Between 2021 and 2022, Barratt Developments was the company with the largest housing turnover in the United Kingdom. Taylor Wimpey was the second company in the ranking, with a housebuilding revenue of *** billion British pounds. In fourth place, Bellway generated a revenue of *** billion British pounds in 2022. However, that only refers to the turnover that those companies generated from housing activities. What is the outlook for the UK's home construction market? Although housing construction was expected to stagnate in 2024, over the coming years the number of homes built is expected to rise at a quick pace. The projected growth of housing starts in the UK is anticipated to be **** percent higher in 2028 than in 2024. A rise in construction starts would be a good sign for the market, as there is a high demand for housing which, along with other factors, has fostered increasingly higher house prices in the UK during the past years. Who are the leading home builders in the U.S.? The market size of the home building industry in the United States is even bigger than in the UK. In 2023, Miami-based Lennar Corp. and the Texas-based D.R. Horton were the largest homebuilders in the U.S. with a revenue of over ** billion U.S. dollars. Other builders, such as PulteGroup, Toll Brothers, and NVR were also prominent players in the residential construction industry, with much higher revenue figures than their UK counterparts. The value of new residential construction in the U.S. rose significantly from 2019 to 2022 despite the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching about *** billion U.S. dollars. However, the market is expected to decrease until 2025, which could impact the revenues of these home builders.

Several of the largest new residential construction projects in the United Kingdom with a construction start date in 2025 were found in London. The Planned Investment and Major Works Programme in London was valued at **** billion British pounds. The housing construction market in London London is one of the best-known cities in the world. It is an important financial and economic centre, accounting for the highest share of GDP out of all the regions in the UK. It is also home to the West-End and the British Museum, and it boasts a vibrant cultural life. The economic importance and popularity of the city are some of the factors fostering a high demand for housing construction in London. In addition to the ****** housing starts in London in 2023/24, there was also a similar volume of housing completions. In comparison, the number of private housing starts in the UK as was estimated to be ******* in 2024. House repairs in the UK Housing repair and maintenance was one of the segments with the highest market shares in the UK construction industry. Meanwhile, new private housing construction represented ** percent of the construction market in the country in 2024. The revenue of housing repair and maintenance in Great Britain has been increasing at a fast pace in the past years.

******************** led the rankings in terms of the largest construction company by market capitalization in the United Kingdom as of October 11, 2024. The residential property development company reached a market capitalization of nearly **** billion U.S. dollars. Other notable companies in the sector were Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon, with market caps amounting to **** billion and *** billion U.S. dollars, respectively.

Discover the latest insights into the UK residential building construction market. Explore market size, growth trends (CAGR 2.26%), key players (Willmott Dixon, Mace, Balfour Beatty), regional analysis, and future forecasts (2025-2033) for London, Birmingham, and more. Learn about driving factors, restraints, and segmentation impacting the £185.55 million market. Recent developments include: December 2022: 375 low-carbon rental homes are delivered as part of a historic restoration project for Bristol City Center through public-private partnerships., December 2022: As the One Sydney Harbour residential building from Lendlease celebrates a critical milestone of "topping out" of Residences One, marking the completion of the highest structural point of the 72-story tower, it has secured more than $3.7 billion in sales over its three towers.. Key drivers for this market are: 4., Growth in Commercial Activities and Increased Competition4.; Increasing Demand for Affordable Housing Units. Potential restraints include: 4., Lack of Housing Spaces and Mortgage Regulation can Create Challenges. Notable trends are: Government mandates pertaining to Energy Efficiency.

An assessment of the design quality of 93 new housing schemes in the North East, North West and Yorkshire & Humber. The assessment was carried out in 2005. The assessment is based on the Building for Life criteria. For each of the three Government Office regions, the top 10 house builders by volume were selected. For each top 10 house builder all schemes were completed between January 2002 and January 2005 and above 20 units. All developments were within an average house price bracket. Data for each housing scheme includes scheme name/address, local authority, housebuilder, number of units, context (urban, suburban etc), site type (greenfield/brownfield), scores for individual Building for Life criteria and total scores.

The number of housing starts and completions in London decreased sharply in the fiscal year 2024/25. That came after a period of steadily increasing housing starts between 2019/20 and 2022/23, with ****** units started that latter year. Meanwhile, the number of new residential property starts in London amounted to ***** dwellings in 2024/25. However, the overall housing starts in the United Kingdom were forecasted to grow significantly in the coming years. How do residential construction costs compare across regions in the United Kingdom? Construction costs have been an important challenge for contractors and homebuilders in the United Kingdom, having an effect on their profit, but also on the final price of housing. Residential construction costs in the UK varied significantly by city and building type, with apartment high-rises generally being more expensive to construct than medium-standard townhouses. Overall, construction costs reflect a trend in which urban centers like London and Manchester have the highest average residential building construction costs in the UK. What is the price of a newly built home in the United Kingdom? Over the past decade, house prices have generally increased, reflecting a steady upward trend in the housing market. By the end of 2023, the average price of a newly built house in the UK amounted to nearly ******* British pounds. However, this represented a slight dip compared to the previous quarter, which recorded the highest average house prices since 2013. These trends suggest that the rise in housing costs will continue in the long-term, even if prices fluctuate slightly in certain quarters.

Repair and maintenance of private homes was the segment of residential construction with the highest annual growth rate in 2023. Meanwhile, new private and public housing construction increased by over five percent that year.

An assessment of the design quality of 100 new housing schemes in London, the South East and the East of England. The assessment was carried out in 2004. The assessment is based on the Building for Life criteria. For each of the three Government Office regions, the top 10 house builders by volume were selected (based on most recent available data). For each top 10 house builder all schemes were completed between 1 Jan 2001 and 1 Jan 2004, over 20 units in size and of ‘Average’ Sales price. The attainable scores for each housing scheme varied from -48 (a ‘Poor’ standard scheme) to +48 (a ‘Very Good’ standard scheme). Each of the 16 audit criteria could receive a score of +3 to -3, which were added together to make up the total. Data for each housing scheme includes the housing scheme name, completion date, scores for individual criteria and total scores.

The UK prefabricated buildings market, valued at approximately £7.38 billion in 2025, is experiencing robust growth, projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.17% from 2025 to 2033. This growth is fueled by several key drivers. Increasing demand for faster construction timelines, particularly within the residential sector, is a significant factor. Prefabrication's inherent efficiency in reducing on-site construction time and labor costs is highly attractive to developers facing labor shortages and pressure to deliver projects quickly. Furthermore, the rising emphasis on sustainable construction practices is boosting the adoption of prefabricated buildings, as they often involve less waste and offer greater material efficiency compared to traditional methods. Government initiatives promoting sustainable housing and infrastructure development are further accelerating market expansion. The market is segmented by material type (concrete, glass, metal, timber, and others) and application (residential, commercial, and others), with the residential segment currently dominating, driven by high demand for affordable and efficiently built housing. While material costs and supply chain disruptions represent potential restraints, the overall outlook remains positive due to the long-term benefits offered by prefabrication. The competitive landscape is characterized by a mix of large national construction companies like Barratt Developments, Persimmon Homes, and Balfour Beatty, alongside smaller, specialized prefabricated building manufacturers. The presence of both large and small players suggests opportunities for both established companies leveraging existing infrastructure and smaller firms specializing in niche areas or innovative building techniques. Geographic growth will likely be concentrated in urban areas and regions with high housing demand, with potential for future expansion into rural areas as prefabrication technologies continue to improve and become more cost-effective for diverse applications. The market’s steady growth trajectory makes it attractive for both investors and companies seeking opportunities within the construction and housing sectors, particularly given the ongoing challenges associated with traditional construction methods. Recent developments include: August 2023: UK offsite company Premier Modular has received new investment from London-headquartered private equity firm MML Capital Partners., December 2022: Modulaire Group, a European specialist provider of modular services and infrastructure, announced the acquisition of Mobile Mini UK, a provider of storage containers and site accommodations. WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp's subsidiary has 16 locations across the UK and supplies steel storage and accommodation units to a variety of industries, including construction, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and education.. Key drivers for this market are: Growing Infrastructure Investments, Government Initiatives in the Infrastructure and Construction Sector to Boost the Industry. Potential restraints include: Growing Infrastructure Investments, Government Initiatives in the Infrastructure and Construction Sector to Boost the Industry. Notable trends are: Need for Precast Concrete Technology Driving the Market.

