BUILD NOW TO BEAT INFLATION

Rising fuel prices and the situation in Ukraine are not going away so it pays to start your project now and lock in prices on building materials and inflation-proof costs where possible. Do not always look to the big names for the best deals; in the more rural and remote parts of the country the smaller, private firms are often part of a buying consortium and their prices and personal service might astound you. However it is also worth seeking out the neighbourhood branch of a national firm with an excellent local manager. Shop around and up your security once products are on site.

The construction industry across the UK says that ‘price inflation remains a major concern’. This affects the custom and self-build market just as much as it does the big boys.

The Construction Leadership Council’s product availability working group now meets every three weeks to respond to changes.

It said in March: ‘There are reports that some suppliers are only willing to hold quotes for tender prices for 24 hours.’

Long-term, Russia is a major supplier of birch plywood and resins, Ukraine is a main supplier for kaolin used to manufacture sanitary ware and tiles; prices are going to be impacted for some time to come.

The good news is that UK brick and block stocks have increased and the report notes: ‘timber presents a positive picture with stable prices and plenty of stock in the UK, along with fewer problems reported with ports and haulage’.