The development in the last month

The Construction cost index rose by 0.5 percent between December 2017 and January 2018. In the corresponding period in 2017, it increased by 0.5 percent. Contractors’ costs, which account for more than 82 percent of the Construction cost index, increased by 0.5 percent between December 2017 and January 2018.

Among contractors’ costs, building material costs and the transport, fuel and electricity group increased by 1.0 and 0.7 percent respectively. Machinery, other costs, wages and salaries remained unchanged.

In the building materials group, reinforcement steel prices continued to rise most. All other building material prices also increased.

Investor costs increased by 0.9 percent between December 2017 and January 2018. This increase was due to higher interest expenses and higher general costs.

The development in the past year

The Construction cost index increased by 2.9 percent and contractors’ costs rose by 2.7 percent between December 2017 and January 2018. The increased contractors’ costs led to an increase in the total index of 2.3 percentage points for the total index in the same period.

Building material costs increased most among contractors’ costs. Machinery, overheads and wages and salaries groups and the transport, fuel and electricity group also increased.

Building material costs rose by 3.6 percent. Reinforcement steel, and iron and steel accounted for the largest price increase in the building materials group, which increased by 13.9 percent and 7.9 percent respectively. Costs in other building materials groups also rose between 0.9 percent and 4.5 percent.

Investor costs increased by 3.5 percent on an annual basis.