It’s big news for the small businesses. A recent study has reported that consumers are twice as likely to be “very satisfied” with the quality of their new home if it’s built by a Small or Medium Enterprise (SME) housebuilder. The findings come from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) which conducted research into satisfaction rates among those who’ve purchased a new home in the past five years. Overall, 36% of those surveyed said that they were “very-satisfied” with the quality of their new home built by a SME house builder. This figure is twice that of those homeowners who demonstrated the same level of satisfaction with their homes built by one of the top 20 big businesses.
This research uncovers a clear distinction between the work carried out by SMEs and the results the larger organisations are delivering. The Chief Executive of the FMB explained that there’s a popular misconception surrounding the quality of new build homes. He went on to elaborate that many homeowners consider new builds to be of poorer quality when compared to period properties. This view that new build homes are not “built to last” frustrates small, local housebuilders, who pride themselves on delivering high-quality homes.
The Chief Executive explained that small, local builders rely on their reputation. Typically living in the communities in which they work, they are doubly motivated to construct top quality homes. Unlike many large housebuilders, SME building firms will only employ a small workforce. Yet, that workforce needs to be broadly skilled. Larger firms are able to employ bigger teams of tradespeople but their skill sets are likely to be more prohibitive. The work of broadly skilled tradespeople with experience and expertise will be reflected in the quality of the finished product.
In conclusion, the Chief Executive expressed the need for all housebuilders, whether small or large, to put quality at the forefront of their projects. The image of the house building sector needs to be improved and better quality craftsmanship will ensure construction gets a better press. This will not only attract greater numbers of new entrants to the industry but it will also help to pave the way for future developments. With a nationwide housing shortfall, planners and communities need to be more open to new developments. To promote development, housebuilders need to produce top quality new builds that officials and locals welcome in their communities.