Plumbers and other tradesmen are more confident about the economy than they were 12 months ago, according to UK tool supplier Screwfix's 'Trade Pulse' index, which measures activity levels and confidence.
Almost half (48%) of those surveyed by Screwfix said they were busier than expected over the last few weeks of 2009 and this was matched by confidence in activity levels.

Tradesmen are reporting that UK homeowners are more willing to spend and are more frequently calling them for help on bigger projects.

December 2009, saw tradesmen ending the year on a high, as activity levels outstripped expectation with the Trade Pulse index turning positive for the first time since April 2008. The index shows optimism in the industry means many tradesmen have no fear for the 2010.

While overall confidence has increased, Screwfix said tradesmen have reported increased competition when quoting for work and the need to promote themselves more and the need to make tough decisions in making redundancies have forced them to adapt to survive in 2009.

'Tradesmen are gearing up for a much better year, with confidence levels up significantly in both the general economy and opportunities for work. This reflects the buoyancy of the final quarter in 2009, compared to the dismal end to 2008' said John Mewett, marketing director at Screwfix.