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Bar chart of the Construction Products Association's forecast falls in construction output for 2026 and 2027

Tiling Trade News: Home Improvement Work to Fall 8%

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Tiling and bathroom trade news from the first week of November 2026, read from the homeowner’s side. The industry’s forecasters now expect less home improvement work this year and next, borrowing got dearer on 5 November, and a new training academy plans to bring more skilled tilers into the trade on the south coast.

Forecasters expect home improvement work to fall 8% this year

The Construction Products Association’s autumn forecasts, reported by Tilezine on 4 November, expect private housing repair, maintenance and improvement work to fall by 8.0% in 2026 and by a further 2.0% in 2027. The CPA says higher oil and energy prices since September are likely to keep inflation and lending rates higher for longer, and that homeowners are putting money into savings or everyday bills rather than larger projects. Basic repairs and maintenance have held steady through the year, and solar panels, heat pumps and fire safety remediation are still growing.

Across all construction, output is now forecast to fall 4.0% in 2026 and rise only 0.4% in 2027, down from the 3.3% fall and 1.2% rise the CPA expected in the summer. Private house building is expected to fall 10.0% this year and another 3.0% next year.

Why it matters: when fewer people start big bathroom and kitchen refits, good tilers tend to have more gaps in their diaries, so it can be a sensible time to get two or three quotes and compare them like for like. Do not pick on price alone; our checklist on how to find a good tiler and our UK tiling cost guide help you judge a quote. Source: Tilezine (The Tile Association), 4 November 2026.

Bank Rate rises to 4%

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted 8 to 1 at its meeting ending on 4 November to raise Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 4%. The one dissenting member wanted a larger rise, to 4.25%. The decision was published on 5 November. The minutes note that benchmark two-year mortgage rates had already risen by nearly 0.5 percentage points since the beginning of September.

Why it matters: if you plan to pay for a new bathroom with a remortgage, a further advance or a personal loan, the borrowing will cost more than it would have in the summer. Get the finance figures in writing before you sign a tiling quote, and check how long the quote’s price holds. Source: Bank of England Monetary Policy Summary, 5 November 2026.

A new tiling academy opens in Portsmouth in February

ProTile Training Academy will open in February 2027 at Unit 6C, Marshlands Road, Farlington, Portsmouth, Tilezine reported on 4 November. It was founded by Andrew Rutter, who has 42 years in the tiling industry and runs DTW Ceramics UK, the contractor A.G. Rutter Ltd and the online shop Target Tiles; the academy is run as a separate business. Courses will cover ceramic and porcelain tiling, large format tile installation, floor preparation, waterproofing, adhesives, grouting, resin applications and mitred joints. RUBI Tools will supply its tile cutters, and the academy has joined The Tile Association.

Why it matters: large format porcelain, wet rooms and mitred edges are where poor workmanship shows first, and they need training most tilers never had on the job. When you hire someone for that kind of work, ask where they trained and to see photos of finished jobs of the same type. If your project includes a wet room, our guide to tanking a wet room before tiling explains what should happen before the first tile goes on. Source: Tilezine, 4 November 2026.

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