Builders' merchant
Sell, hire out and advise on products for use in DIY, garden projects and professional building.
Also known as: yard manager, DIY store worker, DIY sales assistant
About the job
What it's like
As a builders' merchant, you'll help to make creative building and gardening projects come to life! You'll sell and hire out a wide range of products for DIY and professional building. It's a great role if you like helping customers and you're interested in construction equipment, garden supplies and home products.
Builders' merchants deal with products such as:
timber
bricks, cement and stone
decorating materials
plumbing supplies
construction tools and equipment
gardening equipment and landscaping supplies
Your tasks might include:
advising customers about products
taking customers around bathroom or kitchen showrooms
loading and unloading deliveries by hand or with a forklift truck
processing orders and handling payments
putting orders together and organising deliveries
assisting with general sales
With experience, you could work as a team leader or yard manager. In these roles, you'll have more responsibilities – such as training staff, ordering stock and enforcing health and safety rules.
Green job
In this job you could be doing work to help the environment. You could:
sell sustainable and eco-friendly products
hire out machinery instead of selling it, as a way to reduce waste
recycle as many waste products as possible
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Builders Merchant Careers – industry and careers website from the Builders Merchants Federation
One Voice – the official Builders Merchants Federation magazine
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
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Retail -
Construction and built environment
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- taking responsibility
- reliable
- time management
- managing resources
- attention to detail
- working with numbers
- problem solving
- written communication
- verbal communication
- building relationships
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Business
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Practical Craft Skills
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Skills for Work: Retailing
Work
You can become a builders' merchant by applying directly with an employer. Employers will look for a good standard of general education.
Any experience you have in retail, customer service, construction or warehousing will also be useful.
Use the My World of Work job search to look for vacancies.
Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) mean you learn on the job. You get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time. You might want to consider an MA in areas such as:
A driving licence may be preferred.
Getting work experience in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become a builders' merchant. Search for opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
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