Improvements to risk management and site scoring coming into effect in May 2026

Insight, transparency and consistency

From April 12 2026, LABC Warranty will introduce an improved site scoring framework that will offer you clearer visibility of workmanship standards while maintaining the robust inspection approach our surveyors are known for.

This improved scoring framework will complement changes to our risk management approach that will emphasise quality in construction at Key Stages above all else.

In addition, our focus will move from areas like site tidiness and health & safety to put emphasis on the quality observed on individual plots or blocks inspected.

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The key changes

As part of the improvements, the existing Site Workmanship Score will end and will be replaced by a Key Stage Score.

Scoring areas like site tidiness and health & safety will disappear and be replaced by quality scores for construction Key Stages.

To support the above, the 1-5 site rating will be immediately phased out to be replaced by a 1-6 scoring system for every Key Stage on your site.

While your scores may have a different numerical value after this change is implemented, we must stress that there is no continuity between your old 1-5 scores and your new 1-6 scores.

What you’ll see on site

In addition to these changes, how LABC Warranty approaches site inspections will also change. On top of our general focus on quality, your Risk Management Surveyor will be asked to inspect all visible elements of a site.

In practice, this means that when a Surveyor is called to your site to inspect plots or blocks at any of the key stages, they will also conduct warranty inspections on any other plots available in-build.

More information on how the inspection and scoring regime is changing is available further on in this document.

Why this change is necessary

The improvements described above will empower you to put the focus on the quality of individual plots and blocks.

By putting quality on a pedestal, together we can maintain the highest standards in homebuilding, and in turn offer you a more insightful, granular look at your site performance.

This includes offering you:

• Data on the performance of every single plot or block on your site.
• Photographic evidence of every single plot and block inspected by your Surveyor.
• A 1-6 scoring system to make performance comparison across sites easier.

1-6 scoring in practice

The refreshed scoring system will use 1-6. A plot that is not compliant with LABC Warranty’s Technical Standards cannot register a score higher than a 3, regardless of other quality observed in the construction.

The table below shows how workmanship on your site is evaluated during a warranty inspection, helping to highlight strengths and recognise the quality demonstrated across individual plots or blocks.

Enhanced reporting suite brings insights

On top of changes to the scoring framework and inspection regime, this improvement also delivers enhanced reporting for builders and developers.

This includes:

• Plot-by-plot, or block-by-block scoring.
• Key Stage-level reports and scoring.
• Site-level scores on Key Stages, created by averaging the scores of individual plots and blocks.
• Plot-level register of defects and risks (risk defined as something which, unremedied, may develop into a defect in the future).

These powerful reports let you take an in-depth, granular, and transparent look at performance and quality on your sites.

Clear scoring at Key Stages

To make performance data more transparent and easier to interpret, house builders will now see scoring aligned to four stages of construction (dependent on risk) or five if you are building apartments:

• Foundations – Every plot or block on a site will be individually inspected at foundation stage.
• Superstructure – The first plot to reach end of the Superstructure stage will be inspected and scored. This plot will be used as a benchmark for quality for all other plots for scoring consistency and transparency. The remaining plots will be scored as the stage progresses.
• Pre Plaster – As above, a plot or block reaching Pre-Plaster stage will be inspected as a benchmark for all other plots in progress.
• Pre Handover – Every plot or block will be individually inspected.
• Roof (for apartment schemes only)

This reflects natural build milestones without limiting the breadth of our inspection process.

Multiple scores per stage – one compliance outcome

Because construction progresses differently plot-to-plot:

• A plot/block may be scored multiple times within the same Key Stage.
• For houses, however, the lowest score recorded for that stage is the compliance score used for reporting and measuring performance.
• Subsequent scores offer insight into progress and improvements but do not replace the compliance score.

This ensures fairness while recognising the dynamic nature of on-site activity.

Not an end-of-stage only inspection regime

We must be clear: the new scoring framework does not replace or reduce the frequency and depth of our surveyors’ inspections.

Surveyors will continue to carry out:

• Full risk-based inspections.
• Whole site inspections.
• Additional checks where concerns arise.
• Plot-specific reviews at all stages of the build.

These inspections remain a core part of how we safeguard build quality, proactively support developers, and identify issues before they escalate.

Enhanced reporting through the Extranet

We are upgrading our existing Inspection Summary Activity Report to display the new scoring format, making it easier for developers to:

• Track performance at each Key Stage.
• View average scores per order, office, or region.
• Deep dive into scoring trends across multiple developments.
• Access photos linked to each recorded score.
• Download raw scoring data for further analysis.

A new Site Scoring Analysis MI report will also allow deeper insight across offices, regions, and time periods.

Built on industry-leading tools and technical expertise

You will continue to benefit from our full ecosystem of support, including:

• The Extranet for end-to-end project visibility.
• Remote access to documentation, MI reports, and inspection plans.
• Technical Standards Online and further guidance resources.
• Site Quality Reviews and Early Engagement Consultancy.
• Technical training and CITB-accredited courses (with up to 50% funding for qualifying organisations).