New guidance on commissioning services in new homes

May 16, 2019

The NHBC Foundation today publishes a guide that helps site managers oversee the many commissioning activities that are important to a smooth build programme and delivering high quality homes for home buyers.

At your services – What to expect during commissioning – produced in collaboration with BSRIA, is a response to the ever-expanding family of services from solar-technologies to whole-house ventilation systems that means that site managers will see an increasing range of commissioning activities on their sites, often of a highly technical nature.

While commissioning must be carried out by specialists and competent installers, this new guide fills an important gap, helping site managers to engage more closely with the commissioning process and to ask the right questions at the right time.

In a foreword to the new guide Neil Jefferson, NHBC’s Chief Operating Officer, says: “The reality is that many site managers today feel distant from the commissioning checks and balances that are so crucial.”

He adds: “Commissioning in general has become much more technical and exacting, with processes and language which are not easy for non-specialists to understand. This is not good for the success of commissioning which ultimately depends on good understanding between the site manager and commissioning experts involved.”

The NHBC Foundation guide gives special attention to explaining the reasons for the various commissioning activities and how they contribute to long-term trouble-free operation. It covers the following types of services:

  • Water and drainage
  • Gas connection and distribution
  • Electrical installations
  • Boiler – gas supply and correct operation
  • Underfloor heating pipe loops and manifolds
  • Unvented, indirect hot water cylinders
  • Ventilation systems
  • Air source (air to water) heat pumps
  • Solar hot water systems
  • Grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems

EAN Breaking News

Breaking News from the team at Estate Agent Networking. Have a new story to share with us? Then please get in contact today! When and where we can we will refer to third party websites with a 'live link back' where news was released first.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

The Future of Urban Real Estate: Trends and Predictions for 2026

Affordability pressures, hybrid work arrangements, and steep borrowing costs are heavy influences on urban real estate for 2026. We’re seeing an increase in mixed-use development and a renewed focus from investors on markets with a steady demand. Markets that can balance housing access, transportation, lifestyle amenities, and flexible workplaces will come out on top. Major…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

London’s prime residential market isn’t falling — it’s repricing

By Daniel Austin, CEO and co-founder at ASK Partners London’s prime residential market has looked subdued by global standards, but framing current conditions as a decline overlooks the more important underlying dynamic. The market is undergoing structural repricing driven by higher interest rates, shifting tax policy and a more volatile geopolitical environment. This is not…
Read More →
Breaking News

Foxtons Lettings Market Index – April 2026

Market activity strengthens with applicant demand recovering and supply remaining ahead of last year   After the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act, April provides the final snapshot of market conditions ahead of implementation, offering a clear benchmark for how the sector is positioned entering this new regulatory environment. The lettings market strengthened through the…
Read More →
Breaking News

Five hidden costs catching home buyers out

FIVE hidden costs that’re catching home buyers out, AFTER they put their offer in, says expert • Buyers often focus on deposits and mortgages, but overlook thousands in extra costs • Delays, surveys and legal fees can quickly inflate budgets • Unexpected gaps in funding are becoming increasingly common A lot of home buyers think…
Read More →
Breaking News

Housing Insight Report: March 2026

Buyer activity and sales agreed picked up this month as the housing market entered the spring season, with increased stock levels giving consumers more choice despite ongoing affordability pressures. Meanwhile, the rental market remained highly competitive, as tenant demand continued to outstrip supply and concerns over future regulation weighed on landlord confidence. Sales 1. The…
Read More →
Breaking News

Renters’ Rights Act risks leaving the tenants it set out to protect with fewer options

Fewer than a third of landlords are fully aware that the Renters’ Rights Act bans advance rent payments of more than one month, according to new research from LRG. The survey of 650 landlords and tenants across England and Wales found that 43% know the rules have changed but remain uncertain of the details, while…
Read More →