Words: Damian Walters

The BiKBBI Installer Survey remains a vital annual check-in with the country’s installation community. 

As the main results on the previous pages show, it provides real data on the needs, opinions, and trends that help shape our strategy. This year’s focus was on demographics, allowing us to analyse the ageing workforce and how this continues to widen the skills gap and deepen the labour shortage.

It’s true that great strides have been made in recent years to better integrate installation into the retail proposition. I genuinely believe we are in a stronger position than ever before. However, I also believe that there is still much more to achieve if we’re serious about futureproofing our retail-led installation proposition as an industry.

From our experience, it’s fair to say that most retailers still rely on existing relationships with installers. Anecdotally, few appear to be thinking beyond the next few years in terms of their installation needs. A poignant question might be: how many retailers are meaningfully thinking about futureproofing this area of their business?

The data suggests that fewer than 20% of installers are actively seeking work through external marketing efforts. That means more than 80% have enough work in the pipeline through organic channels and word-of-mouth recommendations. I believe this should be very concerning for any retailer offering installation as part of their proposition.

Why? Because we know the workforce is ageing – something we’ve been highlighting for many years. This year’s survey shows the problem is getting worse, with installers aged over 65 increasing by 3.6% year-on-year. Of course, as each year passes, that may seem like an obvious statistic. But in many sectors, these figures are balanced by a new wave of next-generation tradespeople. In our case, that’s just not happening. It’s yet another sign that we’re failing to replenish the workforce from the ground up.

With a third of installers in the 55–64 age bracket, the number of fitters at or beyond retirement age will only continue to grow – and with a lack of new, young blood entering the trade, it feels like a race to the bottom.

Let’s go back to that earlier stat: more than 80% of installers are booked up and not actively looking for work. That leaves a very small pool of talent for retailers to fish in.

We speak to many retailers who offer compelling propositions and are satisfied with their current set-up. But what’s their succession plan? How do they sustain their business without a readily available installation workforce to rely on?

Without naming names, I recall a conversation with a respected independent retailer at our conference last year. I asked how business was, and he said, “A mixed bag.” When I asked about installation, he told me his relationship with his fitters was great – but added with a chuckle, “they’re not getting any younger.”

And that, for me, is where the problem begins. An acceptance that the precious workforce is ageing, but no real plan to address it. 

As a father of three – two of whom are now adults – I know just how fast time passes. So I genuinely fear for those who are content with the status quo and failing to look ahead.

I nearly fell off my chair at BiKBBI’s Annual Conference in 2023 when Wickes’ Connie Collett revealed that 50% of her installer workforce would be retiring within five years. But I don’t believe the Wickes challenge is unique. Here we are in 2025, nearly halfway through that five-year window, and I suspect there’s been little meaningful movement across the industry.

The good news? I hold the secret! A magic pill that will instantly fix all our problems and safeguard the future of the industry! And I’m selling it for ‘a small fortune’!

If only.

I may not have a magic pill or an instant fix, but I do have a good idea about how we can work towards a solution. And it won’t surprise you to hear what it is. In fact, I won’t even say the ‘A’ word… I’ll just say this: we need to invest.

Andrew Davies, managing editor of kbbreview, recently posted that we should focus on individuals rather than the bigger picture – the idea being that if individuals do better, the industry will improve by default. It’s not entirely my view, but I get what he means. I believe in breaking big challenges into smaller, manageable segments. So perhaps, if individual businesses focused on strengthening their own installation models, then by virtue, the industry would move forward as a whole.

At the BiKBBI – soon to become the British Institute of Fitted Interiors Specialists (BIFIS) – we’re here to help retailers. We fully understand that installation is a complex area of any KBB retail business. 

That’s why we want to share our insight and support retailers in being the best they can be. Our AiM (Accredited Installation Methods) certification is one way for businesses to assess their current position and, with our support, develop it for the future