Sustainable homes and places

Build quality

We aim to lead the industry in quality standards by upskilling our teams and continually strengthening our policies and processes. 

Development

Right first time

Getting things right first time is better for customers, reduces costs and is important from an environmental perspective as fewer mistakes mean less waste, fewer deliveries and visits to sites and homes that perform to the energy-efficiency standards we expect. Our quality processes cover the homes we build and the products and materials used to build them.

How did we do in 2024?

The independent NHBC CQR score measures build quality at key build stages. In 2024, our average score was 4.93 out of 6 (2023: 4.89) compared to an industry benchmark group average of 4.70 (2023: 4.67). We met our target for at least 94% of build stages to score 4 or above in all regional businesses, achieving 97.1% (2023: 95.7%), compared to a 92.7% industry benchmark. We rank second nationally against housebuilders that have more than 100 build stages (which excludes self build and very small housebuilders).

Our approach was recognised by the NHBC Pride in the Job scheme which celebrates the role of site managers in building high quality new homes. The results are based on independent site inspections. We received 62 Quality Awards (2023: 51) and 16 Seal of Excellence Awards (2023: 13). Site Manager, David McClure, from our Castle Gate development in West Scotland was honoured with the Supreme Award in the Large Builder category – the very highest achievement in the Pride in the Job Awards programme.

 

Roles and responsibilities

Our Group Management Team (GMT) of executive leaders reviews progress on our quality standards and KPIs. 

Build quality on site is overseen by our UK Head of Production, who works closely with our Group Customer Director. We have Quality Managers in the majority of our regional businesses that work closely with Production Directors, Customer Directors, site teams, contractors and suppliers to review performance and address quality issues. 

Our technical, safety and procurement teams review the quality of products used to build our homes. Quality and customer service are integrated into our incentive schemes.

 

Quality at every stage

We embed our quality assurance processes at every stage of the build. Our approach includes:

Product quality and safety

We take the safety of the homes we create incredibly seriously. Our house type designs are reviewed by our Group safety team to ensure they are safe to build and live in. When we specify a new product for use in our homes it must first go through a rigorous review process involving our safety, technical, sales, procurement and production teams.

Building Safety Act

We are preparing for the introduction of the Building Safety Act in England. The Act introduces enhanced safety and compliance measures for the design, construction and management of buildings, with additional requirements for high rise buildings. In 2024, our GMT and the managing directors of our business units completed training on the requirements of the Act. During the first half of 2025, our production and technical teams will also complete training and we are rolling out our Building Safety Manual. Training modules will be integrated into our relevant academies to ensure they are completed by new joiners. 

All those working on site, including contractors, need to demonstrate competence through relevant qualifications or evidence of training and we are working with our teams and contractors to ensure this is in place.  

Product quality and safety

We test each potential new product for use in our homes to assess whether it meets our technical performance requirements (such as performance, durability and longevity, warranty, efficiency and ease of installation), whether it is safe to install, maintain and use, and whether it can be procured in sufficient quantities. Our Functional Interface Group, chaired by our R&D Manager in 2024, oversees research and trials of new products. 

The products we use in our homes are manufactured and tested in line with relevant British and European Standards. In addition, most products have also undergone a third party independent assessment in line with the NHBC Standards – Material Requirements.

Contractor safety systems 

Contractors working on our sites, principal contractors and design contractors must obtain third party H&S accreditation to demonstrate they have an adequate HSE management system, training process and risk assessment.

 

Investing in the skills of our production teams

Our Academy of Production Excellence helps to upskill our workforce and keep improving our build quality. Participants, including our Assistant Site Managers, Site Managers and Production Managers, complete an NVQ at the relevant level, from construction site supervision to construction senior management. They can also complete technical courses developed by the NHBC and adapted to reflect our business on topics such as the NHBC warranty, effective snagging, defects prevention, site environmental management, leadership skills, commercial awareness and project management. We’ve also integrated development programmes to support progress to more senior roles and enhance our succession pipeline. 49 employees were enrolled in 2024. 

The Academy supports improved employee engagement and retention by providing clear career and development pathways for production employees. Since its introduction we have significantly improved our quality scores as determined by independent NHBC inspections.