Federation of Master Builders

Federation of Master Builders
Name	Federation of Master Builders
Abbreviation	FMB
Founded	1941
Headquarters	London
Region served	United Kingdom
Membership	Independent builders, construction firms

Federation of Master Builders is a UK trade association representing small and medium-sized independent builders and construction firms across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It engages with national institutions such as Parliament of the United Kingdom, Department for Business and Trade, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and regulatory bodies including Health and Safety Executive and Construction Industry Training Board to influence policy, standards, and apprenticeships. The organisation interacts with professional institutions like Royal Institute of British Architects, Chartered Institute of Building, Institution of Civil Engineers, and consumer bodies such as Which?, Citizens Advice, and National Consumer Council.

History

Established in 1941 amid wartime reconstruction needs, the association grew alongside post-war initiatives like the Town and Country Planning Act 1947 and the Beveridge Report. In the 1950s and 1960s it expanded membership during major programmes such as the New Towns Act 1946 and worked alongside entities like National House Building Council, Greater London Council, and Ministry of Housing and Local Government. During the 1970s energy crises and the implementation of standards influenced by the Building Regulations 1985 it engaged with stakeholders including Association of Consulting Architects and Local Government Association. In the 1990s and 2000s it responded to policies from Prime Minister Tony Blair era initiatives and coordinated with agencies such as Homes and Communities Agency, Office of Fair Trading, and Energy Saving Trust. Recent decades saw activity during events such as the 2012 Summer Olympics construction, Brexit negotiations involving Department for Exiting the European Union, and post-pandemic recovery measures tied to schemes from HM Treasury.

Structure and Membership

The federation is governed by a board and executive team interfacing with bodies like Companies House, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and audit firms working under Financial Reporting Council standards. Membership comprises small and medium enterprises that work on projects regulated by Planning Inspectorate, engage with insurers such as Aviva and Zurich Insurance Group, and partner with suppliers represented by trade bodies like the Construction Products Association and Federation of Small Businesses. Members range from firms bidding for contracts with Homes England and Network Rail to those delivering private works promoted through platforms similar to Rightmove and Zoopla. The organisation liaises with trade unions like Unite the Union and GMB (trade union) on workforce issues, and collaborates with certification bodies such as British Standards Institution and Construction Skills Certification Scheme administrators.

Services and Accreditation

The federation operates accreditation schemes comparable to NHBC warranties and works with inspection and compliance partners including Building Research Establishment, Lloyd's Register, and BRE Trust. It provides dispute resolution alongside legal frameworks like the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and guidance coordinated with Competition and Markets Authority. Members access insurance brokerage services, contract templates aligned with standards from Joint Contracts Tribunal, and technical support referencing codes such as Eurocodes and standards from British Standards Institution. It offers quality assurance, workmanship guarantees, and trade-specific endorsements analogous to accreditation by TrustMark and engagement with certification from ISO-aligned bodies.

Campaigns and Industry Influence

The federation has campaigned on housing delivery affecting initiatives like Help to Buy, Affordable Homes Programme, and planning reforms tied to the National Planning Policy Framework. It has advocated for skills policy in dialogue with Department for Education, apprenticeships supported by Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, and funding decisions by UK Research and Innovation. It has submitted evidence to inquiries by the Public Accounts Committee and engaged with parliamentary groups such as the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Planning. Campaign topics included building safety reforms stimulated by the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry, standards following the Hackitt Report, and procurement practices in public sector construction overseen by Crown Commercial Service.

Training and Education

Training programmes are developed in partnership with institutions such as City and Guilds, Open University, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, and regional colleges like City of Glasgow College and Leeds City College. Apprenticeship pathways align with frameworks from Education and Skills Funding Agency and assessments through Assessment of Occupational Competence providers. CPD and technical courses reference research from BRE Academy and policy guidance from Chartered Institute of Building and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The federation supports upskilling funded by initiatives such as Local Growth Fund projects and collaborates with employment services like Department for Work and Pensions and Adzuna for recruitment pipelines.

Regional and Local Branches

The organisation maintains regional presence interacting with devolved administrations including Scottish Government, Welsh Government, and Northern Ireland Executive, and engages with combined authorities such as the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and West Midlands Combined Authority. Local branches liaise with councils like Bristol City Council, Manchester City Council, Glasgow City Council, and stakeholder networks including Local Enterprise Partnerships and chambers such as British Chambers of Commerce. Regional initiatives have interfaced with projects like Crossrail, HS2, and urban regeneration schemes in partnership with bodies such as London Legacy Development Corporation and Tees Valley Combined Authority.

Category:Construction trade associations of the United Kingdom