Construction and trades
Bricklayer
Build homes, walls and chimneys brick by brick – an outdoor, team-based trade where your work stands for generations.
£25,000 – £45,000 starter to experienced
Sector
Construction and trades
Building, finishing and repairing homes and other buildings, from bricks and roofs to plaster, paint and tiles.
12 careers in this sector
Construction and trades
Carpenter or joiner
Turn timber into staircases, roofs, doors, kitchens and fitted furniture – on site or at the workshop bench.
£24,000 – £40,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Glazier
Measure, fit and repair windows, doors, rooflights and glass panels in homes and businesses.
£23,000 – £40,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Kitchen and bathroom fitter
Rip out the old and install new kitchens and bathrooms – a multi-skilled trade combining joinery, plumbing and tiling.
£24,000 – £45,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Locksmith
Fit, repair and open locks, safes and security systems – a problem-solving trade for calm, trustworthy people.
£23,000 – £30,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Painter and decorator
Transform rooms and buildings with paint, wallpaper and specialist finishes – ideal if you have an eye for colour and detail.
£21,000 – £32,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Plant operator
Drive the diggers, dumpers, dozers and cranes that shape building sites – ideal if you love big machines.
£25,000 – £45,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Plasterer
Create smooth walls and ceilings, renders and ornate mouldings – a skilled finishing trade that rewards a steady hand.
£21,000 – £38,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Roofer
Work at height keeping buildings watertight – slating, tiling, flat roofing, leadwork and even thatching.
£26,000 – £42,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Scaffolder
Build the safe working platforms every other trade relies on – a fit, outdoor, team trade with strong earning potential.
£25,000 – £51,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Stonemason
Cut, carve and fix natural stone for new buildings, memorials and historic restoration, working in a workshop or out on site.
£24,000 – £40,000 starter to experienced
Construction and trades
Wall and floor tiler
Lay precise, beautiful tiling in kitchens, bathrooms, shops and restaurants using ceramics, stone, slate and marble.
£21,000 – £38,000 starter to experienced
Salaries compared
Average starter to experienced salary, National Careers Service, checked September 2026.
- Scaffolder £25,000 – £51,000
- Bricklayer £25,000 – £45,000
- Kitchen and bathroom fitter £24,000 – £45,000
- Plant operator £25,000 – £45,000
- Roofer £26,000 – £42,000
- Carpenter or joiner £24,000 – £40,000
- Glazier £23,000 – £40,000
- Stonemason £24,000 – £40,000
- Plasterer £21,000 – £38,000
- Wall and floor tiler £21,000 – £38,000
- Painter and decorator £21,000 – £32,000
- Locksmith £23,000 – £30,000
Skills this sector uses most
Worked out from the skills listed for every career on this page.