By Emily Halderthay, Customer Marketing Manager at Häfele UK
Ask any kitchen installer what they want more of, and time will be near the top of the list. Between managing jobs, finding the right products and dealing with admin, the hours that actually earn money can easily slip away.
In fact, in recent research with 500 tradespeople across the UK – including kitchen fitters, carpenters, electricians and small builders – we found out just how much time disappears into these hidden tasks. For fitters in particular, nearly five hours are lost every week to sourcing products and materials alone.
That might not sound much, but it adds up fast. Over a month, that’s two and a half working days spent scrolling through and calling suppliers, chasing deliveries or waiting on quotes. Over a year, it’s around £10,000 worth of potentially billable time gone.
For kitchen fitters, an opportunity lies in working smarter. That might mean considering digital software for planning jobs or invoicing, or setting aside weekly time for admin duties. It can also mean partnering with a supplier that acts as a one-stop shop for all the materials they need, as well as time-saving services like made-to-order timber drawers, cut-to-size materials such as plinths or strip lighting. Practical changes, such as receiving cabinet components pre-packed into ready-to-go sets, can also make jobs run smoother.
Small changes like these don’t just save time on a particular job, they give fitters the opportunity to focus on the things that matter to them, whether that’s freeing up capacity to take on more installations or helping to keep evenings and weekends free.
The hidden hours may never appear on a balance sheet, but their impact is felt by kitchen installers every day. However, by reclaiming that time through smarter working practices and supplier relationships, it’s possible to strike a better balance.
For more information, visit hafele.co.uk/tradehub
EDUCATION | STANDARDS | SUSTAINABILITY | COMPLIANCE |
