Informations rapides
30 June 2020
2020- n° 167
In Q1 2020, producer costs for construction increased slightly (+0.2%) Costs of production indices in construction - first quarter 2020

In Q1 2020, the producer costs for construction increased slightly (+0.2% after –0.4% in the previous quarter). The increase was mainly due to the rise of costs in civil engineering (+0.9% after –1.5%). Costs in building construction were virtually stable (+0.1% after –0.3%) while those in specialised construction works were up slightly (+0.2% after –0.2%).

Over a year, the producer costs for construction continued to slow down (+0.2% after +0.6% in the fourth quarter 2019). They slowed down in specialised construction works (+0.2% after +1.0%) and in building construction (+0.1% after +1.0%). They were stable in civil engineering (after –1.8%).

Informations rapides
No 167
Paru le :Paru le30/06/2020
Prochaine parution le : 24/09/2024 at 12:00 - second quarter 2024

In Q1 2020, the producer costs for construction increased slightly (+0.2% after –0.4% in the previous quarter). The increase was mainly due to the rise of costs in civil engineering (+0.9% after –1.5%). Costs in building construction were virtually stable (+0.1% after –0.3%) while those in specialised construction works were up slightly (+0.2% after –0.2%).

Over a year, the producer costs for construction continued to slow down (+0.2% after +0.6% in the fourth quarter 2019). They slowed down in specialised construction works (+0.2% after +1.0%) and in building construction (+0.1% after +1.0%). They were stable in civil engineering (after –1.8%).

Variations in producer cost indices for construction

In %
Variations in producer cost indices for construction (In %)
Heading Weights (in %) Q1 2020/ Q4 2019 Q1 2020/ Q1 2019
F Construction 100.0 0.2 0.2
41.2 Construction of buildings 10.2 0.1 0.1
42 Civil engineering 15.9 0.9 0.0
43 Specialised construction works 73.9 0.2 0.2
43BT Buildings 65.2 0.2 0.3
43BTC New buildings 24.7 0.1 0.2
43BTR Existing buildings 40.5 0.1 0.4
43TP Specialised works for civil engineering 8.7 0.0 -0.5
Buildings (41.2 + 43BT) 75.4 0.1 0.3
Public works (42 + 43TP) 24.6 0.6 -0.2
  • Source : INSEE

Items of producer cost indices for construction

In %
Items of producer cost indices for construction (In %)
Costs items Q1 2020/ Q4 2019 Q1 2020/ Q1 2019
Equipment Buildings 1.3 3.0
Public works 0.0 -0.6
Labour Labour costs in construction 0.5 0.0
Energy Buildings -3.9 -2.9
Public works -3.3 -5.1
Materials Construction of buildings 0.2 -0.7
Existing buildings 0.3 -0.6
Civil engineering 2.8 0.2
Specialised works for civil engineering 0.6 -0.7
  • Source : INSEE

