If you want to hire a roofer you’ll typically have to wait a staggering nine weeks, the longest amongst housing tradespeople, a study by IronmongeryDirect has revealed.
Other workers with long wait times include locksmiths (eight weeks), joiners (seven) and scaffolders (six).
Staff shortages are the biggest factor behind these long wait times, with more than a quarter (28%) of tradespeople saying that this a major factor.
Ellis Osborn, ecommerce manager at IronmongeryDirect, urged tradespeople: “The most effective way to keep customers happy is to ensure that when you do get to their job, you do it to the highest quality possible, justifying their long wait for your time. Nothing is more important than doing the job well, so providing a brilliant service is key to a satisfied client base.”
Workers in Manchester have the longest average waiting list time, with an average of six weeks, followed closely by Leeds and Liverpool (five weeks). The shortest current wait for a tradesperson is three weeks, which is in Sheffield.