The agreement, which comes into effect from today, also includes one extra day of holiday.

Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said “This year’s agreement represents a fair rise in the wage rates for the nation’s small builders, following another year of inflated prices. We believe this has struck the right balance between employers and staff, who are both seeing their costs rise. BATJIC, in agreement with Unite, also agreed to provide builders with one extra holiday day.

“While the BATJIC agreement is completely voluntary, we know many FMB members choose to use it for guidance on their wage rates and other employment rights. The agreement helps builders attract new staff and maintain their current workforce by guiding employers to offer competitive wages and a range of other employment benefits.”