Production costs in construction

Production costs in construction
Construction of buildings Civil engineering Specialised construction works Construction
2015-01 100.1 100.0 99.9 99.9
2015-02 100.2 99.3 100.0 99.9
2015-03 100.2 100.8 100.1 100.2
2015-04 100.2 101.0 100.0 100.2
2015-05 100.3 101.7 100.1 100.4
2015-06 100.1 102.0 100.1 100.4
2015-07 100.2 101.7 100.1 100.4
2015-08 100.2 100.6 100.1 100.2
2015-09 99.7 98.9 99.8 99.7
2015-10 99.5 98.4 99.8 99.5
2015-11 99.6 98.2 100.0 99.7
2015-12 99.5 97.3 99.9 99.5
2016-01 99.3 96.1 99.8 99.2
2016-02 99.2 95.7 99.9 99.1
2016-03 99.4 96.0 100.1 99.4
2016-04 99.3 96.3 100.0 99.4
2016-05 99.7 97.1 100.2 99.6
2016-06 100.1 98.5 100.5 100.2
2016-07 100.2 99.0 100.6 100.3
2016-08 100.4 98.9 100.7 100.4
2016-09 100.5 99.1 100.8 100.5
2016-10 100.4 99.5 100.8 100.6
2016-11 100.5 100.2 100.9 100.7
2016-12 100.7 100.6 101.2 101.0
2017-01 101.3 102.7 101.8 101.9
2017-02 101.7 102.9 102.1 102.2
2017-03 102.0 102.9 102.4 102.5
2017-04 102.3 102.5 102.6 102.6
2017-05 102.2 102.7 102.5 102.5
2017-06 102.2 102.3 102.6 102.5
2017-07 102.2 102.1 102.6 102.5
2017-08 102.4 102.2 102.7 102.6
2017-09 102.2 102.5 102.6 102.5
2017-10 103.0 103.4 103.2 103.2
2017-11 103.3 104.2 103.7 103.7
2017-12 103.8 105.0 104.1 104.2
2018-01 104.1 105.7 104.4 104.6
2018-02 104.1 105.7 104.4 104.6
2018-03 104.0 105.2 104.3 104.4
2018-04 104.4 105.9 104.6 104.8
2018-05 104.8 107.2 105.1 105.4
2018-06 104.9 109.0 105.3 105.8
2018-07 105.0 109.3 105.5 106.0
2018-08 105.2 109.8 105.6 106.3
2018-09 105.2 110.0 105.6 106.3
2018-10 105.3 110.6 105.8 106.5
2018-11 105.2 111.3 105.6 106.5
2018-12 105.1 109.4 105.6 106.1
2019-01 105.8 108.3 106.1 106.4
2019-02 106.3 109.3 106.7 107.1
2019-03 106.7 110.9 107.2 107.7
2019-04 106.6 111.2 107.2 107.7
2019-05 106.4 111.3 106.8 107.5
2019-06 106.2 110.6 106.5 107.1
2019-07 106.4 110.3 106.8 107.3
2019-08 106.6 110.5 107.0 107.5
2019-09 106.6 109.5 107.1 107.4
2019-10 106.4 109.7 106.9 107.3
2019-11 106.2 108.1 106.7 106.9
2019-12 106.2 107.7 106.7 106.8
2020-01 106.4 109.3 106.9 107.2
2020-02 106.4 110.1 107.0 107.4
2020-03 106.3 109.0 106.9 107.2

Production costs in construction

  • Source: INSEE.

Material cost recovered

In Q1 2020, the cost of materials increased afresh in civil engineering (+2.8% after –3.6% in the previous quarter) led by the increase of bitumen prices. It also rebounded in specialised works for civil engineering (+0.6% after –0.9%) and, to a lesser extent, in building construction (+0.2% after –0.6%).

Over a year, material cost increased slightly in civil engineering (+0.2% after –6.0% in the fourth quarter 2019). It decreased in specialised works for civil engineering and in building construction (–0.7% after a stability in the previous quarter).

