Our packages provide a range of pricing datasets including small and large projects and alterations and refurbishment
Published: 02/09/2025
Construction rates in the BCIS Major Works, Minor Works and Alterations & Refurbishment estimating datasets increased overall by 5% in the second quarter of 2025, compared with the same period last year.
The increase is an average of all rates across all trades covered in the datasets.
However, while materials cost inflation has calmed considerably in the past year, there remain significant differences in overall price changes between trades.
Across the BCIS Major Works and Minor Works, and SMM7 Major Works and SMM7 Minor Works datasets, the average increase was 4.96%, with a 6.71% rise in rates for demolitions, alterations and repairs, and a fall in structural steel rates of 1.32%.
Source: BCIS Major Works and Minor Works, BCIS SMM7 Major Works and SMM7 Minor Works Estimating Prices
In the BCIS Alterations & Refurbishment Price Database, the average increase in rates across trades was 5.02%, with a 7.03% rise in excavation and earthwork rates.
Source: BCIS Alterations & Refurbishment Price Database
Karl Horton, data services director at BCIS, said: ‘Although soaring material costs and supply chain issues are generally behind us, price movement is of course not uniform across the board and some prices remain high.
‘As well as tracking materials, we capture ongoing changes in labour costs, with the latest pay agreements from bodies such as the Construction Industry Joint Council and the Building and Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council that will be shaping wage levels into 2026.’
The datasets have undergone a thorough review and update, with new rates and resources added.
2026 Edition Updates
Horton added: ‘Updates include new rates for insulation and other modern components, helping the datasets stay aligned with today’s construction methods and emerging material choices.’
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.
The Alterations & Refurbishment dataset is intended for use on projects consisting entirely or substantially of alterations and improvements to existing buildings from simply taking out a door and blocking up the opening, to projects up to £300,000 in value. It is available to subscribers of BCIS OpX.
In the Major Works dataset, the prices are based on a building of two or three storeys of the Administrative or Recreational type, such as offices, libraries, community centres and sports halls, architect-designed and supervised with a tender price of up to approximately £4 million, providing reasonable quantities of work in all trades.
In the Minor Works dataset, the 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 £1,250,000, requiring relatively small quantities of materials and labour.
The Major Works and Minor Works datasets are available to subscribers of BCIS CapX.
BCIS 2026 Estimating Prices Datasets
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