Blog>Trade>Growing your trade business>How much do window fitters earn?
Last updated: 4 April 2024
How much do window fitters earn?
If you’re looking to become a window fitter, then you’ll want to know the average UK window fitter salary. Read on to learn more about what you could be earning at all levels of this trade.
In this article you'll find:
- How much is the average window fitter salary in the UK?
- What is the average window fitter salary per year?
- What’s the average window and door fitting business profit?
- How to make your window and door installation business more profitable
- Expanding your trade skills with Checkatrade
- Window fitter salary FAQs
How much is the average window fitter salary in the UK?
Whether you’re starting out on your window fitting journey, or you’re an experienced installer, it helps to know your wage.
However, the exact salary you can earn as a window fitter will depend on numerous things.
This includes your qualifications, skills, experience, and where you’re based. As well as the size and complexity of the window installation jobs you do.
So, to help you understand what you could earn at all levels of your career, we’ve created a comparison table. Take a look below to see the average window fitter salary for new and experienced installers alike:
| Level | Per hour | Per day | Per year | Business Costs* | Approximate Take Home Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | £6.40 | £51 | £11,240 | £0 | £10,870 |
| Newly Qualified | £9.50 | £76 | £16,680 | £0 | £14,840 |
| Employed | £16.50 | £132 | £34,320 | £0 | £26,830 |
| Sole Trader | £37 | £296 | £54,580 | £6,822 | £36,430 |
| Business Owner (ltd company) | £48 | £384 | £70,800 | £12,390 | £45,910 |
| *includes estimated costs for business expenses such as vehicle, tools, insurance, fuel etc | |||||
| Last updated: May 2024 Our costs are ballpark averages - get a local tradesperson to quote now | |||||
What is the average window fitter salary per year?
As we’ve mentioned, the average window fitter salary per year will vary depending on your level of experience. But based on our table, it’s safe to assume that you could earn the following annual salaries in this trade:
Apprentice fitter – £11,240 per year
Newly qualified fitter – £16,680 per year
Employed fitter – £34,320 per year
Sole trader fitter – £54,580 per year
Window fitting company owner – £70,800 per year
Naturally, this is not accounting for tax and other expenses. And once you’ve taken these into account, you may find that your take-home pay is slightly less.
Of course, while a view of your annual salary can be helpful, so too can a monthly breakdown. Knowing this can make it much easier to calculate monthly expenses. So, here is what you can expect to earn per month as a window fitter:
Apprentice fitter – £1,109 per month
Newly qualified fitter – £1,647 per month
Employed fitter – £2,860 per month
Sole trader fitter – £6,413 per month
Window fitter company owner – £8,319 per month
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How much do window fitters get paid in the UK per hour?
Although most tradespeople track their finances on a monthly basis, what if you’re looking to charge clients by the hour? After all, it’s always handy to know hourly rate earnings for working out overtime.
So, here’s the average window fitter salary in the UK per hour:
Apprentice fitter – £6.40 per day
Newly qualified fitter – £9.50 per day
Employed fitter – £16.50 per day
Sole trader fitter – £37 per day
Window fitting company owner – £48 per day
What’s the average window and door fitting business profit?
As you may have noticed, you can potentially earn a lot of money as a self-employed window fitter. It can certainly be a massive boost to your income, as well as your operational flexibility.
But what does this actually look like when it comes to profits? Below are figures for the average self-employed window fitter salary in the UK. Both for sole traders and limited companies:
Hourly rate – £37 for sole traders and £48 for limited companies
Day rate – £296 for sole traders and £384 for limited companies
Yearly salary – £54,580 for sole traders and £70,800 for limited companies
Annual take-home pay – £36,430 for sole traders and £45,910 for limited companies
Of course, when you’re running your own window fitting business, your revenue and profit will depend on several factors. This includes the size of your business, the amount of work you do, and how profitable each individual job is.
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How to make your window and door installation business more profitable
As a window-fitting business owner, profitability should be high on the list of your priorities. After all, you want to make sure that you earn a profit on all the window installation jobs that you’re doing.
To help you boost your profits, we’ve put together our top tips to make your window fitting business more profitable:
Make sure you’re charging enough to cover your outgoings (including tools, materials, insurance, marketing, wages, fuel etc…)
Focus on the jobs that make you the most money and require you to spend the least on outgoings
Limit how far you travel to avoid vehicle and fuel costs eating into your profits
Minimise your outgoings by trying to have no or as little debt as possible
Shop around for the best deals on tools, equipment, materials and workwear (Checkatrade members get discounts with our trade partners)
Get your business name out there through marketing (for instance your website, customer reviews, and SEO adjustments)
Provide the best customer experience to all your customers to build a strong reputation and win more work through word-of-mouth
Join a trade directory like Checkatrade to build your reviews and online reputation
Getting more window fitting leads for your trade business
Keep a fuller schedule with more leads for window fitters Whether you're just dipping your toe in, or you've been a tradesperson for years, you need to make sure your window fitting business can be found by more people. Getting more window and door jobs means keeping the leads coming in. Sorting out
Expanding your trade skills with Checkatrade
Hopefully, you should now have all the information you need when it comes to a window fitter’s salary. However, if you want to expand your knowledge of this trade, then consider signing up with Checkatrade.
From access to marketing information to discounts on certain training and tools, Checkatrade has it all. Speak with our team today to learn more about the sign-up process and passing our 12-point checklist.
Grow your business with the #1 trade directory
Millions of customers search for trade services every year. Make sure they can find your business this year!
Window fitter salary FAQs
Do you need qualifications to install windows?
While you do not need any formal qualifications to install windows. It is advisable. Having qualifications shows customers that you know what you’re doing, and will boost your own work confidence.
On top of learning your craft properly, it’s always advisable to become a FENSA-registered installer. This shows customers that you provide high-quality installations and that they’re getting their money’s worth.
Do window fitters also install doors?
Yes, in some cases. While fitting a window and door are quite different jobs, they’re also roles with several overlapping skills.
To learn more about how fitting doors can differ to windows, read our piece on starting a door-fitting business. We also have an article on starting a garage door installation business as well.