Materials cost

Materials cost
Construction of buildings Civil engineering Existing buildings Special works for civil engin.
2015-01 100.8 101.1 100.6 100.9
2015-02 100.9 97.7 100.5 100.1
2015-03 100.8 101.7 100.4 99.9
2015-04 100.8 101.8 100.2 100.2
2015-05 100.9 103.7 100.3 100.4
2015-06 100.4 104.8 100.2 100.3
2015-07 100.3 104.2 100.2 100.1
2015-08 100.3 102.1 100.2 100.6
2015-09 99.6 97.5 99.8 100.1
2015-10 99.0 96.2 99.7 99.6
2015-11 98.6 95.4 99.1 99.2
2015-12 97.8 93.8 98.8 98.6
2016-01 97.0 90.0 98.5 99.2
2016-02 96.5 88.8 98.1 98.6
2016-03 96.3 88.8 98.1 98.0
2016-04 96.2 89.6 97.9 98.3
2016-05 97.0 91.1 98.2 98.4
2016-06 97.9 94.5 98.7 98.7
2016-07 98.0 96.1 98.7 98.7
2016-08 98.5 95.7 98.9 98.7
2016-09 98.6 96.1 98.9 98.8
2016-10 97.9 96.6 98.5 98.5
2016-11 97.9 98.1 98.5 98.3
2016-12 98.2 98.5 98.9 98.2
2017-01 99.1 102.9 99.8 99.2
2017-02 99.4 102.8 100.0 99.1
2017-03 99.7 102.7 100.3 98.9
2017-04 100.2 101.5 100.6 98.9
2017-05 100.1 102.6 100.7 99.3
2017-06 100.1 101.8 100.9 99.1
2017-07 99.8 101.5 100.8 99.2
2017-08 100.2 101.7 101.2 99.2
2017-09 100.2 102.3 100.9 99.4
2017-10 101.2 103.7 101.5 99.9
2017-11 101.2 104.6 101.4 100.2
2017-12 101.4 106.0 101.5 100.1
2018-01 102.4 106.4 102.3 101.3
2018-02 102.6 106.6 102.5 101.2
2018-03 102.7 105.7 102.6 101.3
2018-04 103.1 106.7 103.3 101.8
2018-05 103.3 109.3 103.8 102.2
2018-06 103.1 113.6 103.6 101.6
2018-07 102.8 114.1 103.6 101.6
2018-08 103.1 115.3 103.6 101.9
2018-09 103.2 115.5 103.5 102.1
2018-10 103.3 116.6 103.4 101.9
2018-11 103.1 119.3 103.5 101.6
2018-12 102.8 114.7 103.4 101.1
2019-01 103.8 110.7 104.0 103.0
2019-02 104.0 111.9 104.3 102.7
2019-03 104.2 115.2 104.4 102.8
2019-04 104.1 116.1 104.5 103.1
2019-05 104.1 117.4 104.5 103.0
2019-06 104.1 116.3 104.0 102.8
2019-07 103.7 114.8 103.6 102.6
2019-08 103.8 115.3 103.4 102.4
2019-09 103.6 111.7 103.3 102.2
2019-10 103.2 112.9 103.2 101.7
2019-11 103.0 108.9 103.5 101.5
2019-12 103.0 107.6 103.3 101.3
2020-01 103.4 111.8 103.5 102.0
2020-02 103.2 114.2 103.6 102.1
2020-03 103.3 112.6 103.8 102.2

Materials cost

  • Source: INSEE.

Equipment cost increased in building construction and settled down in public works

In Q1 2020, equipment cost increased in building construction (+1.3% after +0.7% in the previous quarter) and sped up over a year (+3.0% after +1.5%). In public works, it was stable in the first quarter (after –0.6%) and decreased by 0.6% over a year (after +0.5%).

Equipment cost

Equipment cost
Public works Buildings
2015-01 99.9 99.1
2015-02 100.0 98.7
2015-03 100.0 99.1
2015-04 99.7 98.5
2015-05 99.6 99.1
2015-06 99.7 99.4
2015-07 99.8 98.8
2015-08 100.8 100.2
2015-09 100.5 100.2
2015-10 100.3 101.9
2015-11 100.0 103.2
2015-12 99.7 101.9
2016-01 100.0 100.6
2016-02 100.0 100.7
2016-03 100.2 101.2
2016-04 100.1 100.7
2016-05 100.2 100.1
2016-06 100.1 101.2
2016-07 99.9 100.3
2016-08 99.9 100.3
2016-09 100.0 100.5
2016-10 99.7 101.1
2016-11 99.9 100.7
2016-12 100.0 100.7
2017-01 100.4 101.2
2017-02 100.7 99.9
2017-03 100.6 100.1
2017-04 100.6 100.2
2017-05 100.6 100.1
2017-06 100.6 99.9
2017-07 100.1 99.9
2017-08 100.2 100.0
2017-09 100.2 99.8
2017-10 100.4 100.0
2017-11 100.3 99.9
2017-12 100.1 100.1
2018-01 100.6 100.1
2018-02 100.6 100.2
2018-03 100.5 100.2
2018-04 100.7 98.3
2018-05 100.8 99.2
2018-06 101.0 100.2
2018-07 101.1 100.6
2018-08 100.9 100.6
2018-09 101.1 100.8
2018-10 100.4 100.8
2018-11 100.6 100.9
2018-12 100.6 101.2
2019-01 101.4 100.3
2019-02 101.5 100.6
2019-03 101.9 101.4
2019-04 101.4 102.4
2019-05 101.1 101.9
2019-06 101.2 101.9
2019-07 101.5 101.9
2019-08 101.5 101.7
2019-09 101.9 101.7
2019-10 101.3 102.4
2019-11 100.8 102.0
2019-12 100.9 102.9
2020-01 100.4 103.2
2020-02 101.1 104.0
2020-03 101.4 104.1

Equipment cost

  • Source: INSEE.

