Think installers are all about ‘lad culture’? Think again. These days, you’re more likely to find a plumber engrossed in the latest technology than enjoying the football with their mates.

A survey* of British tradespeople’s habits and interests, conducted by kitchen and joinery specialist Magnet Trade, has uncovered some surprising truths about what our plumbers get up to.

• A third of plumbers have a strong interest in fashion
• More than a third of plumbers are interested in politics
• Almost half of plumbers enjoy reading in their spare time
• Nearly 1 in 3 plumbers use Google+
• 50 percent of plumbers watch reality TV such as The X Factor

When it comes to what plumbers watch on TV, more than two thirds are glued to the news, with almost as many watching Panorama on a regular basis. This is more than double the number of plumbers who tune into comedies such as 8 Out of 10 Cats and Family Guy.

When it comes to the wireless, it’s mostly BBC Radio 2 and local stations which get airtime ahead of BBC Radio 1, meaning you’re more likely to hear Chris Evans than Nick Grimshaw while plumbers are at work.

Despite their interest in current affairs, some stereotypes are harder to shift, with almost half of plumbers being regular readers of The Sun newspaper.

When it comes to looking sharp, plumbers are some of the biggest trendsetters out of all the trades, with 1 in 3 having a keen interest in fashion, compared to less than 10 percent of tilers.

Alison Coleman, Marketing Manager at Magnet Trade, commented: “A lot of people might associate plumbers with lad culture and the perceived interests that go with that. We wanted to explore the real interests and habits of the 21st century British tradesperson and the results demonstrate a far more diverse workforce than might have been expected.”

The 21st Century plumber:

• Technology and cars are favourite interests
• Sports, reading and spending time with family are favourite ways to spend spare time
• News, X-Factor and Panorama are favourite TV programmes
• The Sun is by far the favourite newspaper, followed by the Daily Mail
• Majority use an iPad and/or smart phone for work purposes
• Almost all plumbers use some form of social media on a regular basis

*250 tradespeople surveyed by Research Now, August 2014