The pandemic caused the sector to struggle at the beginning of 2020, but since the resumption of projects started in May, we are seeing the market open and confidence return.
Homebuyers’ confidence has been dented by the economic outlook, but those who had been looking to buy or sell, and were forced to delay during the lockdowns, will create a surge in the market once the economy recovers.
These are the highest paid roles and where to find them:
1. Senior estimators
Estimators at senior level can earn up to £80,000 in London. Outside the capital, in some regions like East Anglia, this role could earn professionals up to £75,000. In Yorkshire and Humberside and most other regions, these roles are worth around £55,000, with a minimum salary expectation of £30,000.
Businesses need to monitor which sectors are going to take longer to recover in their region – the cultural shift to working from home could impact the appetite for large commercial city centre office builds.
2. Senior engineers
Some industries have thrived throughout this pandemic, including civil engineering. Senior engineers in London can earn between £50,000 and £80,000 a year. In other regions, the salaries start from £35,000 and can reach up to £52,000 a year.
Recruitment is booming in the East Midlands, with 78% of jobseekers set to retire within the next five years and the entire industry looking to replace these skilled workers.
3. Senior quantity surveyor
The highest salaries for quantity surveyors differ between regions. London offers the highest at £80,000, many other regions offer £65,000 at most (e.g. West Midlands), with the rest offering £70,000 at the top of the salary scale (e.g. South East).
Salaries should remain stable over the coming years, and with property and construction workers being one of the first industries back to work during the pandemic, the sector has not taken as much of a hit as some others.
4. Operations manager
Within FM management, operations managers can earn up to £80,000 in Wales and the South West, but only £70,000 in London. In the South East, these professionals could make up to £60,000. Salaries for this role go up to £65,000 in East Anglia and the East Midlands, and in the rest of the UK salaries reach £45,000.
2021 will see an increase in public sector investment to drive construction activity, with a more rapid delivery of anticipated government investment across areas such as social housing, infrastructure, and the health sector.
5. Head of development
Within social housing sector, the highest salary for this role can be found in the South West and Wales, at £85,000 a year. Salaries reach £65,000 in the North East, North West, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Yorkshire and Humberside.
House prices are projected to skyrocket this year in Yorkshire and Humberside, with increases in the region expected to be the highest in the country.
Find out more about the sector and how much your role is worth by downloading our 2024 salary guides now.
