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House building in Berlin: "At most the dynamics are weakening"
Photo: Jens Kalaene / dpa
According to the construction industry, builders will have to be prepared for higher costs in the new year as well. "There is no all-clear, construction prices will continue to rise," said Reinhard Quast, President of the Central Association of the German Building Industry. "At most, the dynamics are weakening." Higher energy costs drive up the price of steel, for example, and concrete is becoming more expensive due to the rise in diesel prices for transport. In addition, the statutory minimum wage of twelve euros per hour will put pressure on wages and skilled workers are scarce.
"Wood and steel, for example, are currently available for construction, but twice as expensive as they were a year ago," said Quast.
It is more difficult with insulation material.
In the case of concrete, there are sometimes price increases of 15 to 20 percent because the more expensive diesel fuel for transport to the construction sites has a full impact, reported Quast, who is a building contractor himself.
“There is a shortage of many products and everyone in the chain is testing the price caps.
That will also make itself felt in the prices for new apartments, «said Quast.
Expensive materials such as steel, concrete, wood and insulation have been driving building prices up for a long time.
In August, the price of new apartments was 12.6 percent more expensive than in the same month last year - according to the Federal Statistical Office, the strongest increase in 51 years.
Quast does not consider the goal of the traffic light parties in the coalition agreement to build 400,000 new apartments a year to be realistic.
"It is technically feasible, but there is a lack of land and building permits." The bottleneck is "on paper, not with the stones." In Germany, it takes years to get permits and convert areas into building land.
"The key to more residential construction would be to simplify approval processes."
mik / dpa-AFX
