The Crisis & The Solution
BuildROI addresses two urgent, compounding crises: £10.8B in annual construction waste, and a £6.66B pension time-bomb starting in 2026.
⚠️ This Isn't a Future Problem — It Starts in 2026
45,000 construction workers retire THIS YEAR without pensions, immediately adding £430M to the annual welfare bill.
That cost compounds every single year: £430M in 2026, £860M in 2027, £1.3B in 2028, reaching £6.66B/year by 2045.
Meanwhile, £10.8B is wasted annually on preventable construction failures — disputes, rework, delays, deposit losses, and quality failures.
Combined crisis cost if we do nothing: £17.5B/year
The Quality Crisis: £10.8B Wasted Annually
These aren't theoretical losses — they're documented inefficiencies across UK construction, drawn from government audits, industry surveys, and regulator reports.
Disputes & Legal Costs
£2.9B/yearArbitration, adjudication, expert witnesses, and management time lost to adversarial relationships. BuildROI's independent verification with photographic evidence eliminates "he said, she said" disputes before they start.
Rework & Remediation
£3.8B/yearDefects, poor installation, non-compliance with building regulations requiring expensive corrections. BuildROI's experienced PMs verify quality at each milestone — catching issues when they're cheapest to fix.
Project Delays
£2.1B/yearExtended site overheads, loan interest, temporary accommodation, and lost productivity from poor coordination. BuildROI's platform tracks materials and trade sequencing, keeping momentum and preventing idle time.
Deposit Losses
£1.2B/yearHomeowners losing money to cowboys who disappear or deliver unusable work. BuildROI's escrow protection means builders can't access funds until independent PMs verify completion.
Quality Failures
£0.8B/yearWork that passes inspection but underperforms — reduced efficiency, shortened lifespan, increased maintenance costs. BuildROI's three-way ratings and digital evidence create accountability that raises standards industry-wide.
Total annual waste: £10.8B
BuildROI prevention target: 30-40% waste reduction = £3-4B/year saved through systematic verification infrastructure.
The Pension Crisis: £6.66B/Year by 2045 — STARTS 2026
The Numbers
- 1.43 million construction workers without pensions
- 745,000 self-employed tradespeople
- 255,000 grey-zone workers
- 430,000 workers in micro-employers
- 45,000 workers retire each year without pensions
- £9,500/year welfare cost per retired worker (Universal Credit + Housing Benefit + Council Tax Support + NHS costs)
The Compounding Timeline
| Year | Annual Welfare Cost Added | Cumulative Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | +£430M | £430M/year |
| 2027 | +£430M | £860M/year |
| 2028 | +£430M | £1.3B/year |
| 2035 | +£430M | £3.2B/year |
| 2045 | +£430M | £6.66B/year |
Then £6-7B every year. Unless we fix the system, the next generation also retires without pensions and costs keep compounding — reaching £10B+/year by 2065.
The Workforce Cliff
500,000 experienced builders (ages 55-70) approaching retirement. Without pensions, they can't afford to retire. Without succession planning, their skills disappear when they finally do. The industry faces a workforce collapse starting NOW.
How BuildROI Solves Both Crises
BuildROI isn't two separate solutions — it's one infrastructure platform that simultaneously addresses quality waste and pension gaps.
Two Separate Funding Streams Required:
FUNDING STREAM 1: Platform Infrastructure (Quality Solution)
- Pilot Ask: £5M government subsidy for infrastructure (PM recruitment/training, platform technology, escrow partnerships)
- Homeowner Co-Funding: £5-7M (market-driven: homeowners pay 10% of construction cost)
- Total Pilot: £10-12M targeting £50-75M construction, 1,500-2,000 jobs
- At Scale: £2.9-5.75B/year (government funds 5%, homeowners pay 10%)
- Prevents: £3-4B/year in quality waste
FUNDING STREAM 2: Builder Pensions (SEPARATE & URGENT)
- Government Contribution: £100/month per builder (scales with BuildROI adoption)
- Pilot Phase: £600K-£6M/year (500-5,000 builders enrolled)
- Growth Phase: £120M/year (100,000 builders enrolled)
- At Scale: £1.08B/year (900,000 pension-eligible workers)
- Prevents: £6.66B/year welfare crisis
10-Year Intervention Program: Time-limited government contribution reviewed on outcomes. Continue if successful, adjust if not. Goal is to reset savings culture, not permanent subsidy.
ROI: Invest £1,200/year per worker NOW → Avoid £9,500/year welfare cost later
How the Platform Enables Both:
- Escrow protection eliminates deposit losses and improves builder cashflow
- Independent PM verification prevents rework, disputes, and quality failures
- Verified earnings data enables universal pension participation for first time
- Three-way ratings create reputation system rewarding quality
- PM pathway for experienced builders (55-70) enables workforce transition
- Digital evidence packs increase property values and insurability
The Choice: Act Now or Pay Forever
If We Act Now
Quality Solution:
£5M pilot proves model
Scales to £2.9-5.75B/year
Reduces waste £3-4B/year
Pension Solution:
£100/month per builder
Scales to £1.08B/year
900K workers get pensions
Workforce transition smooth
If We Wait
Quality Crisis:
£10.8B/year wasted
Forever
Quality declines
Cowboys thrive
Pension Crisis:
£430M in 2026
Growing to £6.66B/year
1.43M need welfare
500K retire, skills lost
Invest £4-7B/year → Prevent £10-11B/year
Net benefit: £3-7B/year saved
Plus: Verified quality infrastructure, universal pension participation, workforce retention, carbon accountability, and export-ready model for other countries.
⏰ Timing Matters
The pension crisis starts in 2026 — every year we delay adds £430M to the welfare bill permanently.
The quality crisis wastes £10.8B annually whether we act or not.
Early intervention costs less than crisis management.