Trade heat map
Brickwork and MEP are the key heated trades with the least capacity across the UK
Our key findings
Brickwork/ blockwork
Regional projects outside the South East are driving brickwork and blockwork packages to being the most heated across the whole of the UK.
Mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP)
With some high-profile MEP failures, the trade is looking most heated in London and the South East, with façade work and curtain walling a consistent second.
Other heated trades
The most heated remaining trades include bespoke joinery, groundworks and roofing.
“Projects will be far more successful with earlier engagement of the main contractor and the specialist subcontractors.”
Tier 1 contractor
Top three heated trades with least capacity by region
What it means for projects
Project teams proceeding with a two-stage route to market may consider hybrid approaches for the trade packages showing more heated activity.
Those hybrid approaches may include employer preselection (prior to first stage) or requesting first-stage tenderers to preselect their supply chain for those packages with ‘step down’ open book principles.
What it means for client outcomes
With many projects seeking outcomes around net zero carbon and sustainability which are heavily reliant on MEP trades, clients may be feeling the squeeze where there is less capacity in London and the South East.
For those clients targeting carbon reduction of existing assets, a refurbishment project may be less appealing due to the risk profile. A well-designed procurement route is cognisant of the trades necessary for success, how heated they may be, and how to secure the supply chain best equipped to deliver the desired outcomes.
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