Rising prices and longer delivery times in the home service sector

Would you like to know which home service professionals have raised their prices and which ones do you have to wait for the longest?

At Procompare, we have conducted a survey to find out how the increases in prices and delivery times affect businesses and their customers. If you are a Pro, the findings are a good indicator of what the competition is doing. For homeowners in need of services, the results show you what can you expect and help you make the right decisions.

Methodology: We surveyed randomly chosen South African home service professionals and companies. We sent them a questionnaire via email about the changes in delivery times, prices and customer waiting times. The survey was conducted over one month period from November 16 to December 16, 2021. 423 tradesmen and entrepreneurs have responded with their answers.

Table of Contents:

A third of Pros report longer delivery times in the last year

1 in 3 home service professionals confirmed longer delivery times for raw materials and supplies they needed for their work in the last year. They have reported the goods were delivered 19 days later on average.

1 in 4 Pros admitted that customers have to wait longer for their services due to supply chain disruptions. The customer, on average, has to wait 13 days longer today than one year ago.

25% of South African craftsmen report that customers have to wait for their services longer than 1 year ago. (Tweet this)

How long do you have to wait for a certain Pro today?

You will have to wait for an architect and a roofer the longest.

• Architect - 21 days
• Roofer - 15 days
• Gate supplier - 10 days
• Building contractor - 6 days

A plumber, an electrician or a painter will have you sorted the fastest.

• Painter - less than 2 days
• Electrician - 2 days
• Plumber - less than 3 days

You will have to wait for an architect and a roofer the longest, 21 and 15 days respectively. (Tweet this)

1 in 3 professionals raised their prices in the last year

More than 35% of craftsmen and companies increased the prices of their services in the past year.

• Almost three-quarters (72%) of Pros who increased their prices have done so because of the surges in prices of raw materials and supplies.
• Half of them (48%) cited higher fuel and electricity prices as the main reason.
• Only a minority (12%) raised their prices because the competition raised theirs.

1 in 3 South African professionals raised their prices in the last year. (Tweet this)

These Pros have increased their prices the most:

• Gate suppliers (7 out of 10 increased their prices, 2 out of 5 between 10 and 20%)
• Plumbers (6 out of 10 raised their prices, half up to 10%)
• Building contractors (half of them increased their prices, a third up to 10%, almost 20% for more than 10%)

3 out of 10 Pros will increase their prices in the next 3 months

Almost 30% of home service Pros intend to raise the prices in the coming months. None of them for more than 20%.

These Pros plan to increase their prices the most:

• More than half of the painters declared that they will raise their prices.
• Half of the roofers will charge more in the future.
• More than 40% of gate suppliers will raise their prices.

7 out of 10 gate suppliers increased their prices last year. More than half of the painters plan to raise prices in the next few months. (Tweet this)

An overview of waiting times and price increases by home service

Architects

• You will wait on average 21 days for the services of an architect in South Africa. That’s the most of any Pros we surveyed.
• 28% of architects increased their prices between 5 and 15% in the last year.
• They cite growing prices of fuel and electricity as the main reason.
• About 12% plan to raise their prices in the next 3 months.

Building contractors

• It takes approximately 6 days for an average building contractor to start building your project.
• Almost half (47.1%) of building contractors raised their prices in the last 12 months.
• 3 out of 10 up to 10%, 12% between 10 and 20%, additional 6% between 20 and 30%.
• 29% of building contractors plan to charge more for their services in the coming months.

Home renovation

• The average waiting time for home renovation services is between 3 and 4 days.
• 1 in 5 home renovation specialists report higher prices in the last 12 months.
• Approximately the same share of Pros and companies expect their prices to grow in the next 3 months.

Electricians

• The delivery and waiting times have not stretched for the services of electricians. It takes 2 days on average for an electrician to come to your house. But many of them reported that their customers only have to wait for them a couple of hours.
• 15% of electricians charge more for their services today than they did 1 year ago.
• 18% predict their prices will be higher in the next 3 months.

Plumbers

• If you need a plumber, you will have to wait for their services a little less than 3 days on average.
• Plumbers were among the professions who increased their prices the most in the last year. 6 out of 10 plumbers charge more than they did a year ago.
• Half of them raised the prices up to 10%, 1 in 10 between 10 and 20%.
• The good news for their clients is that only 1 in 10 intends to increase their prices in the near future.

Painters

• You will wait for a painter for less than 2 days on average. That’s the least of all Pros who participated in our survey. And many painting professionals said they show up in a couple of hours.
• A third of painters increased the prices of their work in the last year.
• More than half (55.5%) want to raise them in the next 3 months. By far the most among the Pros included in the survey.
• 2 out of 10 charge up to 10% more today than they did a year ago, a third from 10 to 20% more.

Gate suppliers

• If you ordered your gates today, you would get them in 10 days.
• 7 out of 10 gate providers will charge you more today than one year ago. That’s the highest proportion of Pros among all services.
• The main reason is the surge in the prices of materials they need for making and installing gates.
• 4 out of 10 companies that deal with gates raised their prices between 10 and 20%, 14% between 20 and 30%.
• More than 40% of gate suppliers plan to increase their prices up to 10% in the coming months.

Roofers

• Roofers say you have to wait a little more than two weeks for their services.
• 16% of roofing contractors increased their prices in the last year.
• Half of the roofers will charge you more for their services in the next 3 months.
• 16% will increase their prices by less than 10%, 1 in 3 roofing professionals between 10 and 20%.

Check the home service prices in one place

At Procompare, we have been tracking prices and seasonal trends for many years. Based on our proprietary data of historical project costs and other cost data from various respectable sources, we have put together cost guides for different services. Check the prices before making any decision. For the most accurate price, it is best to get quotes from several different Pros.

For nearly ten years, Procompare has been providing businesses in several countries worldwide with high-quality leads, helping them grow and prosper. Today, we forward over 200,000 leads per year in more than 150 service categories for home and business – from architects, plumbers, and building specialists to web designers, accountants, and cleaning services.

Additional information:
Boris Upelj
boris.upelj@procompare.co.za
+386 1 777 57 67