CALA Group
CALA Group is a UK residential housebuilder (Cala Homes brand) building energy-efficient 1-5 bedroom homes across Scotland and England, employing 1,001-5,000 staff. Acquired by Sixth Street Partners and Patron Capital for £1.35B in September 2024, it is pursuing timber frame vertical integration via Taylor Lane.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1875
- HeadquartersSlough, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What CALA Group does
CALA Group is a UK residential housebuilder operating under the Cala Homes brand, founded in 1875 and headquartered in Staines-upon-Thames with a Scottish registered office in Edinburgh. The company builds and sells new 1-5 bedroom homes across Scotland and England through a network of regional sales offices and showhome developments, with property prices ranging from approximately £285,000 for entry-level apartments to £1,250,000 for premium detached homes. Its core technology centers on timber frame construction, which has been used for over 40 years in Scotland (where 80% of homes use the method) and is now being extended into English operations via the May 2023 acquisition of Taylor Lane Timber Frame Ltd. (wholly owned, ~£30M turnover, ~2,000 units/year capacity). CALA's homes target EPC ratings of A and B (86% rated B or above) with features including air source heat pumps, PV solar panels, mechanical ventilation, and triple-glazed windows, generating up to 20% less embodied carbon than typical masonry builds. The company has committed to operationally net-zero carbon-enabled homes by 2030 and total net-zero GHG emissions by 2045, with a Science Based Target of 42% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 ratified.
Revenue is generated primarily through one-time new home sales supplemented by an integrated suite of buyer-assistance services: Mortgage Pay (up to £12,000), Part Exchange (chain-free purchase of buyer's existing property), Guaranteed Buyer (backup cash offer), Assisted Move, Ready for You (4-week move-in), Stamp Duty/LBTT contributions, Deposit Contributions, and Recommend a Friend referral rewards. The Showhome Sale & Leaseback product introduces investor buyers with up to 6% annual guaranteed yields. Go-to-market is sales-led through on-site showhome sales consultants, supported by a digital presence across the corporate website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter/X, Trustpilot, and a content/blog channel. Customer segments include first-time buyers, families, downsizers, and property investors. In September 2024, Legal & General divested CALA Group to Ferguson Bidco Limited (owned by funds managed by Sixth Street Partners and Patron Capital) for £1.35 billion (£1.16B cash proceeds after net debt adjustment), and the company now operates under private equity ownership. Kevin Whitaker serves as CEO.
CALA Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CALA Group
- Legal name
- CALA Group (Holdings) Limited
- Website
- https://cala.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1875
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- CALA Group is a UK residential housebuilder (Cala Homes brand) building energy-efficient 1-5 bedroom homes across Scotland and England, employing 1,001-5,000 staff. Acquired by Sixth Street Partners and Patron Capital for £1.35B in September 2024, it is pursuing timber frame vertical integration via Taylor Lane.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where CALA Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Slough
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
CALA Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- New Home Sales: Primary revenue from selling newly built residential properties across Scotland and England. Revenue generated from outright property sales to homeowners.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Apartment properties (1-2 bedrooms) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-range family homes (3-4 bedrooms) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium homes (4-5 bedrooms) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Mortgage Pay incentive |
| Transaction based/ take rate | One time/ perpetual license | Part Exchange Service |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Showhome Sale & Leaseback |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels10 records
CALA Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CALA Group is a UK residential housebuilder that designs, constructs, and sells new build homes across Scotland and England, ranging from 1-bedroom apartments to 5-bedroom detached houses. It complements property sales with a suite of buyer assistance services including Mortgage Pay contributions, Part Exchange, Guaranteed Buyer, Assisted Move, Showhome Sale & Leaseback, and stamp duty/LBTT contributions. Through its Taylor Lane Timber Frame subsidiary it manufactures and installs timber frame construction systems for residential developments.
Product overview
CALA Group operates as a UK residential housebuilder under the Cala Homes brand, offering new build homes across Scotland and England through a network of regional businesses. The core product consists of new homes ranging from 1 to 5 bedrooms, including apartments, semi-detached, detached houses, and mixed-tenure developments. CALA supplements its housing sales with an integrated suite of buyer services including Mortgage Pay (up to £12,000 mortgage contribution), Part Exchange (chain-free property purchase), Guaranteed Buyer (backup cash offer), Ready for You (move-in ready homes), Showhome Sale & Leaseback (investment product yielding up to 6% annually), Recommend a Friend referral rewards, Stamp Duty/LBTT contributions, and Deposit Contributions. The company also operates Land & Planning for site acquisition and offers Sustainability Features including air source heat pumps and PV panels. In 2023, CALA acquired Taylor Lane Timber Frame to expand timber frame construction capabilities in England.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cala Homes (New Build Residential Homes) CALA Group's main brand of newly built residential properties ranging from 1-bedroom apartments to 5-bedroom detached houses, sold to first-time buyers, families, and downsizers through regional development sales offices.
- Mortgage Pay A financial incentive for eligible buyers that provides up to £12,000 towards monthly mortgage repayments, deducted from the completion statement at legal completion.
- Part Exchange Service CALA purchases the buyer's existing home directly, enabling a chain-free move into a new Cala home with no estate agent fees or survey costs for the buyer.
- Guaranteed Buyer Service A backup offer service where CALA acts as a cash buyer waiting in the wings if the buyer's existing property has not sold by an agreed back-up date.
- Ready for You Homes Completed new homes ready for immediate move-in, featuring CALA's high specification including integrated appliances, with buyers able to occupy in as little as four weeks.
- Showhome Sale & Leaseback An investment product where investors purchase CALA showhomes or sales offices and lease them back to CALA, receiving an annual yield of up to 6% of the purchase price paid quarterly in advance.
- Assisted Move Service A service that helps buyers sell their existing property, potentially saving on estate agent fees and home buyer report costs.
- Cala Land & Planning CALA's internal land acquisition and planning division responsible for identifying and securing residential development sites across the UK.
Quantifiable outcome
- Average energy bill savings of £979/year compared to older properties
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use CALA Group
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CALA Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CALA Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Taylor Lane Timber FramecoreUK timber frame construction specialist with factories in Hereford and Wales, employing over 175 staff across four sites. Cala acquired 100% of Taylor Lane to expand timber frame construction in England and support sustainability targets. Taylor Lane will supply Cala's five English businesses in the Cotswolds and South of England, with plans to increase timber frame usage to approximately 1,500 new homes per annum over five years.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CALA Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Barratt Developments: UK's largest housebuilder by volume, building new homes across England, Scotland, and Wales. Directly comparable to CALA in residential new build construction, customer-facing sales offices, and use of buyer incentives, but at materially larger scale.
- Persimmon Homes: One of the UK's largest volume housebuilders with national coverage including Scotland and England. Comparable to CALA in new home sales model, regional structure, and range of first-time buyer to family homes.
- Taylor Wimpey: Major UK housebuilder with regional structure across the country. Directly comparable to CALA in selling new homes to consumers, operating regional businesses, and managing land pipelines for residential development.
- Bellway Homes: UK national housebuilder operating divisions across England and Scotland with focus on family housing. Directly comparable to CALA in geographic footprint, customer segments, and direct-to-consumer new home sales through showhome sites.
- Redrow: UK premium housebuilder with focus on heritage-inspired family homes, operating across England and Wales. Comparable to CALA in the upper-mid price segment, multi-bedroom family homes, and timber frame construction expertise.
- Berkeley Group: London-focused premium housebuilder with mixed-tenure developments including family housing. Comparable to CALA in selling premium residential units, mixed-tenure offerings, and integrated buyer services, though with greater London concentration.
- Crest Nicholson: UK housebuilder focused on family homes across the South of England and Midlands. Comparable to CALA in mid-market family home positioning, sustainability credentials, and buyer incentive offerings, with similar scale.
- Vistry Group: UK housebuilder (formerly Bovis Homes) with significant partnership housing business alongside open market sales. Comparable to CALA in new home construction and direct sales, with broader exposure to affordable/partnership housing.
- Miller Homes: Scotland-focused housebuilder with strong regional brand and operations across Scotland and North England. Closely comparable to CALA's Scottish business in geographic focus, customer mix, and direct-to-consumer sales approach.
Regional players
- Keepmoat: UK regional housebuilder with strong presence in Yorkshire, North East, and Midlands. Comparable to CALA in mid-market new home construction and regional operating model, though with different geographic concentration.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CALA Group social profiles
Digital presenceCALA Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
CALA Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CALA Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
CALA Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
CALA Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CALA Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CALA Group
What does CALA Group do?
CALA Group is a UK residential housebuilder that designs, constructs, and sells new build homes across Scotland and England, ranging from 1-bedroom apartments to 5-bedroom detached houses. It complements property sales with a suite of buyer assistance services including Mortgage Pay contributions, Part Exchange, Guaranteed Buyer, Assisted Move, Showhome Sale & Leaseback, and stamp duty/LBTT contributions. Through its Taylor Lane Timber Frame subsidiary it manufactures and installs timber frame construction systems for residential developments.
Is CALA Group a public or private company?
CALA Group is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was CALA Group founded?
CALA Group was founded in 1875. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is CALA Group based?
CALA Group is headquartered in Slough, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does CALA Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: new Home Sales.
Who are CALA Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Barratt Developments, Persimmon Homes, Taylor Wimpey, Bellway Homes, Redrow, Berkeley Group, Crest Nicholson, Vistry Group and Miller Homes. Keepmoat is listed as a regional player.
Does CALA Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for CALA Group.