There is almost unanimous agreement across the housebuilding sector that 2026 needs to be the year in which we see build rates take off. As Labour’s 2029 housing mission deadline starts to loom, time is of the essence.

Yet in the construction sector, speed often goes hand in hand with concerns over quality – and there is little point in building 1.5 million homes that are not fit for purpose.

So here is the question: as the pressure mounts to hit the government’s targets, how does the industry build quickly but with confidence, so the country gets the housing it wants, not just the housing it needs?

The industry has learnt the hard way that build quality matters. When homes are built poorly, rework costs money, takes time and risks reputation, chipping away at housebuilders’ profits.