National House Building Council NHBC
The National House Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) was established in 1936. It was originally created to tackle poor building practices during the inter-war years in the belief that improving professionalism and care amongst home builders would produce a better built product. It was a form of voluntary self-regulation, with the motto ‘Cavendo tutus’ - ‘be safe by taking care’.
The NHBRC was renamed the National House Building Council (NHBC) in 1973. Today, it is the UK’s largest warranty and insurance provider for UK house-building for new homes through its Buildmark products. It is also the largest single approved inspector for the Building Regulations. NHBC is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee, with a stated purpose of working with home builders to give homeowners confidence in the quality of new homes.
NHBC roles and responsibilities include:
- Registering house builders.
- Setting and raising standards for construction.
- Inspecting homes independently during construction and after completion.
- Promoting best practice.
- Providing warranty and insurance cover for new and newly-converted homes.
- Providing research, analysis, feedback and practical guidance.
- Protecting consumers through the Buildmark warranty.
The NHBC business strategy sets out four main pillars:
- Researching the industry to provide homeowners with better access to information to help manage their homes. Understanding consumer needs to develop products that better meet these needs.
- Ensuring the capital position is be sufficient to support the organisations objectives.
- Working closely with the government to help shape the future of the house building industry.
- Setting technical requirements, performance standards and guidance for the design and construction of houses that are acceptable to NHBC, supported by guidance notes, videos and other supplementary material.
NHBC is run by a board of directors on a day-to-day basis. They are accountable to a council of members consisting of groups who have an interest in improving UK house building. Representatives include architects, consumer groups, house builders, law societies, mortgage lenders, surveyors and so on.
In February 2017, NHBC launched an online MMC hub to help inform house-builders about modern methods of construction. Standards manager Paul Cribbens said; “We hope that the new hub will act as the leading resource for manufacturers wanting to apply for a review, with details of the building systems currently accepted together with the very latest research.”
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Approved inspector.
- Building regulations.
- Buildmark.
- Buy-to-let mortgage.
- Chartered Institute of Housing.
- Construction industry institutes and associations.
- Council of Mortgage Lenders.
- Defective premises - liability and measure of damages.
- Defective Premises Act.
- Home Quality Mark.
- NHBC Standards 2019.
- NHBC Standards 2020.
- NHBC technical standards 2014.
- NHBC technical standards 2016.
- Performance gap.
- What is a mortgage?
Featured articles and news
Introducing or next Guest Editor Arun Baybars
Practising architect and design panel review member.
Quick summary by size, shape, test, material, use or bonding.
Types of rapidly renewable content
From forestry to agricultural crops and their by-products.
Terraced houses and the public realm
The discernible difference between the public realm of detached housing and of terraced housing.
Put digitalisation and sustainability at the core of curricula
Project management educators are urged.
Looking back at the influence of climate events
From a designer and writer: 'There are limits to growth but no limits to development'.
Terms, histories, theories and practice.
Biophilic design and natural light
Letting in the light and natural elements into spaces.
APM Programme Management Conference 2024
Strategies for Success.
Residential takes the reins as contract awards even out
Contracts down, but remain above the last quarter of 2023.
Celebrating Eid and the largest mud-brick building.
Barry Kingscote claims prestigious CIOB CMYA Award.
The British Mosque: an architectural and social history
The story of some 1,500 mosques or more in Britain.
Heat pump refrigerants, efficiencies and impacts
R12 to R1270 what are the differences?
Global heat pump market in 2023
Challenging times with positive but modest outlook.
Beyond the infrastructure pipeline
Opportunities and chokepoints.