Homeowners are relying more and more on expert tradespeople for their improvements projects, according to Government-endorsed scheme TrustMark.
The organisation reported more than 8.1 million searches for local firms and expert tradespeople for home improvements and repairs from homeowners through its website and telephone helpline. This was a 12% increase on 2014 and up 55% from 2013 levels.
Interior designers saw the biggest increase for demand last year, with bedroom specialists up 42% and kitchen specialists up 30%. Interior designers were the most sought-after trade from the 38 licensed trades offered by TrustMark.
Carpenters and joiners, followed by painters and decorators, also saw increased demand. There was also a 29% increase in search results for registered electricians, a 21% increase for plumbers and heating engineers and similar demands for handymen. Search results for carpet and upholstery cleaners grew 58% in 2015.
TrustMark chief executive Simon Ayers said: “Homeowners are increasingly understanding the importance of only using professional firms to do their home improvements and repair work, particularly at a time when people are concerned about their finances. TrustMark provides homeowners with extra security, the reassurances they are looking for and the confidence that they are working with tradespeople who are the best in the business.”
TrustMark currently has a database of 13,000 individual firms in the UK and more than 21,000 licensed trades searchable on its database.