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Hot rates: windows, doors and stairs
Price movements
Unit (£) East Anglia (£) Scotland (£) Yorkshire and
Humberside (£)
Timber windows/rooflights        
Velux or equivalent pre-glazed red pine and aluminium-trimmed centre pivot roof window; 1140 × 1180 mm item 265 260 260
Hardwood double-glazed vertically sliding sash and case windows with trickle vents; 1750 × 1200 mm item 480 475 475
Plastic windows        
White PVCu double-glazed window unit; 1125 × 1125 mm item 200 200 198
Timber doors – flush        
Lacquered sapele veneered domestic door; 826 × 2040 × 40 mm item 39 39 38
Ply-faced solid core, external quality, for painting; 826 × 2040 × 44 mm item 72 71 70
Ash veneered plywood-faced solid core; 926 × 2040 × 44 mm item 108 105 105
Softwood door frames        
140 × 38 mm jamb, plugged and screwed m 6.50 6.50 6.30
Mastic pointing frames m 1.20 1.50 1.40
Metal doors        
Steel single door with frame; 1810 × 2100 mm item 1075 1075 1075
Plastic doors/hatches        
Sliding double-glazed patio doors with frames; 2025 × 2100 mm item 675 675 670
Loft access door and frame; 740 × 550 mm item 60 60 55
Metal stairs/balustrades        
Galvanised steel cat ladder; 3500 mm high item 500 500 500
Isolated balustrade, galvanised mild steel, 1050 mm high, 48 mm diameter handrail, 32 mm diameter uprights at 400 mm centres, 20 mm diameter knee rail m 125 120 120
General glazing        
Clear float laminated safety glass, 8 mm thick, in balustrade panels m2 60 60 60
Georgian wired polished plate; 6 mm thick m2 60 60 60
Key indicators
% change over 12 months
to March 1999
Retail price index  
Headline rate +2.1
All items excluding mortgage interest
payments – government’s target index		 +2.7
All items excluding mortgage interest
payments and indirect taxes		 +1.7
Industry  
Materials/fuel bought by manufacturing industry –3.6
– materials –4.3
– fuel +1.0
Materials/fuel bought by manufacturing industry other than food, beverages, petroleum and tobacco industries –4.4
Output prices of manufactured products 0.5
Output prices of manufactured products other than food, beverages, petroleum and tobacco industries –0.6
Construction industry  
Construction materials –1.0
Housebuilding materials –0.2
Machinery and equipment +0.9
Electrical machinery and apparatus –2.6
Commodities  
Aluminium –15.3
Copper –12.3
Oil –3.5
Source: Office for National Statistics
 
Building, civil engineering and landscaping
materials (% change)
Powder-coated aluminium rainwater goods +3
Stainless steel reinforcement –7
Concrete blocks +3
Softwood windows and doors +2
Plaster/plasterboard +1.5
Plastisol roofing –1
Westmoreland roofing slates +3
Bitument macadam surfacing +5
Cast-iron rainwater goods +3
Clay drainage goods +2
Plastics drainage goods +3
Timber panel products –4
Ceramic tiles –5
Steel drainage products –2
Gas-fired boilers +2
Radiators +3
Tube fittings –15
Mechanical and electrical services
and materials (% change)
Expansion joints +4
Fans +2.5
Insulation +5
Clock systems +1.5
Fire-detection and alarm systems +3
Cabling trunking systems +2
Packages with the biggest cost changes
Index title % change July 98-April 99
Upward movers    
  Stonework +2
  Windows and doors: steel +4
  Finishes: rigid tiles and terrazzo work +2
  Pipes and accessories: plastics +3
Downward movers    
  Concrete: reinforcement – 3.7
  Metal: decking – 8.4
  Metal: miscellaneous – 5.6
  Cladding and covering: coated steel – 6.5
  Cladding and covering: aluminium – 7.9
  Cladding and covering: copper – 8.9
  Cladding and covering: glazed – 3.5
  Raised access floors – 3.9
  Pipes and accessories: copper – 11.4
Employer’s NI contribution
6 April 1998-5 April 1999   6 April 1999-5 April 2000  
Weekly earnings % Weekly earnings %
up to £64 nil up to £83 nil
£64-109.99 3    
£110-154.99 5 more than £83 9.2 for contracted-
£155-209.99 7   out contributions
£210-485 10   12.2 on all earnings
more than £485 10   not contracted-out
 
Dayworks
Operative Pre 6 April
effective from		 Pre 6 April
£/hour		 From 6 April
£/hour
Building craftsman 3 August 1998 6.80 6.66 *
Building general operative 3 August 1998 5.22 5.18
Trained plumber 24 August 1998 7.69 7.55
Senior H&V craftsman (plus second welding skill) 5 October 1998 9.09 8.98
H&V mate (over 18) 5 October 1998 5.99 5.98
Approved electrician (national rate) 4 January 1999 9.33 9.22
Electrical senior apprentice (Stage 2 – first year) (national rate) 5 October 1998 6.02 6.03
Approved electrician (Scotland) 4 January 1999 9.22 9.12
Electrician (Scotland) 4 January 1999 8.41 8.29
* See below for build-up information
** Definition of prime cost of daywork carried out under a building contract (RICS and Building Employers Confederation); definition of prime cost of daywork carried out under a heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, refrigeration, pipework and/or domestic engineering contract (RICS and Heating and Ventilating Contractors Association); definition of prime cost of daywork carried out under an electrical contract (RICS and Electrical Contractors Association).
Typical tender adjustments (%)
Building
contracts		 HVAC
contracts		 Electrical
contracts
Labour 90 120-150 120-150
Materials 15-20 15 15
Plant * 10-30 10-15 10-15
* based on RICS Schedule of Basic Plant Charges 1990
Build-up of hourly rate for building craftsmen from 6 April 1999
Time Weekly rate Cost (£)
Basic pay 47.8 weeks £214.50 10 253.10
Employer’s National Insurance contribution 47.8 weeks £16.04 766.71
Construction Industry Training Board levy   0.38% 38.96
Holiday pay and benefits contribution 47 weeks £20.10 944.7
Annual labour cost     12 003.47
Hourly labour rate 1801.8 hours   6.66