Housebuilder issues first trading update since merger between two housebuilders was approved this month

Barratt Redrow鈥檚 post-merger consolidation is expected to result in the closure of nine divisional offices across the country.

The housebuilder announced on Monday (21 October) a collective consultation on the proposed closure of five divisional offices.

In its first trading update as a combined group, published this morning, the firm said it anticipated that its integration programme would result in an overall reduction of nine divisions, with activities re-aligned across 32 divisions.

david thomas

Barratt Redrow chief executive David Thomas (centre) said the streamlining plan would save 拢90m by 2028

It said work to integrate the two firms was underway and claimed it would deliver at least 拢90m of cumulative savings by FY28.

Changes to the divisional office structure is expected to account for 37%, or 拢33m of this, while procurement related savings are set to deliver 38% (拢34m).

The remaining 25% (拢23m) is expected to come from consolidation of duplicated central and support functions, which it said would include the rationalisation of board and senior management positions.

It said that the integration process would also deliver 鈥渞evenue synergies from 45 incremental sales outlet openings through until FY28鈥.

Barratt formally acquired Redrow on 21 August and received final clearance from the Competition and Markets Authority on 4 October.

David Thomas, chief executive, hailed 鈥渁n exciting new chapter鈥 for the business and said it was 鈥渦niquely well-positioned to meet the need for new homes鈥 across the UK.

In the period from 1 July 2024 to 13 October 2024, the housebuilder reported that Barratt鈥檚 standalone private reservation rate had risen 31.9% to 0.62.

>> See also: A tale of two mergers: What do the completion of Barratt-Redrow and the collapse of Bellway-Crest Nicholson mean for Labour鈥檚 housebuilding plans?

The joint business鈥 private reservation from 22 August to 13 October, 36.7% ahead of the pro-forma equivalent in FY24.

Total home completions for Barratt Redrow is expected to between 16,600 and 17,200 for FY25.

Thomas said that while customer demand continued to be 鈥渟ensitive鈥 to the wider economy, it was 鈥渂eginning to see more stable market conditions鈥 as a result of increased mortgage availability and affordability.

鈥淚t will take some time for customer confidence to fully recover from the macroeconomic headwinds faced over the past two years, but we are encouraged by the solid trading we have experienced over recent weeks,鈥 he added.