Almost a quarter of the UK’s handymen are now working over 10 hours a day

The winter months are fast approaching and with a second wave of Coronavirus looming, millions of people across the country are hoping to get their homes in tip-top condition. Handymen, in particular, are in high demand with Powered Now finding that 23% of handymen and DIY specialists claiming that they don’t have the time or motivation for new business development due to the sheer backlog of work they have. In light of this, Powered Now has also found that 38% of Brits are now turning to the handyman trade for employment.

With millions of people continuing to remain in their homes as a result of the pandemic, many are finding issues with the current state of their homes and are looking to refurbish or upgrade their interiors, resulting in a home improvement boom. This is hugely beneficial, as the restoration of confidence has been pivotal for the recovery of consumers and tradespeople alike. 

In light of this, new nationally representative research from Powered Now, a mobile-based billing, invoicing and quotation application which specialises in trades, has unveiled the robust sentiment the UK's handymen have toward helping Britons ensure that their homes are in the best possible condition in light of localised lockdowns and pre-winter.

Key Statistics:

• 18% of Brits agree that after COVID, they are now considering employment within a trade sector to pick up additional work or to commence a new career in a trade
  • 38% commence a handyman role
• 16% of tradespeople agree that the threat of a second wave of COVID has influenced them to commence work on home improvements sooner rather than later
  • 24%  of handymen agree
• 15% of tradespeople have seen their client demand increase post-COVID
  • 19% of handymen agree
• 17% of tradespeople regularly work over 10 hours a day
  • 24% of handymen agree
• 18% of tradespeople don’t have the time or motivation for new business development due to the sheer backlog of work they have
  • 23% of handymen agree

Ben Dyer, CEO of Powered Now - a mobile-based billing, invoicing and quotation application which specialises in trades - has offered insight into the increase in trade for handymen: 

"As the weather turns colder and COVID cases continue to rise, more Brits are making preparations to ensure that their homes are in the best condition to withstand the colder months. With increasing localised lockdowns, more people are becoming aware that they may not have access to handymen due to COVID restrictions, and are thus making the most of the opportunity now. By ensuring their homes are in the best condition will guarantee a comfortable living environment during these difficult times. In light of this, we are expecting one final push of trade in the coming months. 

The whole industry is still in catch up mode and projects delayed by the lockdown are taking priority. This has helped to spike demand and we expect it to continue in the short term. Our research has very much confirmed that Brits were eager to have home improvement jobs completed post-lockdown and pre-winter, treating themselves to a little home-based TLC.

Our SME customers are also talking about the pressure to complete jobs as people worry about a second wave. As we have seen from the sentiments established in this research, this could in fact help the trades bounce back even quicker as people will rush to hire a tradesperson for their desired work before the cooler months set in."