The salary conversation has changed.

For a few years, it was defined by volatility. We would see candidates holding out for 20% uplifts, employers overpaying to secure talent before a competitor did, and a market that rewarded audacity over substance. That era is over. What’s replaced it is something more grounded, and in many ways more useful: a market where salaries are settling into honest ranges, where both sides of the conversation have more realistic expectations, and where the data actually means something.

So what does that data tell us?

Our findings report that while salary growth has moderated, it hasn’t stopped.

Two-thirds of property professionals received a salary increase in 2025. And while that’s a meaningful number, it is the size of those increases that has shifted. Where 10%+ uplifts were once commonplace, the 3–5% range is now the norm for most roles; broadly tracking inflation, reflecting employer caution, and reflecting a more sustainable approach to reward.

That moderation matters for anyone benchmarking their own position right now. If you were expecting a significant uplift simply by staying put, the data suggests you may be disappointed. Equally, if you’re an employer who hasn’t reviewed salaries in 18 months, the risk isn’t that you’re paying too much but more that you’re quietly falling behind.

the roles commanding the strongest salaries

Across the sector, commercial and technical leadership continue to attract the highest compensation. Commercial Directors are among the best-paid professionals in housebuilding, with senior planning and engineering roles not far behind. This isn’t simply a reflection of seniority but scarcity.

These are disciplines that cannot be quickly trained or easily replaced. As planning complexity increases and margin pressure on commercial teams intensifies, businesses know exactly what they’re paying for. The data reflects that.

At mid-level, Planning Managers, Senior Quantity Surveyors and Sales Managers are consistently among the most actively competed-for roles in the sector. Strong candidates in these functions have more leverage than headline market conditions might suggest.

total reward is the real battleground

Here’s the number that should concern every employer in the sector: only 48% of professionals describe themselves as happy in their current role and not looking to move. More than half the workforce, including many people who say they’re happy are open to a conversation if the right opportunity came along.

In fact, in our People & Pay survey run earlier this year, 88% said they’d consider moving for better pay.

Base salary alone is no longer enough to retain people or attract them. The package has become the differentiator: bonus structure, long-term incentives, clarity on progression, and flexibility. These aren’t nice-to-haves. They’re what candidates are comparing when they sit across from your hiring manager.

82% of housebuilding professionals receive an annual bonus. The question to employers is not whether you’re offering one but whether it is competitive, and whether candidates believe they can actually earn it.

flexible working: a bigger gap than most employers realise

Only 26% of professionals have access to a formal flexible working policy. Nearly half are working under informal arrangements, which means their days are guided by a manager’s discretion, meaning undefined and unprotected.

In a market where flexibility has become a genuine retention lever, that gap is an opportunity. The businesses formalising their approach are differentiating themselves in recruitment conversations without spending an extra penny on salary. None of this is new information regarding the demand for flexible working, and yet it is still a highly contentious topic between candidates and employers alike.

what this means if you’re making a hiring or pay decision right now

The market is steady and there are strong candidates available, but not in abundance (particularly at senior level). Pay expectations are more realistic than they were two years ago, but that doesn’t mean the pressure has disappeared.

Getting your positioning right and understanding what the market is actually paying for your specific roles, in your region, at your level, is more important than ever.

Our 2026 People & Pay Salary Guide brings together nationwide salary data across commercial, land, planning, technical, sales, marketing, customer care and HR functions — compiled from direct survey responses across the sector. Download your copy here.