The price of building materials is starting to pick up again, particularly for timber and cladding

Latest data from QV CostBuilder shows the cost of building a home has risen 1.1 percent in the past year.

The rise is well below inflation, and is a sharp contrast to the 38-percent increases seen between 2020 and 2024.

But it follows a period of flat or falling costs.

Some plumbing materials are getting cheaper, but structural timber, cladding and concrete are all getting more expensive.