Crest Nicholson
Crest Nicholson is a publicly listed UK housebuilder (LON:CRST) constructing and selling 2-5 bedroom new build homes across more than 40 English counties, serving first-time buyers, families, and affordable housing purchasers via direct sales suites, online channels, and government-backed buyer-assistance schemes.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1963
- HeadquartersChertsey, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Crest Nicholson does
Crest Nicholson Holdings Plc (LON:CRST) is a publicly listed UK housebuilder founded in 1963 and headquartered in Cobham, Surrey, operating across more than 40 English counties with 501-1,000 employees. The company constructs and sells new build residential homes, primarily 2-5 bedroom houses and apartments, ranging in price from approximately £180,000 to over £750,000, and designs them with energy-efficient features including A/B EPC ratings, solar photovoltaic panels, EV charging points, smart thermostats, waste water heat recovery, and high-efficiency insulation. Roughly 30% of units per development are designated as affordable housing under Section 106 planning requirements, delivered through shared ownership, First Homes, and related government-backed schemes.
The company operates a direct-to-consumer go-to-market model via on-site sales suites at each development, supplemented by an e-commerce website with property search, virtual tours, and online reservations, plus listings on Rightmove and Zoopla. Revenue is generated primarily from one-time open market home sales (£610.8 million in FY25 from 1,691 completions), with secondary streams from affordable housing unit sales and land sales (which were cut to approximately £40 million as cash preservation took priority). Crest Nicholson offers an unusually broad set of buyer-assistance schemes — Part Exchange, SmoothMove, Deposit Boost, Family Cashback, Own New Rate Reducer, and First Homes — designed to reduce friction for first-time buyers and upsizers, alongside its Arteva upgrade sub-brand for interior customization.
Under Project Elevate, the company is repositioning from a volume housebuilder to a mid-premium, customer-focused developer, targeting over 2,300 completions and gross margins above 20% by FY29. The current operating environment is acutely challenged: an April 2026 profit warning cut FY26 PBT guidance by 66-89% to £5-15 million, completion guidance to 1,400-1,500 units, prompted a 37-45% single-day share price decline, and triggered covenant relaxation negotiations with lenders as net debt is projected to reach £100-120 million. Shares have lost approximately 90% of their value since their 2017 peak, and the company has executed Chiltern division closure plus approximately 50 headcount reductions to align capacity with subdued market conditions.
Crest Nicholson firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Crest Nicholson
- Legal name
- Crest Nicholson Holdings Plc
- Website
- https://crestnicholson.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1963
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Crest Nicholson is a publicly listed UK housebuilder (LON:CRST) constructing and selling 2-5 bedroom new build homes across more than 40 English counties, serving first-time buyers, families, and affordable housing purchasers via direct sales suites, online channels, and government-backed buyer-assistance schemes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Crest Nicholson industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Residential Homebuilding
- NAICS
- New Housing For-Sale Builders (236117)
- SIC
- Operative Builders (1531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE), Residential Luxury / High-End Home Construction (IMAFABAJ)
Keywords
Where Crest Nicholson is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chertsey
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Crest Nicholson business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Open Market Property Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling new build homes to private buyers on the open market. Revenue was £610 million in FY25 from 1,691 home completions. Homes range from apartments to 5-bedroom houses with prices from £180,000 to over £750,000 depending on location and size.
- Affordable Housing Sales: Sales of affordable homes including shared ownership properties and First Homes scheme properties at discounted prices. The company designates typically 30% of developments as affordable housing per Section 106 planning requirements.
- Land Sales: Sale of land bank plots to generate revenue. Land sale revenue was cut to approximately £40 million from a previous expected range of £75-100 million due to market uncertainty and reduced land purchaser sentiment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Sketchley Gardens, Nuneaton: 2-5 bedroom houses |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Meadow Fields, Scarborough: 3-5 bedroom houses |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Kilnwood Vale, Faygate: 3-5 bedroom houses |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Walton Court Gardens, Walton-on-Thames: 3 bedroom houses |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Wycke Place, Maldon: 2-4 bedroom houses |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Westcombe Park, Heybridge: 2-5 bedroom houses |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Whitehouse Park, Milton Keynes: 3-5 bedroom houses |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Crest Nicholson product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Crest Nicholson is a UK-focused housebuilder that develops and sells new build residential homes — primarily houses and apartments ranging from 2 to 5 bedrooms — across the Southern half of England. The company constructs energy-efficient homes with premium specifications (Symphony kitchens, Bosch appliances, Porcelanosa tiling) and supports purchases through multiple buying schemes including Part Exchange, SmoothMove, Deposit Boost, First Homes, and Shared Ownership. The company designates around 30% of each development as affordable housing under Section 106 planning requirements.
