What homeowners want in August – Trade business insights

Using homeowner trade search data to benefit your business

The workload of a self-employed tradesperson can fluctuate throughout the year, especially during the summer months. This can sometimes be a tricky time to plan for; to resource effectively and plan in some much-needed downtime for you and you team.

This is one of the reasons we’ve chosen to share our business insights data with you. To help you to forecast the demand you could see for your trades business and plan for the month ahead.

Data from the #1 trade directory

This business insight is called ‘demand data’. It’s taken from homeowner searches on the Checkatrade website in previous years.

It provides a window into what we could see this year, helping you to plan ahead and prepare for the resourcing you may need to meet demand.

While the data won’t be exactly the same as in previous years, it works as a strong indication of what we could see this August.

Which trades could see an uplift in homeowner demand in August?

We’ve been analysing our demand data for a number of months. During this time, we’ve identified some homeowner trends we’d expect to see, and some that were slightly more obscure. In June, homeowners were busy searching for upholstery repair, and in July, golf and bowling greens!

So, using the last few years as a prediction, what might homeowners be looking for this August?

Based on data from homeowner searches on the Checkatrade website between the months of July and August in previous years, we predict you could see an increase in demand for your services in August ’22 if you work in any of these trades:

• Carpentry – joinery – 27k monthly searches*
• Kitchens – 8k monthly searches*
• Garage doors – 7.6k monthly searches* (up 8%)
• Chimneys – 6k monthly searches* (up 15%)

Note: these are average searches in the month of August for the past couple of years.

If your business provides any of these services, keep reading to find out how you can use this information to your advantage with our flexible membership.

What projects do homeowners look for in August?

With the above data in hand, we’ve delved deeper to understand what particular projects homeowners might be looking for in August.

Landscaped play areas – up 48%**

If you work in landscaping, get all hands on deck, as homeowner searches for landscaping (of play areas in particular) were up by 48% in August (month-on-month) in previous years.

With homeowners looking for ways to get maximum enjoyment from their gardens during the warmer months, it’s no surprise that landscaping services will be in high demand.

If you’ve created landscaped play areas for past customers, now’s the time to refresh your Checkatrade profile page with images to inspire new customers looking for your skills.

Tiling (mosaic tiles) – up 25%**

Our very own Caesar would be delighted to hear that the search for mosaic tiling increases during August.

Mosaic tiles make a great addition to an outdoor dining space, which might explain why more homeowners search for tiling experts in August, having returned, inspired, from a European holiday, perhaps.

Carpets/flooring (carpet tiles) – up 23%**

Carpet tiles make an inexpensive flooring solution that’s easy to maintain and replace. This is why they’re a popular choice for landlords needing to refresh their rental properties ready for the next intake of students in September.

If you work in this field, now would be a good time to flex up your Checkatrade membership to make sure your business receives as many leads as possible.

Our membership advisors are ready to help you with this. Please contact them on 02394 317529. Remember, you can flex your membership down again as you need to.

Chimneys – up 15%**

The best time to get your chimney cleaned is during the warmer months between spring and late summer before you need to light the fireplace when the weather turns cold.

Review your Checkatrade profile now to make sure it’s looking its best. This will help you to stand out in the Checkatrade search results when customers look for your services. You get out what you put in, so use this opportunity to do a bit of maintenance on your profile page to really entice people in.

We have plenty of tips for how to get more enquiries with your Checkatrade profile here.

Builder (tree houses) – up 14%**

As if a landscaped play area wasn’t enough, the kids are now after a tree house to boot! Which is great news for builders and carpenters with this specialist skill.

Treehouses are a great way to encourage children to spend more time outdoors, be active, connect with the natural environment, and play imaginatively.

And homeowners want to maximise the potential of their outside space (and keep the kids as entertained as possible during the summer holidays), which makes a tree house an attractive option.

How to use our demand data to your advantage

For Checkatrade members

• It’s time to get on your profile and make sure it’s up to date. Log in to the member’s area and think about adding some new and relevant photos showing you can do the jobs in demand. Update your profile wording to include these potentially in-demand services too.
• Contact our membership advisors to flex your membership up if you’d like to receive more leads during the month of August (or at any other time). You can flex down again when you need to.

Tradespeople who are not members

There’s lots you can do, but the search data in this blog is based on searches on our website. To have a chance of reaching these customers, you’ll need to be a Checkatrade member.

Take the first step in becoming a Checkatrade member by filling out the form below. This will then prompt us to put you through our checks. Only the best of the best pass.

If you do pass our checks, you can then go into the member’s area and create your Checkatrade profile.

*Average search data for trade categories on checkatrade.com in August 2020 & 2021

**Increase in searches for August 2020 and 2021 vs July 2020 and 2021 on Google as estimated by SEO tools