Plumbers are in the top three most trustworthy tradespeople in Britain, according to a new study commissioned by Helly Hansen Workwear.

Two thousand Britons took part in the study, which examined modern perceptions of today’s tradespeople. Electricians came out on top in terms of trustworthiness (14% of respondents), followed by window cleaners (8.75%) and plumbers (8.7%). Featured at the bottom of the list were scaffolders, glaziers and tilers.


Electricians were also voted to have the best manners, and to be the most punctual and presentable. Meanwhile, plumbers were voted as the friendliest workers and the most likely to have a joke, and builders were perceived by the public to work the shortest number of hours per day, followed by window cleaners.


The research also found that appearance matters when it comes to trusting tradespeople. Fifty-eight percent of respondents are more likely to hire someone wearing a uniform, while more than 40% think that wearing a uniform enhances the quality of job and 56% think a professionally branded uniform further improves the job quality.


“When it comes to hiring a tradesman, we are placing a lot of faith in allowing that person to work in our home, so we want to know that trust is well placed,” acknowledged Jacqueline Cheung, marketing and sales project manager for Helly Hansen Workwear. “The way someone dresses, holds themselves and the manners they have still have a powerful impact, and can go a long way to reassuring potential customers that they have the right skills and attitude for the job.”


She added: “The results show that overall the majority of Britain’s tradesmen have a solid reputation, but we still associate certain trades with certain characteristics. When it comes to placing our trust in a tradesman, we need to see a professional appearance, polite etiquette and disciplined attitude in order to have faith we’ve picked the right person.”