BUILDERS TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

There are a number of builders trade associations within the UK, and all of them are designed to support building firms and individuals by lobbying UK and European governments, regional assemblies and related non-governmental agencies to ensure builders’ interests are represented.

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) is the building industry’s longest established trade association, which was founded in the late 19th century and has been offering members advice on legal, employment, taxation, health and safety, planning, environmental, technical, training and government funding issues ever since.

Along with advice for its members, the NFB also provides information for potential customers, who can contact the federation to check if a builder is a member and to log a complaint and get advice about poor workmanship. In doing this, the NFB helps to keep ‘cowboy’ builders out of the industry, and therefore continues to promote the good work by its members.

The UK’s other main builders trade association is the Federation of Master Builders, which has been established for more than 60 years and aims to protect the interests of small and medium-sized building firms.

Today it is the largest trade association in the UK building industry, providing a source of knowledge, professional advice and support for its members, along with a range of modern and relevant business building services to save them time and money.

Divided into 11 regions encompassing the whole of the UK and with more than 120 branches, the FMB is an independent, non-profit-making organisation that continuously lobbies for members’ interests at both national and local levels.

Members of the FMB must work to a strict code of practice, which they commit to every year when they renew their membership. This code of practice covers their relationship with customers throughout the building process and ensures that you should always receive a professional, value for money service. Any complaint made about a member to the FMB is taken very seriously and investigated fully, and in most cases the FMB can resolve the dispute.

In addition to these two trade associations, the European Builders Confederation has also been established to help protect UK builders’ rights within the realms of European legislation. The FMB is a founder member of the confederation.

Other builders trade associations and organisations in the UK include the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the Construction Federation, the Construction Industry Council, and the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).