From March 2027, every new-build home in England must meet the Future Homes Standard. This is the most significant change to building regulations in a generation — and it affects virtually every tradesperson who works on new residential construction: electricians, plumbers, heating engineers, builders, and insulation contractors.

If you work on new-build sites, you have approximately five months to understand what is coming and position your business to take advantage of it.

What Is the Future Homes Standard?

The Future Homes Standard (FHS) is an update to England's Building Regulations that requires all new homes to produce 75–80% less carbon than homes built to 2013 standards. It arrives in March 2027 as a mandatory requirement — not a target, not a pilot, not a voluntary scheme.

The standard is built around two updated Approved Documents:

Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power) — thermal efficiency, carbon emissions
Part F (Ventilation) — mechanical ventilation requirements

The Core Changes: What Is In and What Is Out

What Is Banned in New Builds from March 2027

Gas boilers — the single most consequential ban. From March 2027, no new residential property in England requiring building control approval can have a gas boiler fitted as its primary heating system.

Also banned: oil boilers, LPG boilers (where alternatives are available), direct electric resistance heating as primary heating.

What Is Required by Default

Heat pumps (air source or ground source) as the primary heating system
High-performance insulation — U-values significantly tighter than 2021 Part L requirements
Triple glazing — most new-build specifications will require it
Air-tightness — target of 5m³/h/m² or better at 50Pa, measured by blower door test
MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) — becoming standard in tightly sealed homes
EV charger provision — reinforced and extended requirements
Solar PV — widely specified to bring the home's operational carbon below the FHS threshold

What This Means Trade by Trade

For Electricians

The Future Homes Standard creates an extraordinary amount of new electrical work:

EV charger installation is mandatory for all new homes with dedicated parking. Solar PV and battery storage are now essentially standard. Heat pump commissioning and MVHR commissioning both require electrical expertise.

For electricians not yet working in these areas, builder's insurance should be reviewed to ensure cover extends to PV and heat pump electrical work.

For Plumbers and Heating Engineers

From March 2027, you will not be fitting gas boilers in new builds. The primary heating technology will be air source heat pumps.

What you need to do now:

Complete a heat pump design and installation course — manufacturer training from Mitsubishi, Samsung, Daikin, or Vaillant, aligned to MCS requirements
Obtain MCS certification for grant-funded retrofits as well as new builds
Understand hydronic system design for lower flow temperatures — heat pumps run at 35–55°C vs 70–80°C for gas boilers. Radiators must be oversized, or underfloor heating used
Familiarise yourself with underfloor heating installation — a large proportion of FHS new builds will specify wet underfloor heating

For help ensuring your day rate reflects the specialist knowledge now required, use the day rate calculator.

For Builders and Site Managers

Air-tightness is the biggest change for site management. Achieving 5m³/h/m² requires membrane installation discipline and coordination between every trade. A single unsealed penetration in the airtightness layer fails the blower door test.

Thermal bridging calculations — the FHS requires Psi (ψ) value calculations for every detail: wall-to-floor junctions, window reveals, roof intersections.

Sequencing with MVHR and heat pump installers — the mechanical services are more complex than a gas boiler install. Site managers need to accommodate MVHR ductwork runs and heat pump plantroom space at the design stage.

The Green Skills Gap

The skills needed to build FHS-compliant homes are different from the skills that built gas-heated, cavity wall homes. The CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) has been tasked with expanding green skills training provision, and several government upskilling grants are available through the Green Skills Bootcamp programme — often at zero cost to the individual tradesperson.

Retrofit: A Parallel Opportunity

The Future Homes Standard applies only to new builds. However, the retrofit market is being scaled up simultaneously through:

The Warm Homes Plan (government-funded retrofit grants)
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (extended to 2030 — see our guide to BUS grants)
ECO4 scheme for low-income households

Retrofit and new build are complementary markets. The skills required overlap significantly.

What to Do in the Next Five Months

November 2026: Identify FHS-specific skills gaps in your current offering.

December 2026 – January 2027: Book relevant training. CITB Green Skills Bootcamp applications, manufacturer heat pump training, MCS pre-assessment.

February 2027: Review your insurance to ensure cover extends to FHS-compliant technology.

March 2027: FHS comes into force. New planning applications approved after this date must be built to FHS.

Track the financial side of your business through the transition on the Sleepless Tradesman dashboard — quoting, invoicing, and expense tracking in one place.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Future Homes Standard and when does it come into force?

The Future Homes Standard is an update to England's Building Regulations requiring all new homes to produce 75–80% less carbon than homes built to 2013 standards. It comes into force in March 2027 and applies to all new residential buildings requiring building control approval.

Are gas boilers banned in new builds from 2027?

Yes. Under the Future Homes Standard, gas boilers cannot be the primary heating system in new-build homes in England from March 2027. The primary replacement is air source or ground source heat pumps.

Does the Future Homes Standard apply to existing homes?

No. The FHS applies only to new residential buildings. Existing homes are covered by separate retrofit programmes which are voluntary and grant-funded.

What qualifications do electricians need for Future Homes Standard work?

EV charger installation competency (EVCP or equivalent), solar PV and battery storage installation (MCS recommended), and heat pump commissioning (manufacturer courses). Standard 18th Edition (BS 7671) remains the baseline.

What changes for builders and site managers under the Future Homes Standard?

Tighter air-tightness requirements (5m³/h/m² target, tested by blower door), thermal bridging calculations for every construction detail, and more complex mechanical services coordination (MVHR, heat pump plantrooms).

Will the Future Homes Standard affect work in Scotland and Wales?

Scotland and Wales have separate building regulation systems. Scotland already operates to very similar standards. The FHS specifically applies to England.

How will the Future Homes Standard affect day rates for tradespeople?

Tradespeople with skills in FHS-required technologies can command premium day rates. The green skills shortage means demand significantly outstrips supply. Use the day rate calculator to benchmark your rate.

Written by Russell Brooks, Founder of Sleepless Tradesman. Published 27 October 2026.

Future Homes Standard March 2027: What Every Tradesperson Needs to Know Now