David Thomas, the outgoing chief executive of Barratt Redrow, says bricklaying robots are already being deployed on commercial building sites and predicts a revolution in how homes are built over the next decade.
Factory-built timber frames, off-site manufacturing and “brick-simulation” cladding are beginning to reshape the construction industry, reducing the amount of labour required on site and changing how developments are assembled. Thomas believes the biggest transformation will come beyond ten years, as automation and factory production become increasingly embedded across housebuilding.
The industry has struggled with recruitment for more than two decades, with far fewer young people entering trades such as bricklaying, plumbing and electrical work than in previous generations. Drone technology and AI are also becoming more common across large developments, helping with surveying, infrastructure monitoring and site security — though Thomas sees technology augmenting workers rather than replacing them entirely.
He also explores the mounting pressures facing Britain’s housing market, warning that conditions for first-time buyers are now as difficult as they have been since the Great Financial Crisis, but without the government support schemes that existed in 2009. Student debt, higher borrowing costs and rising interest rate expectations following the recent Middle East conflict are all reducing affordability and pushing the average age of home ownership higher.
At the same time, the cost of building homes has surged. Thomas says construction costs have risen by around £75,000 per typical property in just five years, driven by inflation, supply chain disruption and tightening environmental regulation. The shift away from gas boilers towards air source heat pumps is adding thousands more to the cost of new homes, whilst repeated periods of 40-degree heat are forcing the industry to rethink how houses are designed for a warmer future.
Presenter: Sean Farrington Producer: Olie D'Albertanson Editor: Henry Jones
03:40 Climate change and overheating homes 11:12 Rising build costs 18:32 Housing demand, affordability and regional challenges 21:18 First-time buyers: toughest market since the financial crisis 26:20 Supply and demand: a whole generation at risk 28:18 Interest rates, the war in Iran and market uncertainty 38:21 Skills shortages and the future of construction 40:20 Bricklaying robots, factory production and modern methods 42:57 AI, drones and technology on building sites