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Average UK tradesperson loses over £ 1,300 a year due to bad weather
• Almost a third of ( 29 %) tradespeople can ’ t afford to stop working in bad weather
• One in ten ( 11 %) feel pressure from clients to work in any conditions
• Landscapers miss the most days ( 10 ), but plumbers lose the most money (£ 1,723 )
UK tradespeople lose over £ 1,300 a year due to bad weather , new research has revealed , with the average person having to miss a week ’ s worth of work every 12 months .
With winter approaching , the study , conducted by IronmongeryDirect , the UK ’ s largest supplier of specialist ironmongery , surveyed tradespeople about the impact of bad weather on their work and finances .
It found that , on average , tradespeople lose 7.2 days a year because of factors like rain , snow and wind . With the typical UK day rate standing at £ 184 , this means that workers are missing out on £ 1,325 every 12 months .
However , with almost two in five ( 38 %) people losing over a week and one in ten ( 10 %) missing over a fortnight , this figure will be far higher for some . Having to cancel or delay two weeks of work would cost a tradesperson , on average , £ 2,576 .
Many tradespeople don ’ t get paid for days they don ’ t work , which explains why almost a third ( 29 %) say they can ’ t afford to pause jobs for bad weather . A fifth ( 20 %) work in all conditions and say that doing so is just part of the industry .
Sadly , this means many people put their health and safety at risk . Almost one in ten ( 9 %) tradespeople say they have felt ill after working in bad weather ; one in 12 ( 8 %) have felt unsafe and one in 16 ( 6 %) have been injured .
The pressure to continue working isn ’ t purely financial . More than one in ten
( 11 %) say their clients expect them to work regardless of the conditions .
Some trades are more likely to be affected by the weather than others . Landscapers suffer the most , with 85 % having to stop work when conditions take a turn for the worse . They are followed by builders ( 84 %), surveyors ( 83 %) and bricklayers ( 83 %).
Landscapers miss the most days each year ( 10 ), but plumbers are hit the hardest financially . With the average plumber charging £ 265 a day , by missing almost a week of work each year , they lose £ 1,723 .
The trades which lose the most money each year because of bad weather are : 1 . Plumber - £ 1,723 ( 7 days ) 2 . Electrician - £ 1,570 ( 7 days ) 3 . Builder - £ 1,548 ( 7 days ) 4 . Painter decorator - £ 1,335 ( 9 days ) 5 . Landscaper - £ 1,213 ( 10 days ) 6 . Building surveyor - £ 1,120 ( 6 days ) 7 . Carpenter - £ 990 ( 7 days ) 8 . Bricklayer - £ 969 ( 6 days ) 9 . Plasterer - £ 765 ( 5 days ) 10 . Joiner - £ 680 ( 3 days )
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no-one should put themselves at risk by working in bad conditions
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Dominick Sandford , Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect , said : “ Many tradespeople work outside on a regular basis and in the UK that inevitably means that weather is often an issue .
“ This can be incredibly frustrating , with deadlines , finances and clients all adding pressure , but no-one should put themselves at risk by working in bad conditions .
“ If you have to work , make sure you check the forecast before committing to dates and ensure you have the right clothing and equipment to keep yourself safe .”
For more information about the research , including which trades are hit hardest during winter , visit : https :// www . ironmongerydirect . co . uk / blog / top-tips-for-staying-safewhilst-working-in-bad-weather
CLEARVIEW-UK . COM DECEMBER 2021
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