Contractor optimism has increased in 2010, according to a survey by specialist accountants CMEASY.

The survey shows that 35% expect business to be a little better in 2010 than last year, 7% a lot better, while 37% predict things to stay roughly the same. Just 6% anticipate things getting a lot worse, and 15% a little worse.

In 2009, only 11% reported better conditions than usual (9% a little better, 2% a lot better), with 42% saying they had been about the same. In 2009, almost a quarter (22%) of respondents said business had been a little worse than usual, while 25% said it had been a lot worse.