Building Cost Index Subscription

Building Cost Index

The BER Building Cost Index is a measure of the percentage change in average building costs in South Africa. It is based on an analysis of the tariffs (rates) in accepted tenders supplied by quantity surveyors (QS).

 

Calculation

The BER Building Cost Index is compiled from information collected quarterly by means of a standard questionnaire from the same group of quantity surveyors. These quantity surveyors supply information on the scope of the project, some amounts and the tariffs (rates) of a number of items from the bills of quantities of accepted tenders.

The index is compiled by analysing current price movements of 27 items. These items are classified into the various workgroups (WGs) as provided by the ASAQS in their determination of CPAP 180 and 181. An index is then generated per WG and the CPAP weights are applied. This yields a building cost index for residential buildings (using CPAP 180 weights) and non-residential (using CPAP 181 weights). The overall BER BCI is then derived by applying the relative nominal spending on residential and non-residential buildings (as provided by Statistics South Africa) in 2021.

Value

The BER Building Cost Index is a unique index, as it is based on an analysis of accepted tender prices (i.e. the ex-ante output prices of building contractors). This implies that the index reflects market conditions, because it includes the profit margins of building contractors in addition to builders’ input costs (labour, materials, plant and fuel) and allowances for contingencies. By contrast, the CPAP indices (published by Stats SA) reflect only builders’ input costs and exclude the profit margins of building contractors.

Use

The BER Building Cost Index is widely accepted by the quantity surveying profession as an indicator of trends in tender prices. However, not only members of the quantity surveying profession find the building cost data useful, but also building contractors, lawyers and arbitrators, property valuers, insurance brokers and insurance companies and, of late, asset management companies.


Download a sample

The BER offers two subscription options:

STANDARD BER BCIS

Cost of annual subscription:

R6970.00*

(incl. VAT)

Subscribers get a quarterly report which contains:

  • The historical BER BCI, along with a 5-year forecast (pre-tender escalation) - also in excel
  • A 5-year forecast of the Contract Price Adjustment Index (Haylett index) for workgroups 180 and 181 (post-tender escalation) – also in excel
  • The rates of the 27 representative items on which the BER BCI is based

* Members of the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS) are entitled to a 20% discount provided they subscribe through the ASAQS membership portal

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PREMIUM BER BCIS

Cost of annual subscription:

R8800.00*

(incl. VAT)

In addition to that included in the Standard BER BCIS, premium subscribers also get:

  • The historical residential and non-residential BCI – in excel
  • The history and forecast for the components of the derived Haylett index namely, the consumer price index, building material inflation and plant and machinery equipment – in excel
  • Access to the BER's project BCI calculator (click here to view a video), a tool that will enable users to gauge their own project BCI by selecting weights appropriate to that project#

* Members of the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS) are entitled to a 20% discount provided they subscribe through the ASAQS membership portal

#The BER does not endorse any calculation generated by the project calculator. The BER BCI remains the official measure of output inflation in the building construction sector

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