Skip to main content
HouseJester
Get Quotes

Companies House data · 330,436 active trade companies

Trade business names: what UK tradespeople call their companies

We analysed the names of every active home-improvement trade company on the Companies House register to see which words builders, electricians, plumbers and roofers choose, and what makes a name that customers remember.

of trade companies use "Services" in their name (35,629)
10.8%
call themselves "Bespoke"; 1,001 are "Elite"
1,299
"& Sons" vs "& Daughters"
610 : 6
use "Honest"; just 1 uses "Cowboy"
14

By trade

The most common words in trade company names

Share of active companies in each trade whose name includes the word.

Builders (62,200 companies)

  1. Construction19%
  2. Building9%
  3. Services6%
  4. Developments6%
  5. Homes6%
  6. Builders5%

Electricians (50,120 companies)

  1. Electrical49%
  2. Services18%
  3. Solutions6%
  4. Contractors5%
  5. Electrics3%
  6. Installations2%

Plumbing & heating (42,070 companies)

  1. Heating35%
  2. Plumbing34%
  3. Services17%
  4. Gas8%
  5. Solutions5%
  6. Mechanical3%

Plastering (6,589 companies)

  1. Plastering37%
  2. Services8%
  3. Rendering5%
  4. Drylining5%
  5. Construction4%
  6. Building4%

Joinery & carpentry (16,007 companies)

  1. Joinery29%
  2. Carpentry13%
  3. Services7%
  4. Construction5%
  5. Building5%
  6. Interiors3%

Flooring & tiling (8,655 companies)

  1. Flooring37%
  2. Tiling8%
  3. Services5%
  4. Carpets4%
  5. Floors4%
  6. Floor4%

Painting & decorating (11,013 companies)

  1. Decorating18%
  2. Painting12%
  3. Decorators12%
  4. Services9%
  5. Decor5%
  6. Painters3%

Glazing (5,768 companies)

  1. Windows25%
  2. Glazing22%
  3. Glass14%
  4. Doors8%
  5. Window6%
  6. Home4%

Roofing (13,757 companies)

  1. Roofing69%
  2. Services9%
  3. Building6%
  4. Solutions4%
  5. Cladding4%
  6. Contractors3%

Landscaping & gardens (16,982 companies)

  1. Landscapes13%
  2. Services13%
  3. Landscaping12%
  4. Garden11%
  5. Tree7%
  6. Gardens6%

Ideas

Trade business name ideas that work

Names that say what you do and where you work are easiest for customers to find and remember. Patterns to try:

Builders

  • [Town] Building Services
  • [Surname] Construction
  • [Area] Home Improvements
  • [Surname] & Sons Builders

Electricians

  • [Town] Electrical
  • [Surname] Electrical Services
  • [Initials] Electrical Contractors
  • [Area] Electrics

Plumbing & heating

  • [Town] Plumbing & Heating
  • [Surname] Gas & Heating
  • [Area] Boiler Services
  • [Initials] Plumbing

Roofing

  • [Town] Roofing
  • [Surname] Roofing & Building
  • [Area] Roof Repairs
  • [County] Roofing Contractors

Tips

How to choose a name customers remember

  • Say what you do. “Roofing”, “Electrical” or “Plumbing & Heating” tells customers instantly.
  • Add your town or area to stand out locally, or your surname to make it personal and unique.
  • Skip filler words. 35,629 trade companies already use “Services” and 11,639 use “Solutions”.
  • Keep it short and easy to spell for the van, the phone and a web address.
  • Don't box yourself in if you plan to offer more services later.

Before you register

How to check a business name is available

  1. Search the free Companies House name availability checker.
  2. Avoid “sensitive” words such as Royal, British or Association, which need permission.
  3. Search the UK trade mark register at the Intellectual Property Office.
  4. Check the website domain and social media handles are free.
  5. Search Google Maps for trades with a similar name near you.

Next steps

Setting up your trade business

Trade business name FAQs

The most effective trade names say what you do and where you work, such as "[Town] Roofing" or "[Surname] Electrical". They're easy to remember, help customers find you in local searches and don't need explaining. Avoid names that only work for one service if you plan to expand.

"Construction" is the most common word in UK building company names, used by 11,508 of 62,200 active domestic building companies, followed by "Building" and "Services".

Use the free Companies House company name availability checker. A name can't be the same as an existing company's, and some words (such as "Royal", "British" or "Association") need permission. Also check trade marks with the Intellectual Property Office and whether the website domain is free.

Many do: using a surname builds personal trust and is easy to make unique. "& Sons" appears in 610 active trade company names, against just 6 with "& Daughters".

It once helped in alphabetical directories, and 237 trade companies still start with "A1". Today customers find trades through search, maps and reviews, so a clear, local, memorable name matters more than its first letter.

Method: names of 330,436 active companies on the Companies House register (snapshot 1 September 2026) whose first SIC code is a home-improvement trade. Word counts ignore “Ltd”, “Limited”, “UK” and similar. See also the Trade Survival Index.