The Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) is the leading provider of cost and carbon data to the UK built environment. Over 4,000 subscribing consultants, clients and contractors use BCIS products to control costs, manage budgets, mitigate risk and improve project performance.
Published: 08/10/2026
Construction rates in the BCIS Minor Works and SMM7 Minor Works estimating datasets increased overall by 4.7% in the second quarter of 2026, compared with the same period last year.
The increase is an average of all rates across all trades covered in the datasets.
Structural steelwork rates increased by 8.3%, piling and diaphragm walling rates increased by 6.2% and glazing rates increased by 6.1%, while masonry rates increased by just 0.7%.
Source: BCIS Minor Works and SMM7 Minor Works Estimating Prices
Karl Horton, data services director at BCIS, said: ‘Structural steelwork and piling and diaphragm walling saw the greatest increases in the Minor Works update. Cost growth in these trades continues to run ahead of the overall average.’
The datasets have undergone a thorough review and update, with new rates and resources added.
2027 Edition Updates
The BCIS Minor Works Estimating Prices 2027 dataset now contains 27,574 total rates and 9,735 total resources, including 754 new or additional rates. The BCIS SMM7 Minor Works Estimating Prices 2027 dataset contains 26,178 total rates and 9,695 total resources, including 735 new or additional rates.
New and additional items added across both datasets include painting and decorating, beam and block flooring, testing of fire alarm and emergency lighting systems, stonework, fabricated steelwork, SIP panel walling, curtain walling, boiling and chilled water supply (zip taps or similar), and brushed finish to unset concrete.
BCIS databases are created on a national average ‘best trade price’ basis and estimates can be rebased to suit project location, date and contract value. Custom percentages can also be applied for preliminaries, overheads and profit levels.
In the Minor Works dataset, prices are based on a contract of extensions and alterations to an existing building, two or three storeys high, with a tender price of about £1,375,000, requiring relatively small quantities of materials and labour. The SMM7 Minor Works dataset provides the equivalent pricing structured to the SMM7 classification.
The Minor Works and SMM7 Minor Works datasets are available to subscribers of BCIS CapX.
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(1) Office for National Statistics – New orders in the construction industry - here
