Bricklayers’ earnings up to £45k amid skills shortage

BRICKLAYERS across the North West are commanding salaries of £45,000 as building firms battle against a chronic shortage of skills.

This is according to the Federation of Master Builders which building SMEs are expecting soaring wage bills during the next few months.

FMB chief executive Brian Berry said: “Given that brickies are already able to command wages of up to £60,000 per year in London and around £45,000 a year in the North of England, it’s clear that the skills squeeze is starting to push up costs for construction SMEs.

“A whopping 55% of small building firms are currently reporting difficulties hiring bricklayers, which makes these tradespeople the most in-demand of all construction workers.

“This particular skills shortage is of course linked to the steady growth in private house building.”

Berry said the results for the first three months of this year show consistent growth among small construction firms in almost all parts of the UK.

He went on: “What’s more, despite evidence of the EU referendum causing some uncertainty within the business community, more than two-thirds of firms expect their workloads to increase over the coming three months.

“These results are heartening but skills shortages, and the knock-on effect on wages and salaries, remains a major cause for concern.”

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