Product overview
Crest Nicholson is a UK-focused housebuilder offering new build residential homes across England. The core product consists of houses and apartments ranging from 2 to 5 bedrooms, available through open market sales and affordable housing schemes. The company's product portfolio centers on new home construction with the Arteva sub-brand providing customization options. Crest Nicholson supports home buying through multiple buyer schemes including SmoothMove, Part Exchange, Deposit Boost, Family Cashback, Own New Rate Reducer, First Homes, and Smart Own shared ownership. The company is implementing its Project Elevate strategic initiative to transition from a volume housebuilder to a mid-premium, customer-focused developer, targeting over 2,300 completions and gross margins above 20% by FY29.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Arteva by Crest Nicholson: Premium upgrades range offering interior style choices including hot water taps, stylish black bathrooms, additional plug sockets and more.
- Project Elevate
Products and services
- New Build Homes
Quantifiable outcome
- Homes up to 65% more energy efficient than older properties, leading to lower utility bills
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Crest Nicholson
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Crest Nicholson technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Crest Nicholson partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Legal & General Affordable HomescorePartnership to deliver the Smart Own Shared Ownership scheme at Sketchley Gardens development in Nuneaton. The scheme helps people onto the housing ladder by allowing eligible buyers with household income under £80,000 to purchase up to 75% of a property and pay subsidized rent on the remaining share.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Crest Nicholson competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Redrow plc: Redrow is a UK housebuilder focused on premium family housing with a heritage brand ("Arts & Crafts" style). Its premium positioning makes it closely comparable to Crest Nicholson's Project Elevate mid-premium pivot.
- Persimmon plc: Persimmon is one of the UK's largest volume housebuilders, building new homes across England, Wales and Scotland. Directly comparable to Crest Nicholson in product offering (2-5 bedroom homes), buyer segments, and exposure to UK housing cycle.
- Taylor Wimpey plc: Taylor Wimpey is a top-tier UK housebuilder with similar geographic footprint across England. Comparable in scale, product mix, and dependence on open-market private housing demand.
- Bellway plc: Bellway is a UK-focused volume housebuilder with similar product mix and exposure to first-time buyers and family movers. Closely comparable on revenue scale, completion volumes, and operating geography in Northern/Central England with some Southern exposure.
- Vistry Group plc: Vistry is a UK housebuilder with a heavy tilt toward partnership housing (affordable/shared ownership) alongside private sale. Its mixed-tenure model and partnerships with housing associations are comparable to Crest Nicholson's Section 106 affordable allocation.
- Berkeley Group Holdings plc: Berkeley is a premium London/South East-focused housebuilder. Its higher-end positioning and Southern England concentration make it comparable to Crest Nicholson's aspirational premium geography, although it operates at a higher price point.
- Barratt Developments plc: Barratt is a leading UK housebuilder offering similar product types and customer segments. Comparable on scale, geographic reach, and mixed affordable/private housing model (via partnerships with housing associations).
Emerging players
- MJ Gleeson plc: MJ Gleeson focuses on low-cost family housing in the North/Midlands. A smaller-volume, regional peer with similar new-build residential model but different price point and limited Southern exposure versus Crest Nicholson.
- Countryside Partnerships (Vistry): Once independent, Countryside is now part of Vistry and operates the masterplanned community / partnerships model. Comparable in affordable housing delivery and Section 106 obligations mirrored across UK developers.
- Cala Group: Cala is a UK premium housebuilder focused on higher-spec family homes, private and partial. Comparable to Crest Nicholson's "Arteva" premium upgrade positioning and mid-premium transition strategy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Crest Nicholson social profiles
Digital presenceCrest Nicholson compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Crest Nicholson financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Crest Nicholson leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Crest Nicholson funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Crest Nicholson M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Crest Nicholson
What does Crest Nicholson do?
Crest Nicholson is a UK-focused housebuilder that develops and sells new build residential homes — primarily houses and apartments ranging from 2 to 5 bedrooms — across the Southern half of England. The company constructs energy-efficient homes with premium specifications (Symphony kitchens, Bosch appliances, Porcelanosa tiling) and supports purchases through multiple buying schemes including Part Exchange, SmoothMove, Deposit Boost, First Homes, and Shared Ownership. The company designates around 30% of each development as affordable housing under Section 106 planning requirements.
Is Crest Nicholson a public or private company?
Crest Nicholson is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Crest Nicholson founded?
Crest Nicholson was founded in 1963. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Crest Nicholson based?
Crest Nicholson is headquartered in Chertsey, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Crest Nicholson make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Open Market Property Sales are the primary driver. The others are affordable Housing Sales and land Sales.
Who are Crest Nicholson's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Redrow plc, Persimmon plc, Taylor Wimpey plc, Bellway plc, Vistry Group plc, Berkeley Group Holdings plc and Barratt Developments plc. Emerging players are MJ Gleeson plc, Countryside Partnerships (Vistry) and Cala Group.
Does Crest Nicholson have an API?
No public API is recorded for Crest Nicholson.
What industry is Crest Nicholson in?
Crest Nicholson's product category is Residential Homebuilding. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFAAAB, Residential General Contracting (New Build), with a secondary code of IMAFABAE, Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders. Its NAICS code is 236117 and its SIC code is 1531.