Lasting, for more than four years, Britain’s small builders have been enjoying a growth spurt, which is set to continue.

According to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), although growth is slowing, May to July saw the 17th consecutive quarter of positive growth in the sector.

Although mostly seen as a positive, rise in workloads comes up against worries over rises in material costs and wages. 

Brian Berry, the FMB’s Chief Executive, commented: “Almost two-thirds of construction firms expect wages and salaries to increase over the next six months.”

With builders’ margins becoming increasingly narrow, small businesses may be forced to pass on increases to the client which could dampen demand for construction work in future months.

In addition, many SME’s are struggling to hire bricklayers, carpenters and plumbers. Six out of 10 construction SMEs are finding it difficult to hire bricklayers. Shortages of carpenters and joiners are reported by 57 per cent of firms, and 47 per cent are finding it hard to recruit plumbers.