Business Matters

David Thomas, the outgoing chief executive of Barratt Redrow, says bricklaying robots are already being deployed on commercial building sites and predicts a revolution in how homes are built over the next decade.Factory-built timber frames, off-site manufacturing and “brick-simulation” cladding are beginning to reshape the construction industry, reducing the amount of labour required on site and changing how developments are assembled. Thomas believes the biggest transformation will come beyond ten years, as automation and factory production become increasingly embedded across housebuilding.The industry has struggled with recruitment for more than two decades, with far fewer young people entering trades such as bricklaying, plumbing and electrical work than in previous generations. Drone technology and AI are also becoming more common across large developments, helping with surveying, infrastructure monitoring and site security — though Thomas sees technology augmenting workers rather than replacing them enti