Energy cost decreased

In Q1 2020, the cost of energy retreated in building construction (–3.9% after +1.7%) and in public works (–3.3% after +0.7%), driven down by diesel and heavy fuel prices which declined from February 2020 in the context of the economic slowdown attributed to the health crisis.

Over a year, the cost of energy still decreased in building construction (–2.9% after –1.9%) and in civil engineering (–5.1% after –2.7%).

Energy cost

Energy cost
Buildings Public works
2015-01 96.9 95.7
2015-02 101.7 104.1
2015-03 104.8 105.3
2015-04 104.4 107.7
2015-05 106.7 109.1
2015-06 105.3 107.4
2015-07 102.8 102.8
2015-08 97.6 96.1
2015-09 95.8 95.3
2015-10 95.8 94.8
2015-11 95.2 94.4
2015-12 92.9 87.3
2016-01 89.0 86.1
2016-02 88.2 85.8
2016-03 91.2 88.7
2016-04 91.9 88.8
2016-05 96.1 93.2
2016-06 100.7 96.7
2016-07 98.3 93.8
2016-08 95.2 93.1
2016-09 96.6 94.0
2016-10 98.9 98.0
2016-11 100.2 98.2
2016-12 101.2 102.5
2017-01 109.6 108.5
2017-02 109.7 108.8
2017-03 108.1 106.4
2017-04 107.8 105.8
2017-05 105.1 102.7
2017-06 102.6 99.6
2017-07 101.6 99.6
2017-08 103.6 100.9
2017-09 105.6 103.1
2017-10 107.6 104.7
2017-11 110.2 108.7
2017-12 110.6 109.5
2018-01 120.1 118.2
2018-02 119.3 117.3
2018-03 118.6 116.9
2018-04 121.2 119.4
2018-05 125.7 122.3
2018-06 126.9 123.1
2018-07 125.4 122.7
2018-08 125.7 123.2
2018-09 128.0 125.0
2018-10 132.0 129.3
2018-11 128.4 125.1
2018-12 123.2 119.7
2019-01 121.2 119.6
2019-02 124.5 124.8
2019-03 126.6 126.6
2019-04 127.3 127.1
2019-05 128.5 125.6
2019-06 123.6 119.9
2019-07 123.2 121.1
2019-08 122.4 118.6
2019-09 124.3 121.6
2019-10 124.8 120.3
2019-11 124.8 120.8
2019-12 126.7 122.9
2020-01 127.5 124.0
2020-02 121.3 119.7
2020-03 112.7 108.4

Energy cost

  • Source: INSEE.

Labour costs in construction rebounded

In Q1 2020, the labour costs in construction rebounded (+0.5% after –0.7%). Over a year, it was stable (after +1.6%).

Revision

In Q4 2019, the variation in producer costs in construction has been revised by –0.1 points: –0.4% versus –0.3% as published in March 2020.

For further information

Monthly production cost indices are released every three months.

These indices aggregate the cost indices of six factors of production, four of which are commented here (equipment, labour, energy and materials) and account for more than 8/9 in the calculation of the producer costs in construction.

These indices are subject to revision. They are primarily used for national accounts and macroeconomics analyses.

Next issue: end of September 2020

Pour en savoir plus

Monthly production cost indices are released every three months.

These indices aggregate the cost indices of six factors of production, four of which are commented here (equipment, labour, energy and materials) and account for more than 8/9 in the calculation of the producer costs in construction.

These indices are subject to revision. They are primarily used for national accounts and macroeconomics analyses.

Next issue: end of September 2020

: bureau-de-presse@insee.fr
: