A builder's problem is not finding property that needs work, it is everywhere. The problem is finding an owner who needs work done and can pay for it. GalimAI joins two public data layers to solve exactly that: the EPC rating flags a property in poor condition that needs upgrading, and the owner's latest filed company accounts confirm the cash to fund it. The overlap is a clean list of refurbishment clients.
You can size owners who need work and can pay in your area in the GalimAI portal, free, and no login is needed to see the number.
The builders pipeline, defined
GalimAI tracks roughly 53,000 UK owners holding an EPC F or G rated property. Not all of them are a builder's client. Some are trapped and low on cash, they cannot fund the works and are forced to sell instead. The builders pipeline is the opposite group: 18,947 owners with an EPC F/G property who hold cash reserves over £50,000 and a positive balance sheet. They have both the reason to spend (a property that fails on condition) and the means to spend it.
How GalimAI finds them
- Condition, from EPC. An F or G rating means the property is below standard and, for a rental, cannot legally be re-let under the MEES rules until it is upgraded. That is a concrete, recorded reason for work to be done.
- Capacity, from the accounts. Property-owning companies file balance sheets at Companies House. GalimAI reads cash reserves and net assets to confirm the owner can fund a refurbishment rather than being forced to sell.
- The overlap is the lead. Poor condition plus healthy cash equals an owner who needs a builder and can pay one, reachable directly, before any tender or agent gets involved.
Where they are, by region
| Region | Owners (poor condition + cash to fund) |
|---|---|
| Greater London | ~2,118 |
| West Midlands | ~1,061 |
| South East (top counties) | ~3,864 combined |
| South West | ~872 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | ~868 |
Where they are, by city
| City | Owners (poor condition + cash to fund) |
|---|---|
| London | ~1,100 |
| Birmingham | ~278 |
| Liverpool | ~199 |
| Manchester | ~133 |
| Leeds | ~119 |
| Sheffield | ~80 |
| Bristol | ~55 |
| Cardiff | ~50 |
City counts are the owner's registered location within GalimAI's owner-matched dataset, so they sit inside the wider regional totals (for example, the London city figure is part of the Greater London region).
How a builder acts on it
These owners are not advertising for a builder, they surface in the data first. The route is a direct, personalised approach: identify the owners in your patch, lead with the specific problem you can solve (the property fails on condition and needs bringing up to standard), and offer to do the work. Because the owner already has the cash and a recorded reason to act, the conversation starts from a real need rather than a cold pitch. GalimAI can run that outreach under your own brand.
Related: poor-condition property owners in the UK, owners who cannot fix, let or sell (the forced-seller opposite), buy, refurbish, refinance for investors, and the UK property statistics hub.
Why it's an opportunity
For a builder or contractor, this turns lead generation from luck into data.
- Real need - an EPC failure is a recorded, concrete reason the property needs work.
- Ability to pay - confirmed cash reserves and a positive balance sheet, not a hopeful lead.
- Reach first - a direct approach beats the tender and the agent to the job.
Find refurbishment clients in your area
Use the GalimAI portal to size owners who need work done and can pay for it, by city and property type, then reach them under your own brand.
Search the portalBook a callCommon questions
How can builders find refurbishment work in the UK?
Target owners whose property needs work and who can pay for it. GalimAI identifies 18,947 UK owners who hold an EPC F or G rated property (so it needs upgrading) and who also have cash reserves over £50,000 with positive net assets (so they can fund the works), read from EPC records and Companies House filed accounts.
How does GalimAI know an owner can afford the works?
It uses the EPC rating to flag a poor-condition property, then reads the owner's latest filed company accounts to confirm cash reserves and a positive balance sheet. The builders pipeline is the overlap of poor condition and the capacity to pay, as opposed to the low-cash owners who are forced to sell instead.
Which UK cities have the most owners who need work and can pay?
Across ten major cities, London leads with about 1,100, then Birmingham (278), Liverpool (199), Manchester (133) and Leeds (119). By region, Greater London (2,118) and the South East lead the national total of 18,947.
Data source: GalimAI proprietary analysis combining EPC records with Companies House filed accounts and HM Land Registry ownership data, aggregated and current for 2026. The builders segment is owners of an EPC F or G rated property with cash reserves over 50,000 pounds and positive net assets. Figures are approximate and directional; no names or row-level data are published. Coverage: England and Wales.