BUILD PREDICTIONS FOR 2023

If you're planning a self-build, extension or renovation in 2023, you may be pleased to learn that there's some good news amidst the bad, according to builder Andy Stevens

- Andy Stevens

This is probably one of the most difficult times in recent years to forecast ahead. We have the cost-of-living crisis, inflation, the situation in Ukraine, political unrest and soaring prices pretty much everywhere! 

First of all, material prices. This is a tough one to predict, but there has been some good news. Timber and sheet materials (OSB, ply, MDF, chipboard and so on) have dropped in price in recent months by a decent amount, too. However, as I write this, we are at the time of year where builders' merchants and suppliers are just about to be informed about price rises across the board from suppliers. I have been told that we should expect significant price rises across most products and materials. Different companies offering the same product will be putting on different price increases. For example, I know one brick manufacturer is putting up their prices by around 10-15% because of the rising costs in the production process, but other brick manufacturers could be increasing their prices by double this.

Concrete and insulation are also forecast to have heavy price increases. This is where it is vital to shop around. Check with different suppliers, look online and research it thoroughly as this initial time spent could save you thousands.

Availability of materials and products generally is okay at the moment. The main thing that suppliers are struggling with is in sourcing the components that go into some of the products. An example of this is boilers. Manufacturers and large brands in this sector are finding it difficult to get some components and therefore the supply of boilers isn't at the level it needs to be, which is, in turn, causing a shortage of stock. And it's the same with barrier pipe (15/22/28mm plastic coils of pipe).

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