Some trades hit harder as construction rates continue to climb

Construction rates in the BCIS Major Works, Minor Works and Alterations & Refurbishment estimating datasets increased by 8.1% in the second quarter of 2023, compared to the same period last year.

The increase is an average of all rates across all trades covered in the datasets. However, while a surge in the cost of many materials has calmed in recent months, there remain significant differences in overall price changes between the trades.

Karl Horton, Chief Data Officer at BCIS, said: ‘Although soaring material costs and supply chain issues have largely eased, the updated prices show this is not spread evenly across the board.

‘This variation is also reflected elsewhere in BCIS resource cost inflation indices. For example, the cost of work on softwood carcassing and structural members in July 2023 was 11.1% less than in the same month last year, whereas brickwork and blockwork increased by 13.4% in the same period.

‘As well as grappling with material price changes, our data also covers rising labour costs, incorporating the latest wage awards from key industry bodies like the Construction Industry Joint Council and the Building and Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council, that will influence overall pay in 2024.’

The datasets have undergone a thorough review and update, with new rates and resources added.

These include:

• Closed panel (Structural Insulated Panels) and open panel timber frame works.
• New PVC-coated steel security grilles with PPC steel rails and associated fittings.
• Vapour barriers and breathing membranes to external timber walls, PIR insulation fitted between joists / rafters / vertical studs and Structural OSB3 boards to external timber walls.
• Updated items in open type fencing, with full build-ups for chain link fencing, including anti-intruder fencing, post and wire fencing, chestnut pale fencing, wooden palisade fencing, wooden post and rail fencing. Similarly, newly updated full build-ups in close type fencing with close boarded fencing and woven wood fencing.
• Updated treated timber field gates, steel field gates, close boarded gates, palisade gates, and galvanised steel tubing gates, with build-ups for labour, plant and material costs.
• I joists and Posi or standard open metal web joists for use in domestic, commercial and flat roof settings in Woodwork composite items.
• In Metalwork, individual and composite grade A, W40, PPC double-glazed steel windows.
• Full build-ups in Asphalt Work for previously specialist items in pavings and sub-floors, roofing, damp proofing and tanking.

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