By Rachel Tuckey, Chief Marketing and Product Officer, Häfele UK
As the building and interiors sector enters 2026, it’s clear that the sector is one under sustained pressure. Rising material and tool costs continue to squeeze margins, skilled professionals are harder to come by, while customer expectations for speed, finish and communication keep rising.
Against this backdrop, there is also a shift in mindset across the trade. Many installers are realising just how much of their working week is spent away from the tools, absorbed by quoting, sourcing, scheduling and admin and now recognise that having efficient processes and ways of working can have just as much impact as skill on site. Planning, preparation and systems are becoming a core part of any professional operation, rather than tasks pushed into evenings and weekends, with digital tools, in particular, central to this shift.
In fact, in our research of 500 kitchen fitters, carpenters, electricians and small residential builders , when asked how they plan to adapt their business in the next one to two years, more than a third (36%) said they plan to upskill in digital tools like quoting software, online ordering and project management apps.
Artificial intelligence also ranked fourth among likely trends to influence the building industry in the near future, with 19% selecting it as one of their top three. Likewise, digital design tools (15%) and the use of online platforms to find work (15%) also feature highly among the ways businesses plan to adapt in the coming years.
Alongside increased use of digital tools, there’s also a broader focus on simplification across the trade. Faced with tighter margins and busier schedules, many installers are looking for ways to reduce unnecessary complexity in their working day. This can include using suppliers who provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ of tools and materials, standardising parts of their workflow or favouring solutions that arrive pre-built and ready to install. In practice, fewer moving parts can mean fewer emails and phone calls and a lower risk of avoidable issues that can disrupt a carefully planned schedule.
That same mindset is shaping the tools and products that trades now look for. They want a product that’s not only functional but also time-efficient, a detail that our product development teams have long prioritised.
Levelling cabinetry, for example, is one of those repetitive, time-hungry jobs that can easily eat into a day’s schedule. Solutions such as an ergonomically designed plinth fitting and adjustment system can halve fitting time, reducing strain and simplifying installation. Likewise, choosing a kitchen storage range designed for the installer, with fitting templates, jigs, and adjustable components, can make retrofitting or new installations quicker and simpler.
The year ahead won’t just reward hard work but smarter work, too. The installers who use technology to reclaim time, rely on well-designed products to simplify their day, and choose partners that make their jobs easier will be the ones who see pressures ease and their businesses flourish.
The Häfele Trade Hub can be found at www.hafele.co.uk/trade-hub
*Independent research with 500 kitchen fitters, carpenters, electricians, and small residential builders across the UK, conducted by Censuswide in September 2025
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