Federation of Master Builders

The UK's largest construction trade association

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is a construction industry trade association based in the United Kingdom. It presents itself as the largest organisation of its kind in the country and focuses on representing the interests of small and medium-sized building companies, carrying out lobbying work at national and local levels. The organisation was founded in 1941 and states that it has local offices in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to support its members across the country.

It operates as a membership body: according to its own description, it is run by members for members, with the support of a senior management team. It has a board of directors and a management team, as well as national and regional groups and committees that bring members together to share knowledge, influence the federation's work and help shape the direction of the industry.

Member verification and finding builders

One of the FMB's core roles is to act as a bridge between homeowners and professionals. The federation offers individuals a service to find the right builder for their project: members undergo a vetting process and their work is inspected, so clients can hire with greater confidence. The organisation also provides users with tools to check whether a professional is a member.

For builders, membership means displaying a badge of quality to their customers. The FMB states that its services help members grow their business, expand their network and improve their skills. Membership is built around the Master Builder designation, and there is also an associate category.

Services and resources for building companies

The federation publishes practical resources aimed at builders' business management, with advice on pricing, cashflow and business growth. It also offers insurance and warranty products tailored to the construction sector through FMB Insurance.

The organisation runs a dispute resolution service for cases arising during construction work involving a member. The service provides impartial support, including mediation, to resolve conflicts fairly and efficiently. The FMB also rents meeting rooms in central London for meetings, training and seminars.

Campaigns and institutional activity

The FMB runs campaigns across the UK to influence policies affecting its members. Its areas of work include building safety, with resources such as FAQs, webinars and articles on the Building Safety Act 2022 and the role of SME builders; the Licence to Build campaign, which calls for mandatory licensing of the country's builders; and improving the energy efficiency of homes, an area in which it sees local builders as key players in moving towards the UK's net zero target.

Other campaigns address the decline in the share of SME house builders — their share of homes built is said to have fallen from 40% to 12% over forty years, according to the federation — and the need to support training the next generation, by making it easier for small builders to take on apprentices and upskill their teams.

Publications, events and awards

The federation produces regular reports and surveys on the state of the industry. Its publications include the annual report, the State of Trade Survey, the annual Small House Builders' Survey and specific manifestos for Scotland and Wales. It also publishes informative content such as Master Builder Magazine, a builders' blog, a homeowner blog and home renovation guides, as well as a podcast.

The FMB organises the Master Builder Awards, which recognise craftsmanship, customer service and construction excellence. It also maintains a network of strategic, associate and commercial partners within the sector, and works with Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity as its associated charity. The federation states that it has achieved Gold status in the Investors in People accreditation.