Materials prices fall again

Materials prices fall again

Keywords: Maintenance, Buildings

Maintenance costs fell in the first quarter 1999 for the second successive quarter, but are still 4.0 per cent higher than a year ago, according to the BMI All-in Maintenance Cost Index .

The fall in costs results from material price fluctuations.

The BMI forecast (Table I) is for maintenance costs to rise above the level of general inflation as a result of labour cost increases. The forecast is for an increase of 4.5 per cent over the 12 months to first quarter 2000.

Table IBMI maintenance cost forecast

The BMI Index monitors the change in input costs (labour and materials) of carrying out maintenance.

Published in the BMI Quarterly Cost Briefing of Building Maintenance Costs . Available as part of the BMI subscription service, or individually priced £65.00 each, from BMI, 12 Great George Street, Parliament Square, London SWIP 3AD.