week
• Sole trader – £304 per day / £1520 per week
• Business owner (Ltd company) – £308 per day / £1541.2 per week

How much money do builders make a month?

As we’ve mentioned, the exact amount of money that a builder makes a month will depend on different factors. These include experience level, attained skills, and where you work.

Based on the salaries listed above, here are the take-home figures for the average monthly builder salary in the UK:

• Apprentice – £1091.92 per month
• Newly qualified – £3152.69 per month
• Employed – £3341.61 per month
• Sole trader – £6586.16 per month
• Business owner (Ltd company) – £6678.02 per month

How much does a builder apprentice or builder’s apprentice earn?

A builder’s labourer or apprentice will earn a starting salary of around £11,000 per year, while they learn the trade and build up skills and experience.

As a labourer or apprentice, you can expect your rate to be around £6.30 per hour, or £50 per day.

How much does a qualified builder earn?

As a qualified builder, how much you earn will depend on how long you’ve been qualified for. It will also depend on any additional training or special skills you’ve acquired.

To give you a guide, as a newly qualified builder, your salary would start somewhere in the region of £32,000 per year.

That equates to an hourly rate of around £18.20 per hour, and a day rate of roughly £145 per day.

How much can a self-employed builder make?

There’s no doubt that, as a builder, you can earn quite a bit more by being self-employed. And you can make even more if you run your own building company.

Sole trader builder earnings

As a sole trader, you can expect to earn around £56,000 per year (before tax). However, as a sole trader, you need to factor in the business costs. These include running things like your work vehicle, fuel, tools and builders’ insurance.

Average business costs for a sole trader builder in the UK are around £7,006 per year, which means your final take-home salary would be around £37,589 per year.

[additional trade-cta]

Become your own boss with your new builder business

You could get your business with the help of our ‘Become the Boss’ series.

You’ll get seven emails with actionable tips on starting your business. Each email features a fellow trader who was once in your position to give you advice.

You’ll also get a free business strategy call. So, to get trade business insider secrets sent to your pocket, enter your email address below:

How profitable are building companies?

If you run your own business as a builder, you have a higher earning potential – with an average turnover around £57,000 per year.

However, turnover isn’t necessarily what you should be focusing on. It’s actually profitability that’s important.

As a business owner you need to factor in the costs of running your business (vehicle, fuel, tools, insurance, etc). This is estimated at around £9,946 per year for a limited company.

That equates to an average take home salary for you as a builder business owner of around £37,508 per year.

To ensure a decent profit, make sure you’re pricing your job properly before quoting. Factors you need to consider are:

• Material costs
• Hire costs (if applicable)
• Time worked
• Difficulty of work carried out
• Staffing or contractor costs
• Tax
• Overheads (such as premises)

With the rise in running costs, your profitability could be much lower if you’re not carefully pricing your jobs.

Tips to help boost your turnover and make your builder business more profitable

Building (pun intended!) your new business should make you feel excited and proud. If you’re not making much profit, there’s something not quite right.

If you’re looking to grow your construction business and increase your job leads, we’ve got some tips that could help.

Cover your expenditure

Your expenditure includes tools, materials, insurance, marketing, wages, fuel, and anything else used on any job. You may need to raise your prices if you’re not charging enough.

Need help with quoting? Here’s what to include on a builder’s quote.

Specialise in certain profitable areas

Some builder jobs make more money with less spending on your part (for tools and materials, for example).

Consider the size of your coverage

Travelling further afield will eat into your profits. So, if possible, stick to your local area or charge extra for jobs that are further afield.

Minimise your outgoings

Try to have no or as little debt as possible. Remember, interest on credit cards or loans can impact your vital profits.

Also, make sure you shop around for the best value tools, equipment, materials and workwear.

Did you know, you can get exclusive deals for tools, materials, business insurance and workwear as a Checkatrade member? 

Provide the best customer experience

By providing an excellent service, you’ll build a strong reputation, win more work, and gain positive reviews.

With people increasingly doing their research online before settling on a tradesperson, it is important to build trust and boost your online reputation.

Increase visibility for your construction business

Marketing is essential to growing your business.

This can be through advertising, your website, your brand, customer reviews, SEO or industry contacts.

Save money as a Checkatrade member

Along with the other techniques, you can also make your profits stretch further by signing your building business with Checkatrade.

For example, we’ve partnered with insurance specialists Superscript to offer you an exclusive discount. As a Checkatrade member, you could save 20% off public liability insurance.

To claim, head over to the offers and discounts section of the Members’ Area. Other ways to save include:

• Savings on tools, workwear and materials at Selco and Wickes builders merchants
• Money off a new business mobile with EE

But of course, you need to be a member to benefit. Not signed up yet? Why not give us a few details and we’ll get in touch for a chat about the best options for your construction business.

Builder salary FAQS

Which locations pay the most?

While salaries vary, builders in Southern locations such as London and Milton Keynes can charge around £37-£40 per hour.

If you’re hoping to pursue a career in construction, many deem the South East the place to be. But, there are other thriving locations too such as the West Midlands and the North West.

How can I boost my earnings as a builder?

One way to boost your earnings is to develop your skill set. If you invest in continuous learning, you’ll eventually be able to expand your offerings.

As a builder, there are plenty of development opportunities. And, going self-employed can help you maximise your earnings.  

Is building a well-paid job?

Construction is one of the highest-paying sectors in the UK. The industry has many specialities which you can master, allowing you to grow and boost your earnings.

* Internal data from people searching on the Checkatrade.com website in 2023