Drain Center warns that collaboration across the whole supply chain is essential to avoid the recent materials shortage threat becoming a reality and stalling the marketplace.

Recently application numbers have started to rise for mortgages under the extended Help to Buy scheme, a government initiative designed to enable buyers who can afford only small deposits to buy a home.

With first time buyers now being able to access 95% mortgages and the housebuilding market reaching a five-year high with regards to the number of new homes built in the UK, this indicates there is already a significant increase in demand.

In the first half of the year 67,422 new homes were registered with the National House Building Council – the highest figure since 2008.

For the first time ‘materials shortages’ has reared its head as a top threat in a SWOT analysis of the housebuilding market carried out among industry leaders, including major housebuilders, as well as material suppliers, architects, commentators, industry bodies, and consultants.

David Young, trading director at Drain Center, said: “This is a really exciting time for the construction industry. However, it is all very well analysing the marketplace in the short term and getting enthusiastic about the housing boom, but we need to be mindful of the rate of growth and demand. It’s up to us to keep the market constant, by keeping the supply of new homes in line with demand.”

Drain Center has an extensive history of delivering a portfolio of over 15,000 drainage products to the housebuilding market, and has been supplying to the sector for over 30 years. As part of Wolseley UK, Drain Center is regularly accessed as part of a housebuilding package with its sister companies Plumb Center, meaning projects are managed as one account gaining support and utilising experience across the business.

Mr Young concluded: “Of course, it’s a nice “problem” to have, and at Drain Center we will ensure that these issues do not impact negatively on any of the contractors that we supply – but let’s hope the rest of the marketplace does too.”

The 2013 Housebuilder SWOT Analysis http://www.house-builder.co.uk/issues/index.php?page=article&id=6902&magazine_section=&orig=default.