Construction supplies wholesalers have grown steadily as shifts in construction activity reshaped product demand, trading conditions and operating models. ONS data shows that total construction output rose 0.4% in 2024, but repair and maintenance work increased 8.5% while new building fell 5.3%. This matters because wholesalers depend on consistent high-frequency trade purchases to maintain cash flow and manage inventory cycles. As a result, materials tied to repair work like plasterboard, insulation and electrical components have moved more quickly through branches, while slower sales of concrete and steel for major projects have tied up more capital in slow-moving stock. The ONS reported that material price inflation has eased, with the All Work material price index 0.9% lower in January 2025 than a year earlier, improving pricing stability after earlier volatility. Energy and financing costs remain above pre-pandemic norms, limiting wholesalers’ ability to rebuild profitability despite steadier input prices. Over the five years through 2025-26, industry revenue is estimated to rise at a compound annual rate of 3.3% to reach £42.9 billion, including 3.3% growth in 2025-26. Profit margins remain subdued because the industry relies heavily on working capital, vehicle fleets and large warehouses that are sensitive to interest rates and energy trends. Competitive, regulatory and technological changes continue to influence performance. Strong buyer power and low switching costs keep pricing pressure intense, reinforcing the need for efficient networks and faster fulfilment. Major groups are consolidating smaller outlets into larger, higher-capacity branches, improving stock depth and reducing handling costs. Smaller merchants are joining buying groups to secure better purchasing terms and remain competitive. Public infrastructure programmes, including long-term transport and hospital schemes, support stable multi-year demand for specialist materials, helping offset weaker residential activity. Building-safety reforms introduced under the Building Safety Act have raised expectations for accurate digital product data, making wholesalers more responsible for providing traceable, compliant information for insulation, membranes and fire-safety components. Over the five years through 2030-31, industry revenue is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 5.2% to reach £55.3 billion. Gradually falling borrowing costs are expected to lift housing transactions and refurbishment activity, while the Future Homes Standard will increase demand for insulation upgrades, low-carbon heating components and electrical materials. Growth will favour wholesalers that strengthen their digital systems, expand technical support and offer broader renewable-ready and modern-methods-compatible product ranges, as compliance and sustainability expectations continue to rise.

Travis Perkins was the United Kingdom's largest merchant for building supplies in 2024. Stark Building Materials positioned itself as the second company in the ranking after acquiring Saint-Gobain Building Distribution UK in 2022, with a revenue of over ************ British pounds in 2024.

In 2024, London had the highest housing construction costs for residential buildings in the United Kingdom. The expense of building an apartment high-rise in the UK's capital amounted to ***** British pounds per square meter of internal area, while the cost of townhouses were ***** British pounds per square meter. Manchester was the second city on the list with the highest residential construction costs.

Imports of Marble Building Stone reached their highest point in November 2023, but the value of these imports declined to $8.7M during the same month.

Nationwide is the largest building society in the United Kingdom (UK) with group assets worth approximately *** billion British pounds in 2024. In 2023, Nationwide also ranked as the third-largest mortgage lender in the country, with ** percent of the gross mortgage lending. Building societies, unlike banks, are not listed on the stock market and thus, do not have external shareholders. Instead, the "owners" and decision makers of building societies are mortgage borrowers, savers, and current account holders. Building societies offer many traditional banking products and financial services such as mortgage lending, savings and current accounts.

France was the country with the highest number of construction starts of homes in 2024, followed by Poland, Germany, and Spain. There were also ******* housing construction projects starting in the UK and ******* projects completed that year. Meanwhile, Bosnia and Herzegovina had less than ***** construction completions, and Hungary had ****** home completions in 2024. A hiccup in residential construction in Poland Not only was Poland among the countries with the most homes built on overall terms, but, along with Ireland, it also had the most housing completions per capita in Europe. That was despite the number of housing units completed in Poland declining significantly in 2023 and 2024. Nevertheless, the trend in residential construction had been very positive in the previous years, rising from under ******* in 2014 to slightly under ******* in 2022.

France’s capital region had the busiest residential construction segment France had one of the largest construction sectors in Europe.Although the construction starts of residential and commercial buildings in France decreased in 2024, they still covered **** million square meters. Most of that corresponded to housing. However, that activity was unevenly distributed across the country. The revenue of the building construction and renovation industry in Île-de-France was nearly twice higher than that of the second region in the ranking.

