Will the Building Control Skills Gap Expose the Housing Crisis Further, or Can We Build a Bridge to a Better Future?

31st October 2022

A recent BBC Housing Briefing stated that 1.2million fewer homes have been built in the UK than are required by the population which could take 15 years to rectify according to some industry experts. But this gap in housing isn’t the only worrying trend.

The construction sector is facing an ongoing skills shortage which could stall any plans to accelerate house building and a significant part of this shortage lies in building control. Without this essential sector we could see a bottleneck to the construction and subsequent occupation of much-needed homes.

The 300,000 new homes target will only happen if building control is able to attract more skills to the sector. The challenge is that it is not a career of choice for most, mainly due to the perception of what building control actually involves. Our industry needs to work on changing this perception.

The day to day role is dynamic, social and significantly influential. Without building surveyors and the knowledge they bring, construction projects will face uncertain futures. Understanding the pivotal role this industry places in issues such as alleviating the housing crisis could be just the thing to drive a younger wave of talent towards a career in building control.

The building control industry needs to take responsibility for changing these misconceptions and focus on the true consultative value that building control offers to the wider industry. The role can involve anything from working with architects at plan stages through to completion of projects. Its about more than signing off buildings, its about adding value, enabling developers to meet new standards and create more thermally efficient and sustainable homes.

But we cannot change perceptions on our own, we need the involvement and backing of the larger industry to see the importance of our role rather than seeing us as a hurdle that needs to be overcome.