Construction prices remain stable
Construction prices in Switzerland remained largely stable between April and October 2017. According to a survey by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), the construction price index remained unchanged at 98.7 points in the period.
While prices in building construction have risen, those in civil engineering have fallen, the FSO has determined. Rising construction prices were recorded in five of the seven major regions, with only Zurich (-0.2%) and eastern Switzerland (-1.1%) showing a negative index development between April and October 2017. Compared with October 2016, the price level in the construction sector fell by 0.3 percent.
According to the FSO, the increase in the price index in building construction between April and October 2017 is mainly due to higher prices in "Shell 1". This category includes masonry and reinforced concrete work, as well as steel and wood structures. Sanitary installations, on the other hand, had become cheaper. With the exception of Zurich (-0.4%) and eastern Switzerland (-0.8%), prices in building construction increased in all major regions. The price increase was most pronounced in Ticino (+1.1%).
According to the FSO, the decline in the price index for civil engineering compared with April 2017 is attributable to price reductions in earthworks and substructures. In contrast, prices in superstructure increased. The largest decrease in civil engineering prices was recorded in eastern Switzerland (-2.2 percent), while the largest increase was observed in northwestern Switzerland (+1.0%).
