Cost update: August 2003 | Features

Cladding and coverings
	Unit	Southeast £	Midlands £	East Anglia £
Patent glazing
Powder-coated aluminium alloy framing, glazing bars at 600 mm centres, single-glazed with clear toughened glass	m²	230.00	200.00	210.00
Metal-profiled cladding
Single layer plastic-coated profiled steel uninsulated cladding:
Roof covering	m²	16.00	14.00	15.00
Wall cladding	m²	11.500	10.00	10.50
Flashing to ridge, 800 mm girth	m	20.00	17.50	18.50
PVCu-coated profiled steel roof covering, insulation, vapour barrier, profiled metal-lining panel	m²	24.00	19.00	22.00
Eaves	m	8.50	7.00	8.00
Colour-coated steel pre-insulated panel roof covering, polyester-coated lining sheet	m²	27.00	24.00	26.00
Colour-coated steel, standing seam, site-assembled composite cladding, insulation, enamelled aluminium inner lining	m²	150.00	130.00	140.00
Clay/concrete roof tiling
Clay plain roof tiles, machine-made, battens, underlay	m²	39.00	34.00	36.00
Eaves course with guard strip	m	6.00	5.00	5.50
Concrete slates, 30 × 30 mm, battens, underlay	m²	26.0	22.0	23.5
Universal angle hip tile, sealing strip, slates cut to rake	m	44.0	38.0	40.0
Concrete interlocking tiles, 330 × 270 mm, battens, underlay, counterbattens	m²	25.00	21.00	23.00
Dry hip system	m	40.00	34.00	37.00
Concrete flat interlocking slates, 418 × 334 mm, battens, underlay, counterbattens	m²	25.00	21.00	23.00
Dry verge system	m	18.00	16.00	17.00
Lead sheet covering/flashings
Code 4
Flashing, 150 mm girth	m	21.50	18.50	20.00
Gutter, 550 mm girth	m	32.00	28.00	30.00
Code 5
Flashing, 150 mm girth	m	23.00	20.00	21.50
Stepped flashing, 250 mm girth	m	37.00	32.00	35.00

Price changes
ONS statistics have recorded the following price changes over the year June 2002 to June 2003:
Sand and gravel	+3.8%
Crushed rock	+1.0%
Ready-mixed concrete	+8.2%
Clay bricks and tiles	+4.0%
Mortars	+4.3%
Precast concrete tiles, bricks, etc	+3.9%
Lead and zinc	–2.5%
Imported tropical hardwoods	+2.1%
Timber windows and doors	+1.3%
Veneer sheets (plywood, laminboard, particle board, fibreboard, etc.)	–2.3%
Plastic floor, wall or ceiling coverings	–4.3%
Plaster	+2.2%
Flat glass	+7.8%
Cast-iron tubes and fittings	+3.2%
Copper pipes and fittings	–3.1%
Electricity distribution and control apparatus	+2.3%
Insulated wires and cables	–4.8%
Coated roadstone	+7.1%
Bituminous mixtures	+5.2%
Imported base metals
Copper	–8.0%
Aluminium	–3.5%
Lead	–4.9%

Key Indicators
	% change June 2002-June 2003
Retail Prices Index
Headline rate (RPI)	+2.9
All items, excluding mortgage interest payments (RPIX) – government’s target index	+2.8
All items, excluding mortgage interest payments and indirect taxes (RPIY)	+2.7
Harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP)	+1.1
Industry generally
Materials and fuels purchased by manufacturing industry	+1.9
of which materials	+2.3
and fuel	–0.9
Materials and fuels purchased by manufacturing industry excluding food, beverages, tobacco and petroleum industries	+1.1
Output prices of manufactured products	+1.1
Output prices of manufactured products excluding food, beverages, tobacco and petroleum	+1.1
Construction industry
Construction materials	+2.5
Housebuilding materials	+1.8
Machinery and equipment (UK manufacture)	+0.4
Electrical machinery and apparatus (UK manufacture)	–0.3
Source: Office for National Statistics (June 2003 figures provisional)
Notes: The ONS category of “Machinery and Equipment” includes mechanical engineering items such as pumps, taps, valves, lifts, cooling and ventilation equipment. “Electrical machinery and apparatus” includes electrical engineering materials such as electricity distribution and control apparatus, wires and cables and lighting equipment.

All-in hourly rates
		Craft operative		General operative
		£ per wk	£ June 2002-June 2003	£ per wk	£ June 2002-June 2003
Wages at standard basic rate, productive time	44.3 wks	299.13	13,251.46	225.03	9,968.83
Lost time allowance	0.9 wks	299.13	2,69.22	225.03	202.53
Overtime	5.8 wks	448.70	2,602.43	337.55	1,957.76
			16,123.11		1,2129.12
Travelling allowance (25 km)	226 days	1.71	386.46	1.71	386.46
Fare allowance (25 km)	226 days	4.61	1,041.86	4.61	1,041.86
Holiday Pay (incl. overtime allowance)
Annual holidays	4.2 wks	356.71	1,498.16	268.34	1,127.04
Public holidays	1.6 wks	356.71	570.73	268.34	429.35
National Insurance (average weekly payment)	48 wks	32.63	1,566.24	21.98	1,055.04
Employer's contribution to
EasyBuild Stakeholder Pension	52 wks	5.00	260.00	5.00	260.00
CITB Allowance (0.50% of payroll)			98.10		75.57
			21,544.66		16,504.44
Severance pay and sundry costs	plus	1.5%	323.17	1.5%	247.57
			21,867.83		16,752.01
Employer's liability and third-party insurance	plus	2.0%	437.36	2.0%	335.04
Total cost per year			22,305.19		17,087.05
Total cost per hour			11.42		8.75
No additional rates for skill or responsibility have been included in the calculations above.
Assumptions within above calculation:
Five days sickness allowed
Time lost for inclement weather: 2%
Number of productive hours a year: 1954
National Insurance at not-contracted-out standard rate
Minimum employer contribution to the EasyBuild pension scheme rose from £1.90 a week to £2.50 a week from 4 August.
The above calculation assumes a £5 a week contribution, matching a £5 employee contribution. From 4 August employee and matching employer contributions can range between £2.51 and £7.50 per week.