Construction companies and property developers require demolition contractors to demolish or dismantle obsolete structures during the pre-construction development phase, through either a total/selective demolition process or sustainable repurposing methods like retrofitting. The Demolition industry’s performance runs in tandem with cyclical fluctuations endured by different construction markets, particularly the residential and commercial markets. Persistent inflation, though lower than its peak of 11.1% in October 2022, has shattered business confidence since 2021-22, discouraging new capital investment and weighing on revenue. In 2021-22, revenue experienced a strong recovery from its pandemic-induced shock. Still, the Russia-Ukraine conflict curbed this recovery as supply chain disruptions emerged, worsened in 2025-26 as President Trump announced a wave of tariff policies that promoted economic uncertainty. Demolition companies have experienced mixed fortunes as investors have been hesitant to spend big on new construction projects, though there’s been some respite from the resilience of infrastructure construction, with initiatives like the New Hospital Programme offering a steady stream of work. Despite fluctuating revenue, profit has trended upwards over the past five years due to these lucrative contract opportunities in infrastructure construction. At the same time, housebuilding policies like the Affordable Homes Programme and the government’s 1.5 million new home target have supported revenue from the residential construction market. Decommissioning projects set out by the UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority have also helped provide an alternative revenue stream through the demolition and decommissioning of obsolete nuclear power plants. Overall, revenue is expected to climb at a compound annual rate of 4.7% over the five years through 2025-26, primarily due to a strong post-pandemic recovery. In 2025-26, revenue is expected to fall by 1.8% to £1.3 billion amid ongoing economic uncertainty. Revenue is slated to swell at a compound annual rate of 2.9% over the five years through 2030-31, reaching £1.5 billion. Supportive supply-side policies will continue to support residential construction output as the Social and Affordable Homes Programme takes effect in 2026 and the ongoing target to build 1.5 million new homes remains in place. Commercial output should inch up as business confidence rises and infrastructure construction will see a boost from the government’s 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy. The Building Cost Information Service forecasts that these policies will aid an 18% spike in construction output over the four years through 2029-30, supporting revenue growth for demolition contractors. The ongoing commitment to nuclear decommissioning will also provide a valuable revenue stream, presenting both demolition and decommissioning opportunities.

As of 2025, Zurich, Geneva, and London had some of the highest construction costs in Europe, with a price of ***** and ******U.S. dollars per square meter, respectively. Dublin was the third city at ***** U.S. dollars per square meter, closely followed by Munich and Dublin. When it comes to the construction cost of education buildings in the UK, Glasgow was more expensive than London. However, this is an exception, as generally, London is the most expensive city to build in the UK.

As with other forms of public building construction, London was the most expensive region in the United Kingdom to build an educational building in. Universities proved to be the most expensive across all regions. The average price per square meter of internal area for a university in London was ***** British pounds in 2018. This was an increase of ** percent compared to the previous year. By comparison, educational facilities located in Northern Ireland were the least costly.

Kier Construction leading contractor

Kier Construction Limited-Building UK was the leading contractor for educational facilities in the UK. In 2018, the construction firm was awarded projects with a combined value of *** million British pounds. This was ** percent more than the second entry.

Number of universities stable

The number of universities in the country has stayed stable since 2012/13. In the past two years, there were *** institutions of higher education. While having been relatively constant in the past five years, there was a noticeable jump in the number of universities at the beginning of the century.

Building materials made of steel, copper and other metals had some of the highest price growth rates in the U.S. in the first half of 2025 in comparison to the previous year. The growth rate of the cost of several construction materials was slightly lower than in late 2024. It is important to note, though, that the figures provided are Producer Price Indices, which cover production within the United States, but do not include imports or tariffs. This might matter for lumber, as Canada's wood production is normally large enough that the U.S. can import it from its neighboring country. Construction material prices in the United Kingdom Similarly to these trends in the U.S., at that time the price growth rate of construction materials in the UK were generally lower 2024 than in 2023. Nevertheless, the cost of some construction materials in the UK still rose that year, with several of those items reaching price growth rates of over **** percent. Considering that those materials make up a very big share of the costs incurred for a construction project, those developments may also have affected the average construction output price in the UK. Construction material shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic During the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic, there often were supply problems and material shortages, which created instability in the construction market. According to a survey among construction contractors, the construction materials most affected by shortages in the U.S. during most of 2021 were steel and lumber. This was also a problem on the other side of the Atlantic: The share of building construction companies experiencing shortages in Germany soared between March and June 2021, staying at high levels for over a year. Meanwhile, the shortage of material or equipment was one of the main factors limiting the building activity in France in June 2022.