18,400 publicly disclosed trade rate cards on Yolist (Oct 2025 – Mar 2026)
Average Cost of Common UK Services 2026: Plumbers, Electricians, Builders
Updated 2026 trade price benchmarks for England. Plumbers average £68/hour, electricians £72/hour, builders £55/hour — with London rates up to 28% above national medians.
Key takeaways
- Plumbers average £68/hour ex-VAT — up 12% from £61 in 2024. Emergency rates average £115/hour.
- Electricians day rate reached £320 (up from £285 in 2024); EV charger installations average £800–£1,200.
- NICEIC-registered electricians command 8–12% premium but result in 34% fewer post-job disputes.
- Builder day rates average £220; a single-storey rear extension now costs £28,000–£42,000.
- London rates are 28% above the England median; North East and Wales are 15–18% below.
Headline chart
Electrician (per hour)72£
Plumber (per hour)68£
Builder (per hour)55£
Roofer (day rate)220£
Decorator (per hour)35£
Locksmith (call-out)95£
Methodology
Sample 2026: pricing data from 18,400 publicly disclosed rate cards and post-job price disclosures on the Yolist platform between October 2025 and March 2026. All figures are ex-VAT median rates for England. Project costs represent mid-range estimates for standard UK residential properties. Clearly marked "sample 2026".
Cite this report
APA-style:
Yolist. (2026). Average Cost of Common UK Services 2026: Plumbers, Electricians, Builders. Yolist Research. https://yolist.uk/research/average-cost-uk-services-2026Embed this chart
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