High-value homes in the UK are increasingly defined by distinctive architecture, heritage features and innovative construction methods. Timber frames, bespoke materials, listed elements and environmentally advanced designs all enhance desirability and value. However, from an insurance perspective, these features also introduce complexity; particularly at a time when the UK construction sector is facing skilled trades shortages and rising rebuild costs.
For private clients' brokers, non-standard construction is no longer an edge case - it is becoming a regular characteristic of high-value property risk.
What counts as non-standard construction?
Non-standard construction broadly refers to properties that fall outside the conventional brick or stone walls with a pitched tile or slate roof. This includes timber-framed properties, steel or concrete systems, thatched roofs, prefabricated structures and architect-designed hybrids.
Guidance from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) highlights that alternative construction types behave differently under fire, flood, and structural stress, requiring specialist assessment rather than standard assumptions 1.
In the high-value market, multiple non-standard elements may be combined within a single property, further increasing complexity.
Rebuild challenges: specialist materials and rising costs
A defining feature of non-standard high-value homes is reliance on specialist materials. These may include heritage grade stone, hand crafted timber, bespoke glazing systems or non-traditional roofing. Historic England guidance emphases the importance of using materials appropriate to the original fabric, as using inappropriate moder materials can in some cases lead to longer-term deterioration of the original building fabric 2.
From an insurance perspective this creates several issues:
· Longer lead times to source materials
· Limited approved suppliers
· Higher labour and material costs
Rebuild values for such properties are therefore more volatile and less predictable than standard homes. As sustainability and heritage restoration continue to influence design, insurers are increasingly questioning how realistic rebuild costs are.
Skills scarcity is now a structural risk
The UK construction sector is facing one of the most severe shortages in decades. The Construction Industry Training Board forecasts that hundreds of thousands of additional workers will be required by the end of the decade to meet demand from housebuilding, retrofit and infrastructure projects 3.
This shortage is even more acute for specialist trades. Historic England regularly highlights the constrained supply of skilled thatchers, stonemasons, conservation carpenters and heritage roofers 2. These crafts are essential for repairing and rebuilding many high-value, non-standard homes.
For insurers, claims take longer to resolve, alternative accommodation costs can increase, and the potential exposure attached to a single loss rises. Time-to-repair assumptions that were once reasonable are no longer reliable.
Heritage and listed properties require specialist handling
A significant proportion of high-value non-standard homes are listed buildings. Repairs typically require listed building consent, conservation-approved materials and oversight from local authorities 4.
This has a direct impact on:
· Reinstatement cost
· Claims handling complexity
· Risk of underinsurance.
When it comes to adequacy of buildings sum insured for listed properties, brokers can play an important role in ensuring that buildings sums insured are based on valuations carried out by suitably qualified surveyors with heritage expertise.
Sustainability and modern non-standard builds
Alongside heritage homes, sustainability is driving new forms of non-standard construction. Modular systems, timber engineered frames and innovative materials are increasingly used in high-value residential projects.
National housebuilding guidance, including NHBC standards, stresses that newer methods require greater technical scrutiny to ensure long-term performance and durability 5. While these approaches often improve energy efficiency, they can introduce uncertainty around repair pathways, performance over time and insurer familiarity.
For high-net-worth clients, this can translate into higher rebuild costs, restricted insurer appetite and more detailed underwriting requirements.
What this means for private client brokers
From an insurer perspective, non-standard construction demands a more specialist approach at every stage. Key priorities for brokers include:
· Ensuring rebuild valuations are detailed, up to date and construction specific
· Placing cover with insurers who are experience in heritage and non-standard risks
· Preparing clients to expect somewhat longer claim timelines that can arise when there is a need for specialist trades and materials.
· Encouraging a proactive approach to maintenance and risk management.
Conclusion
Non-standard construction is becoming increasingly common in the UK’s high‑value housing market. At the same time, shortages of skilled labour and specialist materials are increasing the cost, duration and uncertainty of claims.
For Private Client brokers, the message is clear: specialist homes require specialist thinking. Accurate valuations, informed insurer selection and proactive risk management are no longer optional — they are central to protecting complex, high value assets in 2026 and beyond.
We generally look to arrange a desktop or site survey on most high-value properties that are placed with us if one hasn’t been carried out within the last 5 years. This, together with the Extended Replacement ** inflationary protection cover that our Private Client policies provide can give policyholders peace of mind when it comes to the adequacy of their buildings sum insured in the event that the worst should happen.
** excludes Grade 1 and Scotland Category A.
Sources
1. Building Research Establishment (BRE) – Non standard construction behaviour and building performance. https://www.bregroup.com
2. Historic England – Materials, skills and repair guidance for historic buildings. https://historicengland.org.uk
3. Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) – Construction Workforce Outlook 2025–29. https://www.citb.co.uk
4. Historic England – Listed building consent and conservation requirements. https://historicengland.org.uk/advice
5. NHBC – Technical standards and guidance for modern and non traditional construction. https://www.nhbc.co.uk
