<p>Taylor Wimpey completed 9,962 homes in 2010 compared to 10,186 in 2009 as the firm looked to prioritise profit and margin over volume.</p> <p>In an interim trading statement ahead of full year results in March, the firm said that operating profit and profit before tax would be ahead of the upgraded expectations set last November and margin on UK housing is expected to be 7%, up from 0.8% last year.</p> <p>Taylor Wimpey says that having reduced build cost by 10% in the first half, it has delivered further savings in the past six months which has resulted in the higher margin.</p> <p>The firm says that it continues to be cautious in the face of constrained mortgage lending and continuing uncertainty in the wider economy. But it expects to continue to reduce costs and is encouraged by enhanced sales rates, prices and margins at recently opened outlets . </p> <p> </p>