Lee Wilcox, Co-Founder of On The Tools, told delegates at The IPG Conference his views on how the needs of modern plumbers and heating engineers are changing.
The modern installer is working in an environment that looks very different to the one that existed even 20 years ago, and those changes are shaping not just how tradespeople work, but what they need from their plumbers’ merchants and suppliers. As Lee Wilcox, CEO of On The Tools explained, behaviour, pressure and priorities have all shifted, driven by technology, economics and the realities of working in a largely self-employed industry.
One of the biggest changes is how installers search for information and make purchasing decisions. Social media has moved far beyond entertainment, becoming a practical tool for research and action. According to Lee, platforms are now “amazing places for people to search and find what they need”, whether that is product reviews or even to actively purchase products.
Structurally, the installer market remains dominated by very small businesses. Lee said that “two-thirds work in small teams”, with construction holding “the highest amount of SMEs of any industry”. That means most installers are juggling every part of their business themselves, often without financial safety nets. Many are self-employed, which, as Lee pointed out, means they “can’t take a sick day” and don’t always have access to pensions or healthcare.
A challenging market
Economic pressure is a constant backdrop. Job values are getting smaller, with “60% of plumbers’ next projects valued under £10,000”, reflecting a market where work is more fragmented and margins are tighter.
Confidence is mixed, with one in four installers currently having five to six weeks of work booked, up from 15% the previous year, yet around 23% are still uncertain about what lies ahead. As Lee describes it, there is a group that is “absolutely smashing it”, another that is just surviving, and a sizeable middle ground for whom things are increasingly tight.
Tool theft has become one of the most disruptive issues facing installers. Lee said that “four in five people” surveyed over the last two years have been affected directly, with more than 25% experiencing theft multiple times.
“Those tools get stolen…they’re not going to work,” Lee explained, highlighting how quickly theft leads to lost jobs, cancelled projects and financial stress.
That pressure feeds directly into mental health, an area where construction continues to struggle. The industry has “the worst statistic of any industry around suicide,” Lee said, with workers “four times more likely to die by suicide than any other”.
Alongside these challenges, expectations are shifting as a younger demographic moves through the industry. These installers are highly motivated, comfortable with technology and expect service levels similar to what they experience as consumers elsewhere.
Loyalty, Lee said, is more fluid, with “78% using multiple merchants”, often switching based on availability, price and convenience. Nearly 70% prefer to buy early in the morning, between 6am and 9am, and most are spending in smaller, more frequent transactions.
Quality remains critical, price always matters, and while sustainability awareness is growing, Lee’s data shows it still ranks lowest when making decisions. Taken together, the modern installer is digitally engaged, time-poor and increasingly selective. Understanding that reality, Lee said, starts with listening to the data and the people behind it.
