IF YOU run an outdoor crew, you’ll know the drill. You buy a batch of budget waterproof jackets in September, and by November half of them are leaking at the seams. So you buy more. Then the zips go. Then someone’s trousers split on a fence. Before long, you’ve spent more on replacements than you would have on decent kit in the first place.
For small construction firms, landscapers, and groundwork crews across the West Midlands, the story is the same every year. So let’s do the maths on what cheap workwear actually costs over a British winter.
What Budget Gear Really Costs Over Six Months
Take a crew of five working outdoors from October to March. A budget waterproof jacket typically costs £15 to £30 from a trade supplier, and trousers fall in the same range. That’s about £30 to £60 per person, or £150 to £300 for the team.
Sounds reasonable. But cheap jackets use thin PU coatings that delaminate after a few weeks of daily use. Seams are often only partially taped or use lower-grade tape that peels away after repeated soakings. Zips corrode or jam. Most budget sets will need replacing every six to eight weeks, which means three or four sets per person over the winter.
That’s £450 to £1,200 for five workers over six months, and that only covers the purchase price.
The Hidden Costs
Wet workers are slow workers. You lose grip, you lose focus, and you lose time. HSE guidance on outdoor working confirms that cold and wet conditions reduce output and increase the risk of accidents on site.
Then there’s sickness. A crew member who picks up a respiratory infection after days in soaked-through gear and needs three days off will cost you far more than a jacket. Since April 2026, you’ll pay statutory sick pay from day one of any absence at up to £123.25 per week. You’ll also either run short-handed or pay for agency cover at £100 to £160 per day for a labourer in the Midlands.
Cold, uncomfortable workers take more breaks, rush to get back in the van, and are less careful with materials. None of this shows up on a spreadsheet, but it’ll chip away at your margins all season.
Mid-Range Kit vs Specialist Gear
Mid-range waterproof work clothes built for trade use typically cost £50 to £80 per item. A jacket and trouser set will run you £100 to £160 per person, or £500 to £800 for a crew of five.
But properly made workwear with fully taped seams, reinforced stress points, and heavy-duty zips will last a full season and often into a second. Buy once and forget about it until next year.
Specialist gear at £80 to £120 per item goes further still. PVC-coated fabrics with higher GSM ratings, meaning thicker, denser material, will handle abrasion and constant heavy rain far better than budget alternatives. For construction, landscaping, or groundwork crews, that durability will make a real difference.
A Side-by-Side Comparison
Budget gear replaced three times will run you £450 to £1,200 over the winter, plus productivity losses and sick days. Mid-range gear that lasts the full season costs £500 to £800 with no replacements, roughly the same spend or less without the hassle.
Specialist gear comes in at £800 to £1,200 for the team but often survives into a second season, effectively halving the yearly cost. None of those figures account for sick-day and productivity savings.
Buy Once, Stay Dry All Winter
Look for fully taped seams rather than partially taped, as this is the single biggest factor in how long a jacket will hold up. Reinforced knees and elbows matter, especially for ground-level work. Check the zips are heavy-duty and corrosion-resistant. And pay attention to the GSM rating, as a higher number generally means thicker, more durable fabric.
Cheap workwear is a false economy that catches out a lot of small businesses. The upfront saving is real, but it’ll disappear the moment you start replacing kit every few weeks. Factor in the downtime, the sick days, and the drop in output, and budget gear will end up costing you more than the good stuff.
Spend a bit more at the start of the season. Your crew will work better, complain less, and you won’t be placing emergency orders in the middle of January.
Article by Lydia White
