BUILDING COSTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17031, 3 May 1923, Page 7

BUILDING COSTS.

REDUCTION OF 20 PER CENT. 11 To-day a wooden building can be erected for about 20 per cent less than during the boom ]>eriod about two years ago,” said a well-knowm builder when interviewed this morning with regard to building costs. He added that this was due to an all round de crease in the prices of bxiilding material and also to the reduction in wages as ordered by the Arbitration Court. The builder added that business was fairly brisk in the trade in Christchurch at present. A number of large buildings were being erected in the city itself, and besides a large number of houses were being built in the suburbs. As far as he knew there were no skilled men connected with the building trade out of work at present, but the supply of skilled labour was sufficient to meet the demand, and no buildings were being held up on account of any shortage of skilled workers. Questioned with regard to the supply and price of timber the builder said that ordinary building timber known in the trade as O B was cheaper to-day than «t any time during the past five years. Unless the sectional charges were abolished he did not think there would be any reduction in the price of timber from the West Coast when the Otira tunnel was opened. There was every indication that at least two sectional charges on tim her from the West Coast would be made permanent. The first section would he from the mills to Otira and the second from Otira to Christchurch These sectional charges appeared to be justifiable because three different engines would have to be used in bringing a train from the West Coast to Christchurch. Personally he did not think that any reduction in the price of timber could he expected on account of the opening of the Otira tunnel. The price of bricks, said the builder, was governed largely bv the cost of unskilled labour and coal. Bricks had been reduced in proportion to the reduction in wages. Unless the cost of unskilled labour and coal was Lowered, and there seemed to be no immediate prospect of this, no further reduction in the price of bricks could be looked for. All classes of builders’ hardware and ironmongery were much cheaper than they were two years ago. but they had been informed bv merchants that the latest indications were for slightly increased prices. Cement was now very plentiful, and this article had been reduced in proportion more than any other building material that was produced in the Dominion.