Exclusive supplier to the plumbing trade, Plumbfix, is predicting installers will have their work cut out for them this year as households look to improve and invest in their current home instead of moving somewhere new*.
Consumer research shows that 48% of UK households plan to stay in their current home for 10 years or more, opting for home improvement to accommodate changing needs and tastes*. Research amongst tradesmen supports this finding, with 56% rating home improvement as more popular than going green or doing up newly-bought homes**.
While homeowners may have a number of DIY home improvements planned, most will be relying on a tradesman to get the job done*. Eight out of ten would not feel comfortable embarking on a plumbing project themselves and 42% admit they would use a tradesman for small repair jobs around the home*. Just 1 in 7 would be happy to install a new bathroom without the help of a plumber*.
All in all, welcome news for the trade, as Sandra Everett, senior marketing manager at Plumbfix, explains:
“Our customer insight found a third of tradesman cited lack of new business leads as their biggest barrier to business growth. These latest stats highlight strong consumer demand for home improvement projects, bolstered by the fact that they will be relying on a tradesman to get these jobs done, painting a brighter picture for the trade.
“There is a clear opportunity for the trade to capitalise on this trend, but working efficiently and effectively will be a key priority. It is therefore equally welcome news that we have launched the latest edition of our Plumbfix catalogue, boasting an unparalled choice of plumbing supplies. All of our products and tools are designed to help keep plumbers at the top of their game and are available at trade prices through our national Plumbfix trade counters.
“Our click and collect service has really taken hold since its launch in 2012, with customers using it to ‘power up’ their purchasing and save valuable time between jobs. Customers can use click and collect to order their selected product by phone or online and then pick up their item at their nearest Plumbfix trade counter.”
Additionally, more than half of tradesman said they are planning to improve their skills in 2013 to meet this demand, and 46% plan to take advantage of new technology to improve the way they work**.
* According to a survey completed by Kingfisher in 2012 encompassing the views of 16,000 respondents across the UK, Turkey, Russia, Republic of Ireland, Poland, France, Spain and Germany www.kingfisher.com
** According to insight research completed by Screwfix in December 2012.
