Quality in New Homes

30th September 2022

In this piece for the Chartered Association of Building Engineers magazine, Assent’s John Miles sets the practical steps to accelerate positive change and smooth the way to compliance in the UK’s housing industry.

The article analyses how the increased pressure to solve the UK’s housing shortage, speed has overshadowed professionalism in the industry. However, legislative changes, such as the implementation of the Building Safety Act (BSA), are strengthening accountability and providing protection to home buyers.

The legislation has introduced The New Homes Quality Code, which ensures best practices are implemented at every stage of a new home purchase. Adhering to the Code is mandatory, and as of January 2022, housebuilders have been expected to register with the New Homes Quality Board and implement the necessary business changes and staff training.

John commented: “The new Code provides much-needed protection throughout a buyer’s home purchase and beyond – but it does little to tackle root cause. To conquer new-build quality issues, transformation needs to take place before crews even break ground. Many deep-rooted industry failings could be solved with a renewed focus on functional design – and ongoing collaboration between architects, developers and building control.”

Adopting a clear vision and a cooperative approach is vital for the industry. By embracing this team strategy, builders can weave in compliance, avoid miscommunication, and comply with quality standards from the outset.

You can read a much more detailed version at Building Engineer If you’d like to discuss how Assent can support your building projects in 2022, please get in touch.