If you’re a builder called Andy who earns £25,000 a year and loves a good chocolate biscuit then you’re not alone in the North West.
More than 500 builders took part in a recent survey to profile their daily lives – and discovered that North West builders are very busy people.
On average they have four projects on the go at any one time and clock up 14,612 miles a year.
It also revealed that 19% are concerned about financial issues, 18% worried about quarrelsome customers and 35% annoyed with the weather.
“We all know that no two builders are the same, but wanted to show just how hard they work and the pressure they are under,” said Andrew Halsall, Managing Director at bespoke aluminium door specialists Origin who conducted the survey.
“The results show just how much of a shift goes into being a tradesman and the amount they have to juggle over long days and many of the findings go against some of the stereotypes.”
Early mornings are just one of the strains they have to put up with.
The survey found that North West builders are usually up at about 6:47am and out of the door by 7:38am, though one builder MM spoke to disagreed with a lot of the findings.
Jake, 25, from Radcliffe, said: “I wish I earned that much and I’m up at 5am most days. I love digestives though.
“It’s good though, I like that they’re thinking about me. It’s a bit weird though because I don’t know any builders called Andy and all those things you read out have nothing to do with me.”
MM hit the streets to ask Manchester builders what they thought of the survey and how similar their lives were to the findings.
Chris Smith, 27, from Salford, also got up even earlier.
“I don’t get £25,000 but it’s funny because I do know someone called Andy who’s a builder,” he said.
“Yeah I certainly don’t get £25,000,” laughed Alex Daniels, 26, from Salford. “I know some people who might but not around here.”
“It’s about right I guess,” said Chris Findlow, 26, from Burnley. “But I’m up before 6:45am most days.”
Mr Halsall added: “Builders have to deal with a mixture of worries, all of which take their toll. But most go that extra mile to deliver a project that exceeds the customer’s expectations – we should all be championing UK builders.”
Image courtesy of UNAMID Photo, with thanks
