As the construction sector faces a growing crisis of skills and labour shortages, David Nimmo, Director at Donaldson Timber Systems explains how timber frame offers the ideal solution.
The UK construction sector is under real pressure. With the target of building 1.5 million much-needed new homes in just a few years, the big question is: where are we going to find the people to build them?
According to the latest CITB figures, we’d need to bring in more than 251,000 new workers over the next four years just to keep up. That’s a huge ask—especially in a market where skilled labour is already in short supply.
That’s 50,300 new workers a year over the next four years to get to an industry that by 2028 will employ 2.75m people. So, we need to attract more people to join our industry, stem the number of leavers, or become more productive. That’s where we believe Modern Methods of Construction can help. Two of the biggest labour shortages the industry faces is lack bricklayers and lack of carpenters and joiners.
So, how do we move forward? For many of our customers, the answer is simple: timber frame construction.
Why timber frame works
There’s a growing push in the industry to embrace Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). Skills England has said the use of MMC could be “expanded considerably” to help tackle labour shortages, with the potential to reduce construction’s reliance on skilled labour pools and drive productivity in the sector.
When it comes to MMC, timber frame is leading the charge. A large part of the build happens in a controlled factory environment, which means less dependency on skilled site labour and far fewer delays from weather or site conditions. You get better quality and more predictability—two things that are worth their weight in gold on any project.
Less labour, more progress
Once you’re on site, the use of MMC can improve efficiency by 50%. For example, an offsite manufactured timber frame house, is typically 8 weeks faster to build on site than a masonry one from slab to habitation. The labour need is reduced, as fewer operatives are required and there is a much shorter build programme.
For example, with timber frame, bricklayers only need to focus on the outer leaf of a wall instead of building a full cavity wall – so a team can complete two timber frame homes in the time it would take to finish one traditional masonry house.
This allows skilled tradespeople to cover more ground, resulting in improved productivity and enabling housebuilders to deliver more homes with the same, or even fewer, resources.
Ultimately, you’re making better use of your existing team, keeping things efficient and on schedule—and in many cases, actually reducing costs along the way.
A long-term solution
Timber frame construction isn’t just a stopgap—it’s a long-term strategy that supports the sector’s ability to recover, grow, and support the UK economy. It gives housebuilders a way to keep delivering at pace, even with a smaller workforce, and it supports a more sustainable, consistent approach to building.
Offsite timber frame is the future of UK housebuilding. It’s efficient, scalable, and tailored for current and future market challenges. It’s also tried, tested, and already widely used across the country.
We’ve been doing this for 50 years, and in that time, we’ve built over 150,000 homes. Our long-standing supply chain is solid, our quality is proven, and we’re proud to be helping customers build smarter every day.
If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with our sales team and we’ll be happy to answer any questions. We’re here to help you make the switch—whether you’re just starting to explore your options or ready to dive in.