No Government can come close to its 300,000 new homes a year target by 2025 or even by 2030 without dramatic change in way we build houses the construction workforce is simply too small. Even if all planning rules were abolished and traditional housebuilding had all the cash ministers could throw at it, the sector could still build no more homes as they don’t have the specialist workforce to make them.
Modular homes can be a mainstay of the solution – because these factory-made houses target a different pool of workers with the skills to work in precision manufacturing. The skills needed are easy to learn on the job with in-house training, and efficient assembly line processes mean modular house builders use 50% fewer workers to construct the same number of homes. This builds additionality in supply and modular is also 40% more productive than traditional housebuilding.
To address the issue of labour shortages which is now at a critical point, Government must help modular to grow at speed and take advantage of the fact modular can build homes quickly but also homes which are efficient to heat and run.
