Compliance Plus Customer Opinion Research Two Studies from the Building Control Alliance © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 1 |1 |

Agenda Introductions Paul Everall, Chief Executive, LABC Nigel Barr, Chair ACAI Amanda Evans, Lychgate Paul Wilkins, ACAI Philip Hammond, LABC Agenda Overview – Phil Hammond, LABC Customer Opinion Research - Amanda Evans, Lychgate Compliance Actions - Phil Hammond, LABC & Nigel Barr, ACAI Questions and discussions © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 2 |2 |

Introduction Why research? ACAI and LABC working together Demand for evidence that building control works, adds value and isnt an unnecessary cost burden on industry or tax payers DCLG Consultation and Red Tape Challenge, but… Research cost and time resource is a heavy load for a small service: Fewer than 400 ACAI and LABC teams Fewer than 4,000 surveyors © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 3 |3 |

Introduction Issues Unfair attacks by groups using anecdotes Need for independent professional research Clarify and quantify basic facts Building control is primarily a B2B service with outcomes that affect consumers and communities and the opinions of businesses working on real projects (mostly mundane) need to be heard © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 4 |4 |

Introduction Research plan © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 5 |5 | ProjectWhen Customer opinion researchdone Compliance actions surveydone Professional resources, quals, experience & training surveySpring 2012 BCPSAG – new Performance IndicatorsSpring 2012 Enforcement - regularisations, reversions & prosecutions2012/13 Consumer awareness2013

Introduction Private Preview You are seeing this first All data has been held back and there has been no PR We will be briefing our respective members and issuing press releases through the Building Control Alliance © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 6 |6 |

Customer Opinion Research Amanda Evans My session this morning: Lychgate – profile Building Control customer opinion research brief Methodology and sample Key findings © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 7 |7 |

Customer Opinion Research Lychgate Independent B2B research consultancy est Specialists in building industry (90% of turnover) Members of MRS and CIM Provision of high quality feedback from all levels in the industry, including Clients, Architects, Engineers, Main Contractors, Housebuilders, Housing Associations and Specialist sub- contractors Clients are product manufacturers, service providers and trade associations including Lafarge, Hanson, British Gypsum, Construction Products Association, NHBC, Considerate Constructors Scheme and Constructionline © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 8 |8 |

Customer Opinion Research Research objectives Identify customer opinions: Perceptions of building control and its value Contribution to projects and benefits it brings Experience of the building control system Satisfaction with the building control system and Building Regulations Consideration of alternatives Improvements required © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 9 |9 |

Customer Opinion Research Sample and methodology Statistically valid sample balanced to reflect different segments of business users Sample sourced independently by Lychgate, representative nationally to reflect regional construction output In-depth telephone interviews, lasting on average 16 mins Identified and interviewed those interacting with building control… decision-makers and users © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 10 |

Respondent profile segments Developers & other end clientsDevelopers18 Other property clients13 Architects & plan drawersTop 100 firms21 Medium/small architects52 Freelance plan drawers35 House buildersTop 15, at regional level27 Other top Small house builders64 ContractorsTop Regional/specialist contractors56 Small builders 142 SpecialistsLoft conversion16 Roofing13 Replacement windows7 Fit out17 Total541 © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 11 |

Customer Opinion Research 92% believe they benefit from an independent and impartial third party inspection service Their depth of belief in this is high too. On a scale of (with 10 high), 89% rate the benefit of building control to their projects at 7 or more, with similar results across all groups Building Regulations also viewed positively – 49% did not have any issues with the system © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 12 | Key Findings – Benefits of Building Control

Customer Opinion Research High customer attachment to building control system 94% feel it reassures clients that the job is carried out properly 70% feel it reduces risk © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 13 | Ultimately to what extent does the involvement of Building Control help you to achieve the following? Key Findings – Benefits of Building Control

Customer Opinion Research Just over 3 in ten considered it to be a smooth process, but 4 in ten thought it could be challenging © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 14 | Key Findings – A challenging process? Would you say the Building Control process is...? But regardless of whether they thought it smooth or challenging, 97% believe the system is worthwhile to achieve safe and compliant buildings

Customer Opinion Research 93% believe it is important that the building industry should use independent checks rather than self-certification When asked which they would prefer for their own company, 80% would rather have third party assessment than self certification Specialist trades expressed a slightly stronger preference for self certification (but still only 27% would prefer) © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 15 | Key Findings – third party assessment and self certification In your opinion, how important is it to the industry to have independent third parties checking compliance with Building Regulations?

Customer Opinion Research © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 16 | Acceptable level of satisfaction 1 Very dissatisfied 10 Very satisfied 7 How satisfied are you with the Building Control Surveyor? Average scores out of 10 Key Findings – Service Level Satisfaction Satisfaction with the service is high with average scores of 8 out of 10 These scores are high compared with those achieved in other building industry sectors (based on other research conducted in the last 3 years in the building industry) Only 6% could be described as dissatisfied (gave scores of 6 or less) The main issue is dissatisfaction with response times and technical consistency between building control bodies and individual surveyors

Customer Opinion Research Key Findings – Business Customer Priorities Business users of building control want a service that is / provides: Co-operative and helpful Timely advice & service Professional Responsive Flexible Offers advice proactively Pre-empts problems Is part of the project team Gives good quality technical advice % made suggestions for improvement, including consistency and better response – not a new system © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 17 |

Customer Opinion Research Final thoughts Customers value building control and the building regulations system Satisfaction with the Building Control service is high compared with other building industry services / products Low dissatisfaction amongst users (contractors etc) and end customers (developers / building owners) Very high commitment to using an independent third party check Those preferring self certification are in the minority – even amongst specialist contractors © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 18 |

Next Survey © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 19 |

National Compliance Actions Survey The largest ever building control study Objective to measure daily work - instructions given to clients on their plans, on-site or through extra or telephone conversations Both public and private sector building control 20 working days – the whole of November A good average working month 248 building control bodies responded in total 69% of LABCs network 65% of ACAI members © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 20 |

National Compliance Actions Survey Big Numbers An average working month produced 277,046 compliance interventions on 198,338 projects Interventions could be during plan checking or inspections This does not mean an average of 1.4 Most projects will run for a number of months so the total of interventions on a project would be greater High volume of domestic projects and fit outs makes the average duration circa 4 months © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 21 |

National Compliance Actions Survey © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 22 | PartTotal Interventions A Structure55,538 B Fire54,736 L Energy38,899 H Drainage23,796 C Moisture22,845 M Access14,863 F Ventilation14,809 K Falls11,184 P Electrics 9,754 E Sound 8,791 J Flues 7,736 G Hygiene 5,991 N Glazing 4,801 D Toxics 592

National Compliance Actions Survey Safe to Extrapolate 67% response rate from the ACAI and LABC network gives a sound statistical base 100% 413K per month = 4.9 million interventions p.a. I © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 23 |

National Compliance Actions Survey Are all interventions important? We asked for a simple classification 28% were deemed of High importance – an urgent, major issue 39% were Moderate – would cause issues if not rectified 32% classified Low – not up to standard, but not a major health, safety or performance issue So two-thirds of interventions prevented immediate or future problems © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 24 |

National Compliance Actions Survey What have we learned? 1.Compliance actions are far more extensive than we thought 2.Building control bodies apply equal effort to interventions that are not life threatening 3.Two-thirds of interventions are made for important reasons © Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 25 |

© Presentations and their content are the copyright of LABC 26 | Thank You