Cost of major home building projects drops by up to 28%

Enquiries about 'big ticket' home improvements increased in the last quarter, according to new data from Checkatrade.

While the quarter-on-quarter figures were strong, the year-on-year picture was, however, more mixed, the platform said.

The number of households enquiring about getting a new bathroom fitted via trades on Checkatrade in the first quarter of 2025 increased by 17 per cent compared to the previous quarter.

However, annually, bathroom fitting enquiries were down 9 per cent, the findings added.

The data suggests enquiries for kitchen fittings jumped 11 per cent quarter-on-quarter, while queries about larger-scale work like extensions or structural modifications rose 17 per cent.

Enquiries from households to the platform about Energy Performance Certificates reportedly surged 151 per cent year-on-year in the quarter, while demand for waste removal or cleaning services also rose sharply.

According to Checkatrade's latest research, 'seasonal trends', falling prices and more people looking to sell their homes led to the upturn in the number of people looking to get certain major works done on their home in the first quarter.

Its figures suggest the average cost of a building job in the quarter fell to £12,065, compared to £13,964 at the same point a year ago, representing a 14 per cent fall.

Checkatrade said the average cost of kitchen fittings was down a fifth from £7,509 to £6,093.

It added: 'These figures are corroborated by an annual fall in costs. For example, the cost of the average building job has fallen 28 per cent year-on-year, when comparing the first quarter of 2025 to the first quarter of 2024.

'Likewise, costs for kitchen fittings have fallen 14 per cent year-on-year and bricklaying costs are down 14 per cent.

'Meanwhile, electrician costs are down 24 per cent and plumbing costs are down 17 per cent year-on-year.'

The group said enquiries about architectural services and home heating remained flat year-on-year.

Checkatrade’s Home Improvement Index analysed more than 10million job enquiries via its platform this year.

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Jambu Palaniappan, chief executive at Checkatrade, said: 'Our first Home Improvement Index of 2025 shows a good start for the home improvement and tradesperson industry.

'The strong increases since the last quarter show a positive trajectory for 2025.

'While we often see increases in Q1 due to seasonal trends, this could have been more muted this year due to many consumers taking a more cautious approach with their money when it comes to bigger spending.

'But a trend of falling prices on key jobs and a competitive selling season has helped ensure the market remains resilient and has led to a strong start to the year.'

He added: 'Looking at the wider picture, year-on-year performance shows a more mixed perspective with some types of jobs up, others down, and others in line with this time last year.'

In July 2024, Checkatrade said it had blocked a record 668 tradespeople who had failed its checks, representing a 13 per cent increase year-on-year.

The company said its 12-point vetting process rejected applicants for failing to evidence documentation such as proof of identity and address, a poor trading history or negative online reviews.

It said in July that roofing was the most challenging home improvement service, with roofers comprising 19 per cent of those turned away, followed by driveway companies and landscapers.

Figures from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy published in 2022 claimed unscrupulous traders cost homeowners approximately £1.4billion a year.

Earlier this year, Palaniappan said the group had blocked more than 1,300 applicants from Checkatrade in 2024.