<p><span>The coronavirus pandemic has “significantly reduced” Barratt’s completions, increased costs and impacted its profit, it said today (September 2). But the business has seen strong sales in recent weeks. </span><span></span></p><p><span>During its financial year ending June 30 2020, the housebuilder’s total completions fell 29.4% to 12,604 against FY 2019. The average selling price of its homes rose slightly to £280,300 from 2019’s £274,400, with private ASP at £310,600 (2019: £312,000). </span></p><p><span>Barratt’s pre-tax profit decreased </span><span>45.9% to £491.8 million, “</span><span>impacted by the unprecedented disruption to sales and build in our fourth quarter”. Revenue dropped 28.2% to £3,419.2 million, with profit from operations falling 45.2% to £493.4 million. </span></p><p><span>The business incurred total “Covid-19-related” costs of £74.3 million including £45.2 million of safety costs, non-productive site costs and site-based employee costs. </span></p><p><span>But, in the new financial year to date, sales across all of Barratt’s regions have been “encouraging”, with the business seeing net private reservations per average week of 314 (FY20: 250). </span></p><p><span>And in the eight weeks to August 23, completion volumes rose 62.4% to 1,439 homes against the equivalent period last year. Barratt said the increase was being driven by pent up demand, the stamp duty holiday and changes to the Help to …