Master Builder Magazine: August-September 2024

INDUSTRY UPDATE NEWS

Industry expert Philip Hogg has joined the Board of the Consumer Code for Home Builders, which provides protection for buyers of new-build homes. Hogg, who has held board-level positions in the homebuilding sector for more than 20 years, said: “During my time at Homes for Scotland, I enjoyed working with the Consumer Code for Home Builders’ Board and Advisory Forum and felt able to make a valuable contribution. “Drawing on my most recent experience of working for a major builder, I hope my knowledge of Homebuilding expert joins consumer code board

the sector, and direct experience of resolving customer issues, will

M&E leads subcontractor tenders

help to inform the board’s decisions from a practical and operational perspective.”

The Board of the Consumer Code for Home Builders has builders meet certain requirements when marketing and selling new-build homes, including after- sales support for buyers. The code’s board is independently chaired by Noel Hunter OBE. Its members include an independent consumer expert as well as representatives from Citizens Advice, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, and the UK’s main warranty bodies NHBC, MD Insurance Services and Checkmate. The board is responsible for operating the Consumer Code Scheme which is supported by a broad industry and consumer advisory forum.

M echanical and engineering (M&E) firms are seeing the most activity in subcontractor tenders, with increased demand to price jobs amidst ongoing concerns about project delays. Research by Southern Construction Framework reveals tender activity improved by 3.2 per cent in the first three months of 2024, with an increase of: ● 9.5 per cent for M&E firms ● 6.7 per cent for drylining subcontractors ● 5.4 per cent for steelwork frame specialists ● 4.9 per cent for concrete frame specialists

Philip Hogg

The survey of southern region firms shows strong pipelines even while subcontractors say project affordability puts pressure on them, along with outdated budget settings and high interest rates. Building costs also rose in Q1 by an average of 2.3 per cent, with inflation affecting: ● Drylining – 4.7 per cent ● M&E – 4.6 per cent ● Brickwork – 2.6 per cent ● Carpentry and joinery – 2.4 per cent A quarter of subcontractors said their biggest challenge had to do with uncertainty regarding projects progressing from preconstruction to onsite, due to programme delays and

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