Monthly intelligence for London residential architects & builders
The Build Brief
Five things that change what you draw, price and build. Once a month. No pitch.
Every month, My Trusted Builder reads the regulations, planning changes and cost data so you don't have to — and publishes the handful of things that actually change what you design, what you price and what you build in London's residential sector. Written by a quantity surveyor and contractor with 20 years on London homes. Free, genuinely useful, and no sales.
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Issues
Every issue, archived — independent, current, and sourced.
Issue 02 · July 2026
The Building Safety Levy starts 1 October — who pays, and who is exempt
- The Building Safety Levy starts 1 October 2026 — charged per m², highest in Kensington & Chelsea (£100.35/m²)
- The relief most people miss: schemes under 10 dwellings are exempt
- The draft new London Plan lands for public consultation this summer
- National Scheme of Delegation: more decisions move to planning officers from 31 October
- Cost watch: BCIS trims its five-year building-cost forecast to 13.1%
Issue 01 · June 2026
The Future Homes Standard is law — what to design, price and build for now
- The Future Homes Standard is in force from March 2027 — and SAP 10.3, not HEM, is the compliance route at launch
- The Planning & Infrastructure Act 2025: decisions shift to officers
- Biodiversity Net Gain relief for small sites lands 31 July 2026
- Gateway 2: the real ~31-week approval times, and the regulator's fix
- Cost watch: the BCIS five-year forecast for your client budgets
THE BUILD BRIEF — curated by My Trusted Builder, London design & build. We read the regulations so you can get on with the work.