Decades of change: The evolution of our Building Control service

In late 2025, our Building Control service turned 40.

A fitting time, then, to look back at just how far we’ve come – and how much has changed since we launched the service in 1985.

Starting small

The eighties saw a housing boom that brought record levels of new home building.

Our fledgling Building Control service was immediately busy, raising standards through comprehensive design checks and site inspections across England and Wales.

Back then, the service was limited to houses of up to three storeys, reflecting the tradition of low-rise construction across the country.

1985 also saw the introduction of our innovative Type Approval system, which later evolved into today’s NHBC System Review, helping builders speed up repeat designs for subsequent sites with faster approvals.

While the work of our team remains familiar today, the methods (and thankfully the haircuts) have changed drastically.

By the turn of the millennium, we caught the digital bug and became the first building control body to invest heavily in a state-of-the-art IT system that replaced the reams of paperwork and outgoing ‘snail mail’.

Of course, that technological innovation has only accelerated since.

The journey continues

It’s amazing to reflect on how different both construction and daily life are 40 years on.

But what will the next 40 look like? What will change, and what won’t?

While the future remains unknown, one thing’s certain: building control will continue to evolve.

The creation of the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) as part of the Building Safety Act 2022 brought in some of the most significant changes in decades, ushering in a new regime for our industry.

It’s a reminder that in the current landscape of high demand, increased pressures, climate concerns and regulatory debate, we can’t afford to stand still.

Whatever form tomorrow takes, NHBC’s Building Control service will be here to adapt and support builders and homeowners through our rigorous, independent checks – just as we always have.