|
| | | | |
|
 | | OVERWORKED PERHAPS, BUT WELL PAID AND RELAXED: THE EASY LIFE OF THE BRITISH BRICKIE | | | Covers Timber and Builders Merchants | | 14/11/2006 | | | According to research released today by timber and builder's merchants, Covers, the life of the British builder is an enviable one.
Paid above-average salaries in a job they enjoy, the average brickie experiences reasonable to low stress levels - despite working relatively long hours.
Show Me The Money
Covers' Builder's Lifestyle Census reveals that builders across the country are paid an average of £30.7k per year - well above the UK pay-average.
Unsurprisingly the biggest wads are to be found in London, with an average pay of £45.2k, and an astonishing 10% of London builders stating they are paid more than £100k per year. East Midlands builders are the lowest paid at £23.6k.
Steven Osborne, Managing Director at Covers, said: 'Our research debunks the myth of the work-shy brickie. Today's builders work an average 50 hour week and can expect to take home more than £30,000 a year, making building a serious career option for those willing to put in the hours.'
Don't Sweat It, Lads
As well as enjoying generous pay levels, almost three quarters (71%) of Britain's builders state they experience 'reasonable to low' stress levels at work. This figure rises to a staggering 93% for laid-back builders in the North West.
Perhaps as a forfeit for enjoying the highest pay levels; London builders experience the greatest anxiety at work, with more than half (53%) complaining of 'high to very high' stress levels.
While not taking home the largest wage packets, Welsh builders are still paid above-average salaries for the region (£28.9k), and almost a third (30%) enjoy 'very low' stress levels at work.
Working Day And Night
Although enjoying relaxed working environments, British builders do claim to work relatively long hours, with an average 9.5 hour working day - and 42% stating that they work more than 10 hours per day.
Scotland is home to the hardest working brickies, with more than one in ten (12%) working over 16 hours per day.
Along with their low stress levels and moderately good pay, Welsh builders work the least hours, with an average day lasting just 8.4 hours.
Take-A-Break
The majority of hard working builders take a lunch break of less than 30 minutes, if they take one at all (57%).
Those in the South East claim to be the most industrious, with almost a third (28%) stating they rarely take a break for lunch.
Despite the popular perception of builders filling their day with regular tea breaks, British builders take just two breaks for a cuppa in an average day.
However, builders in Wales and London proved to be the most likely to head for the kettle, being six times more likely to take more than 10 tea breaks in a single day.
Whilst PG Tips is the favoured brand of tea for most, regional loyalty shines through in Yorkshire and Humberside. Almost three-quarters (72%) of builders in the region favour either Tetley or Yorkshire tea as their number one source of leaves for the pot.
Meanwhile, East Midlanders are six times more likely to sup on green tea or herbal tea as their preferred beverage of choice (16%).
'White Van Man' Nation?
London brickies do little to demystify the city's reputation as the 'White Van Man' capital, with almost half (44%) of builders in the region stating that the Ford Transit van is the main vehicle they drive - more than double the figure for the rest of the UK.
But while the trusty Ford Transit van remains the popular mode of transport for 20% of builders across the UK, Covers' Lifestyle Census also reveals a penchant for a more deluxe vehicle of choice with four-wheel drives, such as Range Rovers the main vehicle for 15% of builders.
The North West, in particular, is home to luxury car owners, with more than half (52%) of builders in the region listing classic cars, sports cars or top of the range four-wheel drives as their main mode of transport. | |
|
| | View similar articles:
Engineered , Natural , MDF , Internal , External , Housebuilding , Flats & Apartments , Other , Offices , Retail , Other , Sheds , Laboratories , Other
| | |
| | | |
|
 | People who viewed this article were also interested in |  | |  |
|
| Other articles from Covers Timber and Builders Merchants | | | |
|