July Barometer Points to Stable Market Conditions
July's Business Pilot Barometer points to a stable market, with stronger conversion rates and higher order values offsetting a modest fall in enquiry volumes as the sector maintains healthy trading conditions.
While lead numbers dipped slightly following June's strong recovery, improvements in conversion rates, average order values and lead times point towards a market that remains healthy and well balanced.
To see the June Barometer report on Installation Eye – Click Here
Smaller pipeline
Neil Cooper-Smith, the senior analyst at Business Pilot said: “This builds on the trend highlighted in June's Barometer, which identified renewed momentum as enquiry and sales activity strengthened. July's figures suggest that momentum has been sustained through stronger operational performance, allowing installers to maintain sales levels while working through a slightly smaller pipeline.”
Conversion rates rose to 40.8% in July, up from 39.8% in June, which is the highest level recorded so far this year. This continues the gradual improvement seen throughout 2026 and suggests installers are becoming increasingly effective at converting enquiries into confirmed work. In a market where customers remain selective, strong sales processes continue to make a measurable difference.
Enquiry levels
Cooper-Smith added: “Lead volumes eased from 116.1 in June to 108.6 in July, representing a fall of around 6%. Even so, enquiry levels remain comfortably above those recorded in May and continue to reflect healthy underlying demand as the market moves through the summer period.
“Sales activity remained remarkably consistent. Average sales dipped only marginally from 54.4 in June to 54.1 in July, demonstrating that businesses were able to maintain output despite receiving fewer enquiries. Taken together with the improvement in conversion rates, this indicates that installers are extracting greater value from each opportunity entering the pipeline.”
Average order values
Average order values also strengthened during July, increasing from £3,666 to just over £4,000. While still below May's peak, the recovery suggests homeowners continue to commit to meaningful investment in home improvement projects. Cooper-Smith said: “This supports that there is healthy revenue levels across the sector.”
Time to job
Lead times improved further, reducing from 24.1 days in June to 22.6 days in July. According to Cooper-Smith: “This continued reduction points towards efficient workload management and suggests businesses are maintaining capacity while responding quickly to customer demand.
“Taken together, July's figures reinforce a trend that has developed over recent months. Market performance is being supported by efficiency, consistency and effective sales management rather than significant growth in enquiry volumes. Businesses that continue to convert well and manage their operations effectively remain well placed to maintain performance.
“The wider economic backdrop also continues to provide cautious encouragement. Inflation has remained relatively stable in recent months, while expectations that borrowing costs will continue to ease have helped support consumer confidence. Although households remain mindful of ongoing cost pressures, the latest data suggests homeowners are continuing to invest where they see long-term value.”
Visibility
For installers, the latest figures underline the importance of maintaining visibility across the entire customer journey. Understanding where enquiries are coming from, responding quickly and monitoring conversion performance will remain key as market conditions continue to evolve.
Cooper-Smith said: “This is where Business Pilot continues to provide valuable support. By giving installers real-time insight into leads, conversions, order values and operational performance, it enables businesses to make informed decisions, improve efficiency and maximise the value of every opportunity.
“As we move towards the end of the summer, July's data suggests the market remains resilient. Stable sales, improving conversion rates and recovering order values provide a solid platform for businesses that continue to focus on operational excellence and customer service.”
Picture: July Business Pilot Barometer indicates the window and doors market has settled, with installers continuing to take every opportunity despite lower enquiry levels.
